More #chess success for Devon juniors

ByDrDave

Congratulations to Caleb Caleshu who has won through to the U14 Terafinal of the UK Chess Challenge. Best of luck in the final from all at Devon Junior Chess!

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  • 10 Nov

    ByDrDave

    Welcome to Max

    I teased a couple of you with a Very Hard Mate In One last week, and found another one.

    I have collected some more!  21 more in fact.

  • Exeter Juniors 1-3 Broadclyst Primary 6th June 2014

    ByDrDave

    Having won our other two matches, we went into our last game with league
    victory assured, and so we ventured a younger team against Broadclyst
    Primary School, who for so long have been the core of Devon’s junior
    squad.

    When Ethan missed the start and Henry out-tricked himself, it looked as
    though we were going to struggle for any sort of result. Oliver set up
    a solid fortress while Redmond went fishing for chances against his
    opponent’s King. After Redmond hooked a mate and Oliver’s castle was
    breached, we went home with just one point.

    Ethan finally found the venue, and salvaged some honour by defeating the
    home side’s top board in a friendly game.

    Games to follow!



  • EJCC 2-2 Seaton

    ByDrDave

    Another close match which could have gone either way.

    Some homework study may be required!

    {Some simple tactics decided this game. In fact, they are the tactics most
    often missed in junior games: discovered check, outnumbered, undermining.}

    {WARNING: This next game contains uncut scenes of graphic chess violence. The part of Ming
    the Merciless was played by Taylor Finch.}

    {A great fightback after losing your way in an unfamiliar opening.}

    {In a line you hadn’t faced before, you struggled to find a way to complete
    development and be able to keep going forward. In the end, the squares you
    lost on the board were less important than the minutes you lost on the clock.}

  • Exeter Juniors 2½-1½ Seaton

    ByDrDave

    Our first win! Even without the point from ‘super-sub’ Ray Shepherd, we had a draw in the bank, and that would have been a good result too.

    So, well done all round. In both other games there was a big chance for our side early on – so make sure you think right from the start, don’t ‘warm up’ during the game!

    {A bit of a tired performance by White: Black picked up pawns every few moves
    and went into an endgame four pawns ahead. There were a couple of chances to
    hit back, and the one on move 8 might have given a very different result.
    Look at every check and every capture, every move!}

    3. d4 is the move most likely to cause problems. Have a look at this page:
    http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/lessons-philidors-defence

    {Black never really got going and eventually forgot about a threatened piece;
    White actually had a chance to win a piece on move 6!}

  • Exeter Juniors 1½-2½ Sidmouth UPDATED

    ByDrDave

    UPDATE: Taylor’s game added

    {White avoided an early Queen swap, which might have been a nuisance, but it
    was a move leading out of the frying pan into the fire.}

    {Black improvised in the opening and while trying to sort out the position
    wasted a lot of the time that should be used to develop and get castled.
    White crashed through the middle to win.}

    See also: http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/making-it-you-go-along

    {An early mistake by Black left White needing only to avoid an accident to win}

    {Black wasn’t playing badly but overlooked a few simple threats by White to go
    a Rook, a Knight and a few Pawns behind. White should have won easily enough
    after that but somehow lost hold of both the Rook and the Knight and then
    chose not to swap off the Queens. A draw was a generous outcome!}

  • Exeter Juniors ½ -3½ Tiverton

    ByDrDave

    I’m a bit bored of writing this, but the result doesn’t reflect the closeness of the contests! Great result by Reece, saving us from the whitewash, but some great moves and terrific heart shown by all.