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Updated 06/08/22

AGM and club holiday

Having held our AGM on Thursday, Swale Chess Club is now on holiday throughout the month of August.

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Updated 30/07/22

Statto!

Second-round Rochester Championship games were played last night, and the results were:

Nevols 0.5 Hyde
Gillard 0–1 Woolacott

Current Table as at 28 July, 2022

1..NEVOLS: P2 W1 D1 L0 PTS 1.5
2..WOOLACOTT: P1 W1 D0 L0 PTS 1
3..HYDE: P2 W0 D2 L0 PTS 1
4..GILLARD: P2 W0 D1 L1 PTS 0.5
5..JEFFERIES: P1 W0 D0 L1 PTS 0

Results from KSQP—Rainham 12.5–3.5 Swale (played 27/07/22)

ROUND1—Rainham (w) 3–1 Swale (b)

Bd1—TAYLOR 1–0 HYDE
Bd2—COMPTON 1–0 NEVOLS
Bd3—SPRINGETT 1–0 GILLARD
Bd4—BROWN 0–1 JEFFERIES

ROUND2—Rainham (b) 3–1 Swale (w)

Bd1—TAYLOR 1–0 GILLARD
Bd2—COMPTON 1–0 JEFFERIES
Bd3—SPRINGETT 0–1 HYDE
Bd4—BROWN 1–0 NEVOLS

ROUND3—Rainham (w) 3.5–0.5 Swale (b)

Bd1—TAYLOR 1–0 JEFFERIES
Bd2—COMPTON 1–0 GILLARD
Bd3—SPRINGETT 0.5 NEVOLS
Bd4—BROWN 1–0 HYDE

ROUND4—Rainham (b) 3–1 Swale (w)

Bd1—TAYLOR 1–0 NEVOLS
Bd2—COMPTON 1–0 HYDE
Bd3—SPRINGETT 0–1 JEFFERIES
Bd4—BROWN 1–0 GILLARD

Summary:

Rainham

(2403) TAYLOR Martin: 1–1–1–1=4
(2104) COMPTON Alistair: 1–1–1–1=4
(1623) SPRINGETT Robert: 1–0–0.5–0=1.5
(1538) BROWN Chris: 0–1–1–1=3

Swale

(1933) NEVOLS Keith: 0–0–0.5–0=0.5
(1889) HYDE Keith: 0–1–0–0=1
(1593) JEFFERIES Tyrone: 1–0–0–1=2
(1538) GILLARD Andrew: 0–0–0–0=0

Swale’s KSQP Overall Performance:

June 27—Weald of Kent 7–9 Swale—KN2; KH1.5; TJ2; AG3.5
July 7—Swale 7–9 Sevenoaks—KN1.5; KH1.5; TJ2; AG2
July 14—Swale 6–10 Medway—KN3; VG1; AG2: MI0
July 27—Rainham 12.5–3.5 Swale—KN0.5; KH1; TJ2; AG0

Player’s KSQP Individual Overall Performance:

GILLARD Andrew—3.5–2–2–0= 7.5/16
NEVOLS Keith—2–1.5–3–0.5= 7/16
JEFFERIES Tyrone—2–2–*–2= 6/12
HYDE Keith—1.5–1.5–*–1= 4/12
GEDMINAS Vytautas = *–*–1–*= 1/4
INGHAM Mike—*–*–0–*= 0/4

SWALE AGM—Thursday, 4^th August, 2022 (Meeting starting at 19.45 hours)

Agenda

1..Minutes of previous meeting AGM 9 September, 2021
2..Matters arising
3..Treasurer’s Financial Report and Budget for 2022–23
4..Secretary’s Report
5..Online Report—Club Website and Facebook Page Report
6..Junior Club Report
7..Election of Officers and Committee Members
8..KCCA Inter-Club Matches, and Club Championship 2022–23
9..Any Other Business

Featured game of the week

Leipzig Olympiad 1960, USA v USSR. Board 1: Bobby Fischer versus World Champion Mikhail Tal.

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Updated 22/07/22

Swale Chess Club—still away on holiday!

Swale Chess Club together with the Junior Club is now officially closed, and will reopen again on Thursday 1^st September 2022 at 19.40. Swale Junior Chess Club will open at the new time of 18.00.

Rochester Championship

The Rochester Championship started last night, and the results were:

Hyde 0.5 Gillard
Nevols 1–0 Jefferies

Current table as at 21 July 2022:

1. NEVOLS: P1 W1 D0 L0 PTS 1
2. HYDE: P1 W0 D1 L0 PTS 0.5
3. GILLARD: P1 W0 D1 L0 PTS 0.5
4. WOOLACOTT: P0 W0 D0 L0 PTS 0
5. JEFFERIES: P1 W0 D0 L1 PTS 0

The Arabian Mate

Following several requests for an Arabian Mate—as seen in the Kent Summer Quickplay tournament—here we have a fine 1860 game where World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz delivers his Arabian Mate in just 18 moves.

Swale Chess Club Facebook page

Swale Chess Club Facebook page provides extra chess news. If you’re not already a member, please sign up today.

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Updated 16/07/22

Swale Chess Club—away on holiday!

Swale Chess Club together with the Junior Club is now officially closed, and will reopen again on Thursday 1^st September 2022 at 19.40. Swale Junior Chess Club will open at the new time of 18.00.

During the next six weeks, the Rochester Championship will be contested, with a break on Thursday 4^th August 2022 for the Swale Chess Club Annual General Meeting to be held.

Boden’s Mate

The latest Kent Summer Quickplay match was contested by Keith N, Vytautas, Andrew and Chairman Mike against Medway (Isaac, Aram, Dominik, William). Medway won the match with a cumulative score of 6–10.

During the course of the Kent Summer Quickplay tournament we have seen some lovely checkmates from both home and away players, not least an Arabian Mate from Tyrone and a Boden’s Mate from Andrew; the Arabian Mate is delivered by a rook and a knight working in tandem, and Boden’s Mate catches the enemy king in the crossfire of two bishops! Here is the most famous example of Boden’s Mate; the Peruvian Immortal Game. A 14-move miniature from 1934 in which Esteban Canal of Peru sacrifices both rooks and the queen during a simultaneous exhibition in order to deliver his Boden’s Mate.

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Updated 08/07/22

Kent summer quickplay

Last night the club played our second KSQP match against Sevenoaks (Roy, Jean, Tony, Orla), and narrowly lost the match 7–9. Individual scores made were: Tyrone and Andrew 2; both Keiths 1.5. The next KSQP match is next Thursday—the 14^th of July 2022—a home match against Medway.

Featured game of the week

During the Swale Chess Club adult coaching endings session, Keith N showed this good same-colour bishop ending that he won against Jerry Anstead of Tunbridge Wells. Notes provided by Keith.

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Updated 01/07/22

Photo finish!

The club played our first Kent Summer Quick Play match last Monday against Weald of Kent Chess Club (Rob, Robert, Joanne, Sonny), and what a fantastic night it turned out to be. Swale managed to win the match with an overall score of 7–9, and the individual scores were: Andrew 3.5; Keith N and Tyrone 2; and Keith H 1.5. Keith N’s win by one second in the third round was a significant factor in Swale’s narrow win:

Featured game of the week

This was the game which Keith N demonstrated during last week’s Swale Chess Club middlegame session; an equal game versus clubmate Dennis before Keith was able to exploit a slight advantage and force a winning sequence. Light notes provided by Keith.

Adult coaching session #4

Keith Hyde talked us through two of Bobby Fischer’s World Championship games against Boris Spassky, played in Reykjavik in 1972 at the height of the Cold War. It was good to see two of our new members in the audience—Navi and Chris.

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Updated 24/06/22

Adult coaching session #3

Members (plus potential new member Navi) discussed endings in the adult coaching session, which was run by both Keiths—Nevols and Hyde. On Thursday, 30^th June 2022, the final adult coaching session will be a review of the opening, middlegame and endgame phases. Contact Swale Chess Club for further information about our June adult coaching sessions.

Mini-puzzle

Keith N has added this endgame position of his own to the Swale Chess Club Facebook page.

Last night we discussed endings so here’s another from my collection.

I have the Black pieces and it’s my move. I am a piece for a pawn down and White has just played 42. Rh8–b8 threatening the pawn on b5. If 42. …a6 then 43. Rb6 will win the a-pawn.

So what did I play instead and what were the next few moves? Black to play.

Answer on the Swale Chess Club Facebook page tomorrow!

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Updated 18/06/22

Adult coaching session #2

Both Keiths—Hyde and Nevols—ran the training session, looking at aspects of the middlegame by analysing two interesting games with explanations. Next Thursday’s adult coaching class will be looking at the endgame, and then on Thursday, 30^th June 2022, the final adult coaching session will be a review of the opening, middlegame and endgame phases. Contact Swale Chess Club for further information about our June adult coaching sessions.

Swale Chess Club’s Facebook page

Extra news and views on Swale’s Facebook page.

Featured game of the week

Last week’s mini-puzzle generated much interest as to how the position in question was reached—not to mention the surprising double solution! Here is the initiating sequence of moves, which served as the demonstration game for the adult coaching session on the opening phase of the game:

Mini-puzzle

This week’s featured game started with the Queen’s Pawn Opening Zukertort variation. The eponymous Zukertort graces us with this week’s mini-puzzle!

Zukertort–Blackburne, London 1883. White to play.

Mini-answer

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Updated 10/06/22

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Adult coaching session #1

We held the first of our June adult coaching sessions, focusing on the opening stage of the game. Tyrone analysed one of his recent games, which gave rise to this week’s mini-puzzle:

Mini-puzzle

The game is only eleven moves old, and already Tyrone as White is in serious trouble; he has two pieces en prise, with one of them being the Queen, attacked by Black’s dark-squared bishop on f8.

How does White proceed, and retain the advantage of a pawn? White to move.

Mini-answer

Swale Chess Club’s Facebook page

If you’re looking for something “extra” please join Swale Chess Club’s Facebook page for more puzzles, articles, and links to chess tournaments.

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Updated 27/05/22

The Queen

Congratulations to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on her Platinum Jubilee year.

In a spirit of solidarity, Swale Chess Club is this year celebrating our own Gold Anniversary. To mark the two occasions, the Swale Chess Club website has temporarily turned to platinum and gold! The club is currently on holiday and will reopen on Thursday the 9th of June, when we will hold the first of our series of adult coaching sessions.

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Updated 20/05/22

Tempus fugit

The club organised a 20 Minutes Rapid Tournament, which was contested by twelve members playing four rounds of rapid chess games. The results were as follows:

League standings after four rounds

1=..CHARLTON, JEFFERIES, NEVOLS 4/4
4..HYDE 2.5/4
5=..GEDMINAS, HART, SINGER 2/4
8..LEWIS 1.5/4
9=..KEMSLEY, PAGE 1/4
11=..GILLARD, INGHAM 0/4

Featured game of the week

From the Swale Chess Club archives. Black thinks he is doing very well—a pawn up after ten moves, and White having doubled c pawns. However, Black is in for a very nasty surprise and is quickly on the defensive, struggling with a King in the middle of the board. Black eventually manages to queenside castle on move fifteen but incurs a damaged position, and resigns after White’s twenty-third move. Game annotated by N. O’Bodie.

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Updated 14/05/22

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Congratulations, Natasha!

The Chessable English Seniors Championships took place last week from 4th–8th May at the Holiday Inn in Kenilworth, and WIM Natasha Regan—a longterm friend of Swale Chess Club—became 50+ English Women’s Senior Champion. The event was very successful with some great chess played: After 7 rounds GM Mark Hebden became the 50+ English Senior Champion, Cliff Chandler became 65+ English Senior Champion on tie break, and WCM Dinah Norman became the 65+ English Women’s Senior Champion. You can find full details of the event at Chessable English Seniors, together with access to all the games and some excellent commentary on the last two rounds from FM Jonathan Blackburn, IM Tom Rendle and Michael Green.

Happy birthday, David!

It was the 64^th birthday on Thursday of the club’s longstanding member David Page. As every chess player knows, a 64^th birthday is a significant birthday in their playing career for many reasons!

Goodbye Summer Tournament

The final games of the Summer Tournament were played, and the results are:

Ingham 0–1 Popa
Jefferies 0.5 Gallamoy
Hyde 1–0 Kemsley
Gedminas 1–0 Singer
Hart 0.5 Nevols
Charlton 1–0 Ireland

Final Summer League standings as at 12 May, 2022

1..GEDMINAS Vytautas 6/10
2..NEVOLS Keith 5/7
3..HART George 4.5/5
4..PAGE David 3.5/5
5..GALLAMOY Eli 3.5/6
6..HYDE Keith 3/3
7..JEFFERIES Tyrone 2.5/3
8..POPA Alin 2.5/5
9..OWENS Trefor 2/2
10..CAIRNS Michael 1.5/2
11..SINGER Martin 1.5/6
12..GILLARD Andrew 1.5/6
13..CHARLTON Kevin 1/2
14..LANGSTON-BISHOP Richard 1/3
15..INGHAM Mike 1/7
16..KEMSLEY Stuart 0/2
17..IRELAND Nicola 0/2
18..SUTTON Marc 0/4

Featured game of the week—The Great Escape!

Keith N’s draw with George from Thursday night was a great escape with an unusual ending. Keith has added a few light notes.

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Updated 07/05/22

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Adult coaching sessions at Swale Chess Club during June 2022

We will be running adult coaching sessions during June 2022. The sessions can be on a one-to-one basis, or group sessions using our demonstration board. Contact Swale Chess Club for further information.

More fun and games

The club organised another fun night, where members were invited to play The Queen’s Gambit board game using dice or cards to move the gambit Queens around the board, capturing pieces to accumulate points. The card variation proved to be more popular.

Featured game of the week

A game played by Tyrone in central London on Tuesday, 3 May 2022, where Tyrone playing with the white pieces used his Knight twins—with aid from a Rook—to launch an aggressive attack on his opponent’s King:

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