Monday 31 October 2022

More Library Sessions

Library chess sessions have now resumed at Ingleby Barwick Library and they are on Fridays, from 4.00 - 6.00 p.m.

We now have five of our six chess libraries back up and running after the lockdown years closed them down and we are working and getting the Middlesbrough sessions back in action too.

All of the library sessions are free and open to players of all ages and abilities, from complete novices to Grandmasters. There is no expectation of commitment; just turn up whenever you want to.

In many cases, people who started at our libraries now play for our local chess clubs too.

I advise you to check with each library before attending the sessions, just to make sure they definitely on before you travel.







Sunday 23 October 2022

Training Day Tour 2022-23: Hull


It is rare indeed for any city other than London to have more than one training day in a calendar year. Yet here we were, back in Hull for the second time in 2022, following January's successful event.

I always receive a warm welcome in Hull. Isaac and the excellent team at the Hull Central Library had ensured everything was in place for our day and we had a wonderful group of delegates.

Jo Hutchinson was once again the Hull assistant and our guest star was Dan Staples, of CSC Head Office.

We worked on many topics, including our CSC curriculum, mini-games and a discussion on the benefits of chess.

Thank you, everyone, for a very enjoyable event.

Here are some captured moments from the day.


Sunrise in Hull.

The Hull Central Library is a magnificent venue.

The library carpet depicts the Three Ducal Coronets - 
the famous Coat of Arms for Kingston-upon-Hull




The library always has quirky items of interest.
This time, there was a toad-themed display. 

Not many libraries have their own art gallery.



Dan Staples was our very special guest on this occasion.

Mini-games on action.

There were more pupils than usual this year.

It worked for Korchnoi in Baguio City in 1978.

Group discussion on the benefits of chess.

Dan Staples - a great friend and CSC colleague.

Jo Hutchinson was the official Hull assistant once again.


Suddenly, it was home time...

A walk to the station was accompanied by many items of interest,
such as this statue of Amy Johnson


One of Hull's famous cream telephone boxes.

Another memory of childhood times in Hull - the South African War Memorial.


Spiders!

Philip Larkin


I arrived home just in time to go through the back door and out of the front
door to see 'Lipstick on Your Collar' at Yarm's Princess Alexandra Auditorium
(our Megafinal venue), which rounded off a very fine day.

The Training Day Tour continues, with dates in Liverpool, Manchester and London all confirmed. Keep an eye on this page for further updates.

Tuesday 11 October 2022

English Chess Federation BOOK of the YEAR 2022

English Chess Federation

BOOK of the YEAR 2022



One subject, three books, written over a decade and published in different years. The trilogy is now complete and of such high quality, that it must be mentioned before the award itself.

Emanuel Lasker Forster, Negele, Tischbierek editors Exzelsior Verlag

Lasker, World Champion for 27 years, was remarkable for his wide range of interests and activities outside chess. 

The trilogy, lovingly written by many leading chess historians, gives not only a comprehensive insights into the man, the chess player and his non chess achievements, but also a vivid picture of the times he lived in. Outstanding in every way.



Think like a Super-GM Adams and Hurtado Quality Chess pp464 £29.50

The two authors, in conjunction with the publisher have produced a book of great interest and originality. Adams is a super GM, whilst Hurtado has an engineering, scientific, statistical background have combined to answer the question: how does a super GM think? To do this, players of varying ability from amateur to GM were asked to examine 40 selected positions, find the best and follow up moves, while the time taken, and thoughts were recorded. 

These were then analysed and compared. The reader can then do the tests themselves and see how they rate against the panel.

Adams provides full analysis of the test positions to reveal what is going on, so the reader can evaluate their performance. 

Finally, Hurtado gives a Puzzle Commentary whilst Adam writes Adams Insight giving a super GM’s overview.

Part Four is headed “Conclusions from the Puzzles” Both Hurtado and Adams answer this question from their different perspectives. Whilst there is some overlap the differences between them are fascinating and interesting.

The last chapter,” Eye Tracking Experiment” is where players studied positions and their eye movements were captured by camera/ technology whilst they thought. This is a new field of chess study and the results are well worth reading.

The publishers, Quality Chess apart from being involved from the beginning, have arranged the often complex, material excellently. The production of the book is to a high standard, so the book is a pleasure to handle and read.

A very worthy Book of the Year. The information required to think like a Super GM can be found in this book - all that remains is to become one!

Ray Edwards, Jovanka Houska Sean Marsh  October 2022

Saturday 8 October 2022

27th Yarm Team Chess Championships


The first major junior event of the new school year took pace today at Yarm Preparatory School.

The 27th Yarm Team Chess Championships - one of the longest-running series of chess events in the world - brought a day of Autumnal sunshine and an abundance of excellent games.

12 teams, from five different schools, were in action throughout the busy day and the top places were strongly contested all the way up to the moment the last pawns were pushed.

The final scores and standings are here.

Under-9s

1st: Yarm B, 10.5 points

2nd: Yarm A, 9.5

3rd: Yarm C, 9


Under-11s

1st: Yarm A, 17 points

2nd: Yarm C, 16

3rd: Yarm B, 12


Other Scores

9.5: Throston

8.5: Viewley Hill

8: Whale Hill A

7.5: Whale Hill B

7: Yarm D

5.5: Norton

Throston and Viewley Hill received book prizes, courtesy of Chess in Schools and Communities, who also very kindly provided the medals for the top three teams in each section (thank you, Nevil!).

The top three teams in each section were awarded with main-place certificates and everyone received a certificate of attendance.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make the day such a great success.

Here is our pictorial report, from the opening remarks to the prize-giving ceremony (all photographs © Johannes Grundmann).


















Doctor Williams, Headteacher of Yarm Senior School,
helped to present the prizes










Thank you to the tournament Controllers,
 Richard Harris and Catherine Lloyd