Welcome to James!
No club night next week (27th October) for Half-term.
I am copying old posts from old websites and reminded myself of Mr.B’s interest in Otto Blathy’s ‘grotesque’ chess problems, and tried one out this evening: the first one on this page – Grotesque!
After tonight’s results, this half-term’s Rapid Rating Risers are Zayd, Jonah, Orestes, Ernest and especially Advaith — well done all!
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.
One of the best and best-contested matches I’ve had the pleasure to watch. Well done to all players!
W Royle ½-½ Fraser
B Trott ½-½ Whitehead
S Keat 1-0 Ramesh
B Terrill 0-1 Chornenkyy
A tough game fought in the jungles of a hypermodern opening, in the end Black’s
exchange was enough to balance an advanced passed pawn – or maybe the
other way around!
A wild game where both sides did enough to win…
Some devilishly complicated opening play resulted in an early win of a
piece for White.
Another close match, well done to all!
Board 1
Board 2
Board 3
Board 4
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.}
Welcome to Elliott
We had an unusual game where the Black King charged up the board to e1! This is called a ‘King march’ if the player chooses to do it, or a ‘King hunt’ if the King is chased there.
One of the most famous King hunts was this one:
8 Sept 2026
I hope you all had a wonderful Summer.
The first club night of the new chess season will be on Tuesday 8th Sept 2026, at our usual venue of the “DJ Room”, Heavitree Social Club, EX1 3BS.
Membership fees of £15 will be due for this 2026-27 year from today; perhaps the easiest way for us both is to use this link:
https://devonjuniorchess.co.uk/content/exeter-junior-chess-club-membership-fee
Whatever PayPal try to persuade you, you don’t need a PayPal account to pay through PayPal.
Instructions for BACS payments are also on that page.
Looking forward to seeing you all again, and I hope you will not object if I notice you have grown.
bw
D
P.S. I am busy trying to retire from work, which I hope to do some time in the New Year, after which I won’t be coming into the SHEU office in Exeter each week. If there are any roles you could see yourself doing at the club, please let me know.
