ChessTech 2020 Update

The ChessTech 2020 Conference is now just over one week away.

There will be a veritable bonanza of chess talk, demonstrations, presentations and various other events over the weekend of 5-6 December.

Basic tickets are free and there is an opportunity to purchase a Professional Ticket for £50, which will give exclusive access to several parts of the conference.

It will be a meeting of minds like no other and promises to be a very positive experience amid the otherwise desolate landscape of 2020.

250 people have already registered and we are creeping towards full capacity.

The full programme is about to be unveiled, so keep a close eye on the official website.

Be there - or be square!

ChessTech2020

 

The London Chess Conference will be held on the weekend of Saturday 5 - Sunday 6 December.

Circumstances have rather forced our hand to make the entire conference and online affair. 

However, there is an element of serendipity here as the theme was already set as Chess and Technology.

This is from the official website:

ChessTech2020 is the premier chess related conference in the world. Its name reflects the topic: Chess and Technology. This is the Eighth in the sequence of London Chess Conferences since 2013. 

Meet the leaders and pioneers of online chess, discover new products and services, debate cheating and learn about the latest chess-related research!

This year our theme is Chess and Technology with special regard to online learning, teaching and training. 

The conference is held online through video conference with networking opportunities through digital kiosks. 

There will also be a business competition for start-ups.

Topics 2020

Cheating and Anti-cheating
Streaming
Hybrid Events
Digital Strategy
Digital Formats
Online Learning Systems
Integrated Hardware
Playing Platforms
Let’s Make Chess Greener
Online Projects for Girls and Women
New Journalism Formats and much more

General admission is free this year and there is an upgraded Professional Ticket, priced at £50, for those who would appreciate a plethora of extras.

Head to the official website for further details.

Project 30 November Zoom Quiz

The third edition of the Project 30 Zoom Quiz was the biggest and best to date.

The quiz has now gone international, thanks to the involvement of
Kineke Mulder of Chess Unlimited.

Jo Hutchinson and Adrian Thomas (one of the kings of British Rythm and Blues - check out the Voodoo Sheiks) were among those also making their debuts in this strictly-by-invitation series of events.

David Hardy is the champion, with John Garnett runner-up and Sean Cassidy third.

Thank you, everyone, for a fabulous, fun evening.

Incidentally, some of the answers I received for the lyrics question were not only incorrect, but also anatomically impossible.

Project 30 Match Update

The big Project 30 match has been decided, with Team Two crossing the finishing line as victors, thanks to excellent wins from Peter Parker. 

One fixture remains, but it cannot change the standings.

Remaining Fixture

Paul Weightman - Kevin Waterman


Results

Mike Pointon 1-1 Matt Jackman
Mike Pointon 1-1 Sean Marsh
Mike Pointon 0-2 Peter Harker
Mike Pointon 2-0 Graham Edwards
Mike Pointon 1-1 Royce Parker
Mike Pointon 1-1 Kevin Waterman

John Garnett 0.5-1.5 Matt Jackman
John Garnett 0-2 Sean Marsh
John Garnett 2-0 Peter Harker
John Garnett 2-0 Royce Parker
John Garnett 2-0 Graham Edwards
John Garnett 1.5-0.5 Kevin Waterman

David Baillie 0.5-1.5 Matt Jackman
David Baillie 1-1 Sean Marsh
David Baillie 1.5-0.5 Royce Parker
David Baillie 2-0 Kevin Waterman
David Baillie 2-0 Peter Harker
David Baillie 1.5-0.5 Graham Edwards

Richard Harris 0-2 Matt Jackman
Richard Harris 2-0 Peter Harker
Richard Harris 1-1 Royce Parker
Richard Harris 1.5-0.5 Kevin Waterman
Richard Harris 0-2 Sean Marsh
Richard Harris 1-1 Graham Edwards

Paul Weightman 0.5-1.5 Matt Jackman
Paul Weightman 2-0 Graham Edwards
Paul Weightman 0-2 Sean Marsh
Paul Weightman 0.5-1.5 Royce Parker

Paul Weightman 0-2 Peter Harker

Sean Cassidy 0-2 Sean Marsh
Sean Cassidy 0-2 Matt Jackman
Sean Cassidy 0-2 Royce Parker
Sean Cassidy 0-2 Kevin Waterman
Sean Cassidy 0-2 Graham Edwards

Sean Cassidy 1-1 Peter Harker

Team One 32, Team Two 38

Players who have completed their fixtures are given with their final scores.

Team One
John Garnett 8/12
David Baillie 8.5/12
Richard Harris 5.5/12
Mike Pointon 6/12
Sean Cassidy 1/12
Paul Weightman

Team Two
Sean Marsh 10/12
Matt Jackman 9.5/12
Graham Edwards 3.5/12
Royce Parker 6/12
Peter Harker 5/12
Kevin Waterman

Project 30: Match Update

Here is an update on our big Project 30 match, which is now coming to its conclusion.

Team Two have extended their lead by a point.

6 points are still available.

Team One needs five and a half points to win the match.

Team Two needs one and a half points to win the match.

A score of 5-1 to Team One from the remaining fixtures will tie the match.

Remaining Fixtures

Paul Weightman - Peter Harker
Paul Weightman - Kevin Waterman

Sean Cassidy - Peter Harker


Results

Mike Pointon 1-1 Matt Jackman
Mike Pointon 1-1 Sean Marsh
Mike Pointon 0-2 Peter Harker
Mike Pointon 2-0 Graham Edwards
Mike Pointon 1-1 Royce Parker
Mike Pointon 1-1 Kevin Waterman

John Garnett 0.5-1.5 Matt Jackman
John Garnett 0-2 Sean Marsh
John Garnett 2-0 Peter Harker
John Garnett 2-0 Royce Parker
John Garnett 2-0 Graham Edwards
John Garnett 1.5-0.5 Kevin Waterman

David Baillie 0.5-1.5 Matt Jackman
David Baillie 1-1 Sean Marsh
David Baillie 1.5-0.5 Royce Parker
David Baillie 2-0 Kevin Waterman
David Baillie 2-0 Peter Harker
David Baillie 1.5-0.5 Graham Edwards

Richard Harris 0-2 Matt Jackman
Richard Harris 2-0 Peter Harker
Richard Harris 1-1 Royce Parker
Richard Harris 1.5-0.5 Kevin Waterman
Richard Harris 0-2 Sean Marsh
Richard Harris 1-1 Graham Edwards

Paul Weightman 0.5-1.5 Matt Jackman
Paul Weightman 2-0 Graham Edwards
Paul Weightman 0-2 Sean Marsh
Paul Weightman 0.5-1.5 Royce Parker

Sean Cassidy 0-2 Sean Marsh
Sean Cassidy 0-2 Matt Jackman
Sean Cassidy 0-2 Royce Parker
Sean Cassidy 0-2 Kevin Waterman
Sean Cassidy 0-2 Graham Edwards


Team One 31, Team Two 35


Players who have completed their fixtures are given with their final scores.


Team One 
John Garnett 8/12
David Baillie 8.5/12
Richard Harris 5.5/12
Mike Pointon 6/12
Sean Cassidy 
Paul Weightman 

Team Two
Sean Marsh 10/12
Matt Jackman 9.5/12
Graham Edwards 3.5/12
Royce Parker 6/12
Peter Harker 
Kevin Waterman

Excellent New Magazine: Chess Tales

We have excellent news for everyone involved with junior chess.

Chess Tales is an English translation of the German Rochade Kids chess magazine.

Teesside helped to test the content of the magazine and there is another link too; Royce Parker, my good friend and teammate, is the translator.

The material is excellent and fully engaging.

You don't need to take my word for it, as you can see the contents of the first issue here.

Additionally, UK schools can claim one free copy of the magazine by clicking here.

Approximately 25,000 children use the magazine in Germany. I believe it to be a very valuable set of resources, which will work in the classroom scenario and also in one-to-one lessons.

International Master Tobias Hirneise is the editor of Chess Tales and he is offering a discount of 50% to schools ordering 10 or more copies of the first issue.

Head to the Chess Tales website for further information.

Acorn Chess

Mini-games are a valuable part of a chess tutor's resources.

They are ideal for teaching chess methodically, as they use a small number of pieces each time to build up knowledge and skill.

They are used extensively by Chess in Schools and Communities in over 300 UK schools.

One problem - particularly now online teaching has become a necessity - is that most computer programmes cannot be used to set up the mini-games, as they class them as illegal positions (because there are no kings on the board.)

Acorn Chess is a brand new venture, which allows mini-games to be set up easily and offers various levels of engine strength to test a player's skill.

I have tested Acorn Chess and I believe it offers an excellent set of resources for chess tutors to use in group or individual settings.

There are lots of other games and features and the project is developing all of the time. Head to the Acorn Chess website to investigate the new resources and follow Acorn Chess on Twitter to keep up to date with all of the new developments.