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.

***************  Summer Break  ****************

19 May
Rapid Ratings Risers for half term are Zayd (+95) and Seyi (+92).
Attendance stats for the season, out of a possible 31 sessions:  Hugo 29, Benjamin 28, Robert 27, Malachi 26, Bethany 25, Josh V 25, . . . .

28 April
Welcome to new member Seyi.

20 – 22 March
Bovey Chess Weekend: –

• Adult Improvers
  Bethany scored 2/6.
• U12
  Robert scored 3/6.
• U10
  Zayd scored 4/6.

No prizes, but some good chess.

1 April
Welcome to new members Advaith and Mushin.

31 March
Rapid Ratings Risers for the second half of the term are Zak (+106), Robert (+93), Benjamin (+88), Vincent (+75).

20 – 22 March
East Devon Chess Congress for adults: –

• Major (U1900)
  Vincent scored 2½/5.
  Dan (past helper) scored 2½/5.
• U14 (U1650)
  Shreyas (past member) came 1st on 5/5, winning £180!
  Moaaz scored 3½/5.
  Yuan (past member) scored 3½/5.
  Zayd scored 1½/5.

Some great results against very strong adult opposition.

10 March
Welcome to new member Taania.

8 March
DJCA Open Spring Tournament: –

• U16/U18
  Dan (past helper) came 1st on 5½/6.
• U14
  Shreyas (past member) came 1st on 5/6.
  Yuan (past member) came 2nd on 4/6.
  Oscar H (past member) scored 3/6.
• U12
  Moaaz came 2nd on 4½/6.
  Robert scored 4/6.
  Mihir (past member) scored 3/6.
• U10
  Zayd scored 3/7.
• U8
  Josh V came 1st on 6/6.
  Hugo came 2nd= on 3/6.

​Lots of good results against very strong adult opposition.  

3 March
Welcome to new member Etienne.

24 February
Welcome to new member Moaaz.

15 February
Devon County Team Quickplay:-

As an indication of the strength of the teams in this event for adults, the field included grandmaster John Nunn and several top county players!  Our team started as the lowest ranked in the competition but did exceptionally well to finish with 9.5 / 24 which placed them 14th out 0f 17. ​

There were some exceptional results:  Vincent (Board 1 with  3/6) held a string of highly rated players to draws; Josh H (Board 2 with 2/6) beat a 1675 rated player; Bethany (Board 3 with 2/6) and Robert (Board 4 with 2.5/6) both gained wins against higher rated opponents.  Very well done!

Thanks to Rob Scott who was in charge of the team and also congratulations for winning the individual event in the morning!!

10 February
Rapid Ratings Risers for the first half of the term are Hugo (+201), Joe (+99), Mokshith (+97) and Zayd(+96).

1 February
Torquay Boys Grammar School Junior Open: –

• U14
  Shreyas (past member) came 1st on 4½/5.
  Yuan (past member) came 4th on 3½/5.
• U12
  Bethany scored 3½/5.
  Robert scored 2½/5.
• U10
  Hugo came 3rd on 5/7.

​Well done to all – nobody scored less than half points!  ​

**************** Happy New Year 2026! ****************

16 December
Rapid Ratings Risers for the second half of the term are Matthew (+110), Malachi (+103) and Robert (+98).

2 December
Welcome to new members Fraser, O.J. and Zac.

29 November
DJCA Devon Championships: –

• U18
  Dan (helper before half term) came 2nd on 5/6.
  U15
• Shreyas (past member) came =1st on 4½/6.
  Yuan (past member) came 4th on 4/6.
• U13
  Bethany scored 3½/6.
• U11
  Robert came 4th on 4/6.
• U9
  Zayd came 4th on 3/6.
  Hugo scored3/6.
  Josh V scored 3/6.

Lots of good wins and nobody scored less than half points!  ​

18 November
Welcome back to past member Mokshith.

11 November
Welcome to new members Isaac, James and Peter.

21 October
Rapid Ratings Risers for the first half of the term are Robert (+208 amazing), Malachi (+106), Josh V (+105), Ty (+105), Benjamin (+100), Zayd (+92) and Craig(+91).
Lots of improvement shown. ​

Benjamin and Josh V came to the club for all 7 sessions so far this season!

14 October
Welcome to new member Matthew.

7 October
Welcome to new member Ty.

5 October
DJCA Riviera Tournament great results all round: –

• U14
  Shreyas (past member) came 1st on 6/6. Yay!
  Yuan (past member) came 3rd on 4/6.
• U12
  Bethany came 3rd on 4/6.
  Robert scored 3/6.
• U8/U10
  Josh V came 2nd on 5½/7, beating the winner in the first round!
  Zayd came 4th on 4½/7.
  Hugo scored3½/7 beating Josh, the only game he lost!.

Well played to all.  ​

30 September
Welcome to new members  Rowan and Zachary.

23 September
Welcome to new member  Eric.

16 September
Welcome to new member  Luca.

9 September
Happy new chess season!
Welcome to new members  Benjamin, Thomas and Zayd.

***************  Summer Break  ****************

20 May
Rapid Ratings Risers for the summer half of the term are Leo (+225 tremendous), Josh V (+93),  Blake (+77), Joe (+73), Craig (+66), and Rosa (+62).  A great end to the season!
Attendance stats for the season, out of a possible 31 sessions:  Josh H 29, Josh V 28, Blake 27, Hugo 27, Jack 27, Craig 26, Joe 26, Bethany 25 . . . .

6 May
Welcome to new members  Henry, Malachi and Robert.

29 April
Welcome to new member  Oliver.

22 April
Welcome to new members  Noah, Jacob S and Ted.

6 April
Bovey Tracey DJCA: – 

• U8+U10 Combined
  Josh V was 1st in the U8’s with 4½ / 7
  Hugo was =2nd in the U8’s with 4 / 7
• U12
  Bethany scored 3 / 6.

5 April
Bovey Tracey Quickplay: –  In this competition for adults, Yuan was the best U14.

1 April
Rapid Ratings Risers for the second half of the term are Craig (+149), Blake (+148), Louie (+87), Hugo (+85), Vincent (+74).  Well done to all!

25 March
Welcome to new member Leo.

23 March
East Devon Chess Congress for adults: –

• Major  U1900
  Vincent entered this event which was ranked much higher than his rating and did really well to hold his own scoring 2½ / 5.
• Minor  U1650
  Shreyas (past member) fnished joint 2nd with a score of 3½ / 5.  That also made him the winner of the Devon Winter-Wood Trophy (Minor section).  Congratulaions!
  In his first serious competition, Craig won his first game against a player who finished joint 2nd, and he also won his second game.  That put him on the top table where he was beaten by the eventual winner.  He then lost to Shreyas and another high rated player to finish on 2 / 5, but that was a great weekend for him.

4 March
Welcome to new member  Olivia.

26 February
DJCA Open Spring Tournament : –

• U14
  Yuan was the winner with 4½ / 6.  Congratulations!
• U12
  Bethany scored 4 / 7 – the same as 3rd place.
• U8
  Josh V scored 3 / 7 finishing 3rd.  Well done.

16 February
DCCA Team Quickplay: –
Our team of Josh H, Yuan, Craig, Bethany were the lowest rated in this adult competition, so a tough challenge was ahead!  However, we avoided the wooden spoon – yay!  We scored 8 points, ahead of a Seaton team who scored 7.  Well done the EJCC team, with lots of valuable experience gained. ​

11 February
Rapid Ratings Risers for the first half of the term are Josh V (+123), Archie (+96), Hugo (+90), Craig (+73).  Good stuff!

9 February
Torquay Boys Grammar Open : –

• U14
  On a tie break, Shreyas (past member) came 2nd and Yuan came 4th, both with a score of 4 / 5.
• U12
  Bethany earned an Achievement Certificate with a score of 3 / 6.
• U10
  Blake earned an Achievement certificate with a score of 3½ / 6.
  Hugo and Josh V  both scored 2½ / 6,  a good performance in a section where they were by far the youngest.

4 February
Welcome to new member  Rosa.

21 January
Welcome to new member  Jacob.

7 January
Welcome to new member  Georgi.

**************** Happy New Year 2025! ****************

17 December
Rapid Ratings Risers for the second half of the term are Hugo (+132), Blake (+126), Josh V (+88), Joe (+82), Yuan (+79). Well done to all !

7 December
DJCA Devon Championships lots of great results on a very windy day! : –

• U13
  Yuan came 2nd with a score of 4½ / 6.
• U11
  Bethany came 2nd with a score of 5 / 6.  She was also the best girl.
  Blake scored a very creditable 2½/6.
• U9
  Josh V came 1st with a score of 5/6.
  Hugo scored a praiseworthy 3½/6.

Congratulations also to Suhayl (former member from a few years ago) who is now the U18 Champion, winning all 6 games!

3 December
Welcome to new member  Branwen.

19 November
Welcome to new member  Jayden.

12 November
Welcome to new member  Sam J.

22 October
Rapid Ratings Risers for the first half of the term are Josh V with a huge increase of 200+ since joining the club as our yougest ever member, Vincent (+140), Craig (+113) and Josh H (+98).  Very well done!
Welcome to new member  William.

6 October
DJCA Riviera Tournament good results all round: –

• U16/18 
  Vincent came 3rd on 4/6.
• U14
  Shreyas (past member) came 3rd on 4/6 on a tie break.
  Yuan also scored 4/6.
• U10
  Blake scored 3/6, missing a top 4 place by just half a point, only losing to the top two players. .
• U8
  Josh V came 2nd on 3/6.

24 September
Welcome to new members  Hugo and Joe.

10 September
Welcome back to existing members as well as welcoming 6 new members – Craig,  Ethan,  Josh C,  Josh M,  Josh V,  Kat.

****************  Summer Break  ****************

August/September
Vincent played in the 2nd Riviera Congress for adults in Torquay.  Despite being one of the lowest rated players, he scored 2½/5 which included a victory against a player rated 1746.  Great stuff!

July/August
Those of you who remember our ex member Pengxiao will be interested to know that he won 4 prizes in the British Championsips in Hull.  He was =3rd in the main U14 Championship; 1st in the U14 Rapidplay; 1st in the U14 Blitz; =3rd in the Thursday Blitz in a group including the South West’s Grandmaster Keith Arkell.  Something for you to all aim at in the future . . . 

****************  Summer Break  ****************

21 May
The Rapid Ratings Risers for the summer half of term are Josh (+120), Bethany (+87) and Louie (+86).  Well done!
Welcome to new members Sam B and Silby.
Attendance stats for the season, out of a possible 32 sessions:  Nelabh 31, Bethany 28, Ruru 28, Vincent 26, Oscar L 24, Shreyas 21, . . . .

6 April
Shreyas, Yuan, Josh, Mihir & Bethany represented our club in the Devon Team Quickplay for adults.
There were a total of 12 teams – from around Devon, and also from Bristol and Southampton!  The opposition was much stronger than our team who were outranked by an average of 530 rating points in each game.  However, they all played well, making their opponents work really hard, and scored 5 points. ​  Shreyas played an International Master!
Many thanks to Rob for organising out team.

26 March
Vincent (+121) and Bethany (+108) are the Rapid Ratings Risers for the second half of Spring Term 2024.
Also rising significantly were Kenji, Kieran, Mihir, Neelabh.

24 March
Bovey Tracey Chess Weekend.

• U12:
  Shreyas came 2nd with a score of 5/6 – well done!
  Yuan came 3rd with a score of 4/6 – also good!
• U10:
  Bethany scored a cfreditable 3/6.

19 March
Welcome to new members Luca B and Joseph.

12 March
A record club attendance of 17 !!
Welcome to new members Leo, Louie and Mokshith.

10 March
More success for our ex member Pengxiao!  He was joint runner up in the inaugural Wells Chess Congress Open Section, for adults.  The event was won by Devon’s Grandmaster Keith Arkell scoring 4½ / 5.
Pengxiao, Year 8, finished a close second on 4 / 5, including a victory over an International Master!
Many congratulations!

5 March
Welcome to new member Jack.

3 March
5th Simon Bartlett Memorial Chess Congress for adults.

• Open:  Ex member Pengxiao scored 2½ / 5.
• Intermediate U1750:  On a score of 2½ / 5  Vincent was undefeated!  Well done.
• Minor U1600: Ex member Suhayl was  =1st with a score of 4 / 5.  A great performance!

27 February
Welcome to new member Blake.

13 February
Josh and Kenji are the Rapid Ratings Risers for the first half of Spring Term 2024.  Since joining in January, they are both ascending very fast in the rankings!

4 February
6th Torquay Boys’ Grammar School Junior Open – here are our highlights . . . 

• U12’s :
  1st=  Shreyas & Yuan,  each scoring 5 / 6 – congratulations!
• U10’s :
  Well done to Bethany & Mihir who came 3rd=, scoring 4 / 7.

30 January
Welcome to new member Rico.

16 January
A record attendance of 16!
Welcome to new members Phoebe and Jonah.

13 January
Vincent, Shreyas & Oscar L. represented the Devon U14 Team on boards 5, 6, 7 in Chepstow, against other counties.
The team came 3rd out of 7, and they scored 2, 2, 2½ respectively out of 3.  Well done!

9 January
Welcome to new member Josh.

2 January
Welcome to new member Kenji and to guest visitor Zara.

**************** Happy New Year 2024! ****************

12 December
Rapid Ratings Risers for the second half of term are Yuan with +151 and Bethany with +81.  Well done!
A big pat on the back for Neelabh who was the only member to attend all 13 club sessions since the re-start in September!  Another 4 members played 12/13 and 2 more 11/13.
Welcome to new member Sam.

2 December
DJCA Devon Individual Championships – here are our highlights . . . 

• U13’s :
  1st  Shreyas scoring 5½  / 6 – congratulations on becoming champion!
  2nd Vincent scoring 5 / 6 – a close runner up.
  High achievers : Yuan 4 / 6 and Mirza 3 / 6
  
• U18’s:
  1st  Pengxiao scoring 5½  / 6 – congratulations to our ex member on becoming champion!
  High achiever Suhayl 3 / 6 – another ex member.

Full details can be see on the DJCA site.

21 November
Welcome to new member Oscar H.

31 October
Welcome to new member Mirza.

17 October
Rapid Ratings Risers for the first half of term are Vincent with +211, Yuan with +111, Mihir +75 and Flynn with +72.  Well done all.

15 October
Most of the club’s regular players turned out to play in theDJCA Riviera Tournament in Brixham!  Here are the results: –

• U14 section:  Oscar scored 4 / 6.
• U12 section:  Yuan came joint first with 4 / 6 – congratulations!  Shreyas and Flynn both scored 3 / 6.
  ( Vincent played in this section, despite being over age, but could not have done better with 6 / 6! )
• U10 section:  Mihir came first with 6 / 7 and Ruru came second with 5½  / 7 – congratulations to both!

See DJCA site for full details of results.

12 September 2023
First club night of the new chess season!  Welcome back to players from last season and welcome to new members Neelabh and Ruru.

****************  Summer Break  ****************

Vincent entered the adult Riviera Congress in Torquay in September.  He played in the U1700 section, way above his club rating, and had 2 wins, a draw and only one lost.  Great! 

Pengxiao successes: –

• Second in the British U14 Championships, in Leicester, in July – unbeaten on 6/7.  He could have entered the U12 event!
• First in the UK Chess Challenge U12 Online Gigafinal.  So, he has qualified for the Terafinal at Blenheim Palace in October.
• Represented England in the U12 Stokes Cup, against Scotland, Ireland & Wales.  He won all of the games that he played.

****************  Summer Break  ****************

23 May
Last club of the season
Welcome to new member Yuan.

2 May
Welcome to new members Zico and Luca.

25 April
Rapid Ratings Risers for April are Bethany with +71 (try not to let it drop again) and Conrad with +56 (two months in a row!).

22 April
Congratulations to Mihir who was joint winner of the Exeter District Cubs Chess Tournament and holds a huge wooden trophy!

14-16 April
The East Devon Chess Congress for adults was held at the Corn Exchange in Exeter at the weekend – 5 games lasting up to 4 hours each!
Congratulations to a couple of former EJCC members:

• Major U1900   Reece was joint winner with a score of 4½/5.
• Minor U1650   Suhayl won a rating prize (1550-1400) with a score of 3/5.

28 March
Rapid Ratings Risers for March are Archie with +141 and Conrad with 109.  Huge jumps!
Welcome to new member Logan.

21 March
Welcome to new member Flynn.

28 February
Rapid Ratings Riser for February is Tejas with +50.  Well done.
Welcome to new members Amy and Vincent.

25 February
DJCA Open Spring Tournament 2023 at Teign School, Kingsteignton results:

• U15  Tejas 3/6
• U13  3rd=  Oscar 4/6
• U11  3rd  Shreyas 4½/6, and  Kieran 4/6
• U9   2nd  Archie 5/6, and  3rd  Mihir 4/6

In the Devon Team Quickplay event for adults, Pengxiao represented Exeter Chess Club in one of their teams.  Also, in the morning Individual Blitz competition (including Grandmaster John Nunn!) he won the U2000 rating prize with 4/7!
Congratulations and well played to all. ​

21 February
Welcome to new members Archie and Kieran.

7 February
Welcome to new member Conrad.

31 January
Rapid Ratings Risers for January are Oscar L with +86 and Mihir with +70.  Congratulations!

15 January
More success for Pengxiao!  in the Somerset Chess Congress for adults, he came first with a scored 4½ / 5 in the Intermediate Section for 32 players with ratings under 1787.  He earned a cash prize!  Congratulations. ​

3 January 2023
Welcome to new member Harry.
Well done to Pengxiao for his super performance in the London Junior Chess Championships U12 Major.  This was an invitational event with 60 competitors playing 3 games on each of 3 days.  Pengxiao came joint 3rd with a score of 6½ / 9, only one point behind the winner.

**************** Happy New Year 2023! ****************

13 December
Bethany is the Rapid Ratings Riser for December with +80.  Congratulations!

3 December
Devon Individual Championships: –
Congratulations to Shreyas who became Devon U11 Champion with 6 wins out of 6 games!
U13 section:  Oscar L scored 3½  / 6 and  Tim scored 3 / 6
U15 section:  Tejas scored 4 / 6
U18 section:  Suhayl (member before Covid) scored 2½ / 6
See DJCA site for full details of results.

29 November
3 new members joined the club – welcome to Pablo, Oliver and Bethany.  The attendance is growing – 12 this week.
Rapid Ratings Risers for November are Oscar L with +158 and Mihir with +138.  Well done!

22 November
2 more members joined the club for the season, one returning from before Covid and one new to the area.  Welcome Oscar W. and Quinlin.
N.B.  Blue rain jacket left behind – can be collected at the club next week.

20 November
Congratulations to Finn for coming second in the Under 8 section of the DJCA Novice Tournament 2022 B (East Devon).

15 November
Observation from this week’s club:  After your opponent makes a move, don’t just press on with your plan without spending a while looking at it to see what they are trying to do.  Maybe they are threatening you?  Maybe they have blundered and put a piece in a position where you can capture it – this happened twice whilst I was watching, once a Queen and once a Rook!!

8 November
A couple of experienced members played some speed chess games using a chess clock this week.  Speed chess is fun, but it does not improve your chess skill.  You need thinking time to look for the best move in any given position.

1 November
Sadly, 14 players have not returned to the club after the two and a half year Covid break.  I have archived them on my database system, but it would be very easy to re-activate them!  Hopefully, some will return before Christmas . . . 

28 October
Congratulations to Shreyas for being the Rapid Ratings Riser for October, with +56 points!

25 October
A commendation goes to Oscar for being the only player to turn up to the club in the half term holiday!

18 October
Congratulations to Dr.Dave who won the Exeter Chess Club Bubble Blitz tournament. Yay!

17 October
Pengxiao Successes: –

• In the English Closed U12 tournament on 1^st & 2^nd October, Pengxiao had 3 wins and 2 draws giving him a score of 4/5 in a field of 22 players.  This was the joint top score and he was the winner on a tie break!
• He also reached the UK Chess Challenge U12 Terafinal held at Blenheim Palace on 16^th & 17^th October with only 11 other UK players.  He had a tough time in that event but did really well to get there.

20 September 2022

Exeter Junior Chess Club is up and running again, after the Covid break – hooray!  Tell your friends that we are back . . .It’s been great to see previous members Tim, Shreyas, Tejas and Pengxiao again, and also to meet some new members.  Hopefully the number of players each week will grow, as old members and new players hear about us.

The major change to the club is that we have moved to Tuesdays, and we now have to charge a small fee – see Membership for details.

Another change is that player grades have gone and been replaced by ratings.  These internal ratings run in the same way as the ECF rating system.  Limited highlights will be published here after they settle down.