• The chess family tree

    ByDrDave

    Last week the juniors saw the game of Shogi played. It’s the sort of chess played in Japan, and by our new friends Kaz and Hatzune. How is Shogi related to the sort of chess that we normally play?

    When I first looked at the history of Western Chess, I thought that the original game was Chaturanga, a game played in India before 600AD. Chess as played in other countries seems to come from the Arab form of Chess called Shatranj. And that is what I used to tell people.

    Chaturanga --> Shatranj --> Medieval chess --> Modern Western chess
                        ---------------------> Chinese Chess (Xiang-Chi)
                        ---------------------> Japanese Chess (Shogi)

    But I now believe that the best picture that fits what we know says that Chaturanga and Shatranj were both later forms of an original game, which we don’t know much about.

    Sort-of-Chess --> Chaturanga 
                  --> Shatranj --> Medieval chess --> Modern Western chess
                               ---------------------> Chinese Chess (Xiang-Chi)
                               ---------------------> Japanese Chess (Shogi)

    There are lots of different sorts of chess around the world that seem to come from the same stock, including:

    Shatar (Mongolian Chess)
    Sittuyin (Burmese Chess)
    Makruk (Thai Chess)

    Each form of chess seems to have its own special rule that makes the game come alive. Burmese chess is the only sort of chess where you can decide where to put your pieces at the start of the game; Japanese chess is the only sort of chess that uses the ‘drops’ that we see in Exchange Chess; Chinese Chess is the only sort of chess that has the Cannon piece; modern Western Chess is the only sort of chess that has the super-duper Queen. (In fact, our game used to be called le Jeu de la Dame enragée — the game with the Mad Queen.)

    You can read about all these different sorts of chess here:
    http://chessvariants.org/
    http://www.ancientchess.com/page/free-downloads.htm

  • 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!



  • Exeter Juniors 3-1 Torquay Boys Friday 2nd May 2014

    ByDrDave

    Exeter Juniors 3-1 Torquay Boys Friday 2nd May 2014

    Edmund Kelly (B) 1-0 Yul Lee (W)
    Taylor Finch 1-0 Alex Lee
    Leif Hafstad 1-0 Ben Sturt
    Codie Finch 0-1 Jakub Kubiak

    The home side scored a quick win when Taylor Finch picked
    up the black Queen using an ancient trap in the French Defence, but the visitors equalised soon after when Jakub Kubiak’s threat to the enemy King was ignored.

    Leif Hafstad was never in trouble with his own French Defence, and was
    happy to collect one pawn after another in a game where White
    never looked comfortable.

    Game of the day was a full-blooded struggle on top board, where
    a cheeky pawn grab in a Sicilian Defence led to the usual trouble
    surviving White’s extra development and activity. It looked certain
    that White was going to wrestle back the pawn, but Black hung on and eventually swapped enough material to emerge into a winning Bishop endgame.

    Yet the clock also had a say and, with Black’s hour almost up, a few hasty decisions nearly let the win slip. The evaluation of the position swung crazily between ‘Black win’ and ‘Draw’ almost move by move, but finally the extra pawn was promoted and Edmund delivered mate with seconds to spare.

    Another great match, well-contested on all boards, and credit to all involved.







  • EJCC 2-2 Newton Abbot Juniors

    ByDrDave

    A match of mostly short games, where the outgraded Newton Abbot team
    must have been pleased to hold us off. There are some lessons about how
    to win a game here:

    1. Recognise when you are playing in a risky way – and do so only if you
    have to.
    2. Don’t be afraid of ghosts!
    3. If you like open games, then don’t close the position.

    You can download the games&notes in the PGN file.

    (1)

    {A shame to miss a win at the end, but you had the more promising
    position throughout, so don’t regret the missed win, take some pride in
    the good game! }

    {A short and cautious game, where both players found themselves in a strange
    part of town.}

    {I expect by now you have read Chess for Tigers and know what I meant! But
    just to be clear: If you think you’re the better player, don’t try and force
    the issue, let the chances come to you. If you take risks, you are giving your
    opponent chances. That may mean that you play in a different style to usual –
    often, you have to take some risks to beat someone your own strength.}

    {Both sides took and landed punches in this short but eventful game.}

  • Exeter Juniors 4-0 Newton Abbot Juniors 9th Jan 2014 (AWAY)

    ByDrDave

    A cracking start to the season, with Newton Abbot blooding some new talent. I hope this result doesn’t discourage them! In fact, the opposition board 1 scored ahead of the entire Exeter team at the Devon Championships, so as is often the case, the result is more lop-sided than the games.

    Reece Whittington 1-0 Jim Knott
    Taylor Finch 1-0 Ben Sanders-Wyatt
    Edmund Kelly 1-0 Toby Donaghue
    Leif Hafstad 1-0 Calum Germain




  • 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 3-1 Sidmouth Juniors

    ByDrDave

    A terrific performance, I’ve rarely been more proud of a team.

    We were giving away nearly 100 grading points over 4 boards, but came out on top without a single loss.

    As always, things could have turned out differently, and Sidmouth fought for every square on every board.

    {After some vague opening play on both sides, Black dropped an exchange.
    After that, White gradually converted but Black had chances to draw (or do
    even better) with some little tactics.}

    {Some really good attitude by both sides, and some good ideas. White dropped
    an exchange and Black had good chances to convert, but White was saved by a
    passed g-pawn.}

    {A slow game where the centre got blocked, the King’s-side got blocked, and
    the players agreed that the Queen’s-side wasn’t worth the effort.}

    {White was gradually adding little advantages to his collection but Black’s early grab for space kept it level, then White walked into a tactic, losing the exchange. Black kept control and found a simple breakthrough for a remarkable result.}

  • Exeter Juniors 2½-1½ Torquay Boys Grammar School

    ByDrDave

    This agreeable annual match is always a friendly and well-contested occasion. As usual, most of the games, and therefore the match, could
    have had a very different result! Well played all.

    Board 1. After missing a chance to win a piece in the opening, White fell into a
    wicked trap.

    Board 2. After a murky opening, White lost the exchange. In trying to force a win,
    Black gave back the exchange, but missed a win or two in the endgame.

    Board 3. After some scrappy play, Black emerged a piece ahead, but allowed his Knight
    to get sidetracked and his King exposed. All credit to White for making
    trouble!

    Board 4. Rather a slow start by both players; a quick break in the centre might have
    upset Black. The game was decided by an amazing double blunder on move 30.

  • 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.




  • Exeter Juniors 1½-2½ Exeter Gambits

    ByDrDave

    Well, a loss for the juniors, but by the narrowest of margins, and
    against a team who were a bit stronger than they looked on paper. A
    couple of the Gambits players have had much higher grades in the past,
    and in the end I think experience told.