Checkmate Chess

It sounds funny to talk about myself.

 

During the pandemic I have spent the last 18 months studying and improving my chess.

The biggest improvement started when I took up Correspondence Chess where you have 3 days to consider and make each move. Games can often take a year to complete. I have been lucky to play for the Somerset and England teams where we are currently British, European and World Champions. It looks like we will retain all our cups for 2023.

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In 2000 I started to run a chess club at the local school where my children went and I was on the PTA. It quickly became very busy and the Year 2 group were so keen to enter local competitions.

When two of them were selected for the Somerset U9 county team I realised that I needed to up my game. I joined the club at Clevedon who were all extremely friendly and welcoming. I also started to be coached by IM Chris Beaumont from Bristol.

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By 2009 I started to play in the Bristish Championships with mixed success. My best effort has been joint 3rd in the U180 section.

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I realised that my skills were best suited to running Junior tournaments and I started helping Adam Hawkins and Sue Hale in the Somerset Grand Prix. We have been very successful and in 2016 we had two children in the England Junior Squad. In 2017 we had four children go to the EPSCA England Trials and although none qualified in the really tough tournament, one went on to get in as U12 in November 2017. 

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I also do private coaching and have been lucky to coach the U16 British champion in 2014 as well as winners of the UK Chess Challenge gigafinals on many occasions as well as the England rapidplay U9 champion in 2012 at the London Classic. In late 2018, one further child got his final half-norm to qualify for the England U16 Squad. I now run the junior club in Wells every Wednesday.

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