Exciting 2025 ahead for North East chess

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 27 December 2024)

North East chess looks set for an exciting 2025 after a year of growth in all formats, with organisers confident of making a breakthrough at the adult and junior levels.

The Northumbria League has grown to 44 teams, while entries for the three sections of the Northumberland Individual County Championships have doubled in the last year.

There are more than 25 schools from Northumberland and Tyneside taking part in National Schools Championships, and over 100 children attending junior clubs on Tyneside: Gosforth (Saturday 10 am – 12 noon at Gosforth Empire Club), Newcastle (Sunday 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm at Jesmond Library) and Forest Hall (Friday evenings at Forest Hall Ex-Servicemen’s).

Saturday morning library drop-in clubs are also going strong at The Word, South Shields and Newcastle City Library.

In 2024 both the Northumbria Masters and Durham congresses at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington attracted more than 150 players each, and the Northumberland Congress at The Parks, North Shields had more than 130 players.

The Northumbria Masters is expanding in 2025, combining a six-day FIDE-rated Congress from August 20-25 with a Darlington Chess Festival with fun family chess activities on the town’s Horse Market Square.

Anyone interested in sponsorship opportunities at the Northumbria Masters Congress and Darlington Chess Festival should contact: info@northumbriamasters.com.

New clubs and teams are coming to the fore, with the newly formed Newcastle club winning Divisions 1 and 6, while Gosforth now field an impressive number of junior players.

A lot of the growth can be attributed to Gosforth Chess Club, whose Monday match nights at Gosforth Empire Club on Salters Road regularly attract as many as 60 players.

Newcastle Chess Club holds regular blitz tournaments at its city centre venue, The Old George Inn off the Bigg Market, at 7:15 pm on the first Monday of every month. For more info, go to: https://newcastlechessclub.com or text/WhatsApp: 0750 372 2366.

Forest Hall is also thriving after moving to the Forest Hall Ex-Servicemen’s Institute, with the club winning the Summer Knockout Cup.

The brand new Cramlington club now meet in the Manor Walks Shopping Centre on Friday evenings.

Northumberland also continue to punch above their weight in the National Counties Championships. In 2024, the county were runners-up in the National Open Championship. In 2025, the county is entering teams in the Open and Under 1450 competitions.

For more information about how to get involved in a chess club or event near you, email Tim Wall at: timpeterwall@gmail.com.

PUZZLES

Puzzle A: Magnus Carlsen (White) to play & win.

Puzzle B: Vasyl Ivanchuk (White) to play & win.

Puzzle C: Bassem Amin (White) to play & win.

Puzzle D: Vaishali Rameshbabu (White) to play & win.

ANSWERS:

A: 1 Qxf8+! Kxf8 2 Rd8+ Ne8 3 Rdxe8 mate.
B: 1 Rxf6! wins. If 1…Qxf6 2 Bd4, or 1…Kxf6 2 Bh4+.
C: 1 Bxg6! hxg6 (or 1…fxg6 2 Rb8! Kxb8 3 f7) 2 Rb8! Kxb8 3 h7.
D: 1 Qe4! Qd7 (or 1…d2 2 d8N+! Kf6 3 Nxb7) 2 Qh7+ Ke8 3 Qxd7+ Kxd7 4 Ke3 wins.

Christmas Quiz

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 20 December 2024)

Q1: Christmas Tree. White to play. Mate in 2.

Q2: Silent Knight. White to play. Mate in 5.

Q3: Santa’s Chimney. White to play. Mate in 8.

Q4: Dracula (White) to play. Mate in 4. Why didn’t he play the last move?

Q5: Which piece always moves to a different colour square?
a) King
b) Knight
c) Bishop
d) Pawn

Q6: Which club won the 2024 Northumbria Summer Knockout?
a) Morpeth
b) Gosforth
c) Newcastle
d) Forest Hall

Q7: How old is new World Champion D. Gukesh?
a) 16
b) 18
c) 22
d) 64

Q8: Name the commentator at this year’s British Championships.
a) Jonathan Hawkins
b) David Eggleston
c) Danny Gormally
d) Charlie Storey

Q9: What can a king, rook, bishop, knight and pawn all do, but a queen can’t?
a) Be promoted
b) Discover check
c) Castle
d) En passant

Q10: Which chess award depicts a Viking warrior?
a) Louis Zollner Trophy
b) Prince Bishops Cup
c) Harry Clasper Shield
d) Lindisfarne Horn

Q11: Why did GM Vladeslav Tkachiev lose his 2009 game in Kolkata after 11 moves?
a) His mobile phone alarm went off
b) His pacemaker set off the metal detector
c) He fell asleep drunk
d) He got locked in the bathroom

Q12: Which chess master represented a North East parliamentary constituency?
a) Jonathan Arnott MEP
b) Rachel Reeves MP
c) Joyce Quin MEP
d) Guy Opperman MP

Q13: Name Alexander Alekhine’s annoying habit.
a) Blowing cigar smoke at his opponent
b) Peeling oranges over the pieces
c) Pulling out his gun during the game
d) Letting his cats roam over the board

Q14: Which chess-mad British monarch was a regular at Newcastle Chess Club’s venue, The Old George Inn?
a) Henry VIII
b) Mary Queen of Scots
c) Charles I
d) Lady Jane Grey

Q15: Whose title was inspired by chess?
a) Archbishop of Canterbury
b) Chancellor of the Exchequer
c) Shah of Iran
d) Knights of the Round Table

Q16: Which celebrity was a member of Durham City Chess Club?
a) George Lazenby
b) Nish Kumar
c) Dominic Cummings
d) Gabby Logan

Q17: Who wrote the novel ‘The Queen’s Gambit’?
a) Walter Tevis
b) George RR Martin
c) Vladimir Nabokov
d) Jovanka Houska

Q18: How many queens can you have on the board at the same time?
a) 2
b) 4
c) 9
d) 18

Q19: Which is not a famous checkmate pattern?
a) Anastasia’s Mate
b) Back Rank Mate
c) Cluedo Mate
d) Damiano’s Mate

Q20: Which venue hosted the 2012 British Championships?
a) Alnwick Castle
b) The Parks, North Shields
c) Newcastle City Hall
d) Baltic Art Gallery

ANSWERS:

1) 1 Qc5! If 1…dxc5 2 Re5 mate, 1…Rxc5 2 Nd4 mate, 1…Kxf5/Rxe4 2 Qxd5 mate, 1…Bxe4 2 Nf4 mate.
2) 1 Ka1! Ba5 2 Nc7+ Kb8 3 Nxa6+ Ka8 4 Qb8+ Rxb8 5 Nc7 mate.
3) 1 0-0-0! Kxa7 2 Rd8! Kxa6 3 Rd7 Kxa5 4 Rd6 Kxa4 5 Rd5 Kxa3 6 Rd4 Kxa2 7 Rd3 Ka1 8 Ra3 mate.
4) 1 Nd4+ Kd6 2 Rxd5+ Nxd5 3 Qxd7+ Nxd7 4 Re6 mate. The last move completes the sign of the cross.
5) b
6) d
7) b
8) c
9) b
10) a
11) c
12) a
13) d
14) c
15) b
16) c
17) a
18) d
19) c
20) b

Who wants to be a chess millionaire?

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 6 December 2024)

Going from rags to riches is the stuff of legend, but few people would expect it to happen from chess. Yet in the global chess explosion we are currently witnessing, an 18-year-old from India, Dommaraju Gukesh, is battling it out for the World Championship in Singapore with China’s Ding Liren for a $2.5 million (£2 million) prize fund.

In India, chess – just like cricket – can transform lives. Sponsors are falling over themselves to finance Gukesh and other top Indian players. It seems a little like the plot of the movie “Slumdog Millionaire,” where a former Mumbai street kid wins the jackpot in a TV quiz. Gukesh is not quite a rags-to-riches story – both his parents are well-qualified doctors – but you do get the sense that chess is a viable career option for Indian and Chinese youngsters.

In the UK, we just have a handful of chess prodigies. None of them can expect to make a decent living from chess unless they make it into the world top 20. Here, chess – without major sponsors or government recognition as a sport – is a part-time activity for even the best young talents, and the singular obsession required to reach the top is tempered by the need to get a good degree and a well-paying job.

(In 2023, the UK government did give grants totalling £1 million to chess, but it is a drop in the bucket compared to other countries’ support for the game.)

Darts and snooker, through canny marketing, have broken into TV and provide a more viable career path. They have on their side a down-to-earth image of accessibility – that any youngster can make it to the big time if they practice hard enough.

Chess suffers, perhaps, from a perception that it is an elite activity that’s hard to master. Yet the evidence worldwide is to the contrary: girls and boys from all backgrounds can excel at chess, and chess helps kids become smarter in general.

Next year, chess is back on the BBC in a programme called “Chess Masters”, where amateur players do battle in a game show format. Who knows whether this and other promotional efforts can revive the fortunes of the game in the UK. But the exploits of Gukesh and Ding will definitely inspire a generation of young players worldwide.

Next Monday, 9 December, the latest Newcastle Blitz Grand Prix tournament takes place at The Old George Inn, just off the Bigg Market. Play starts at 7:15pm, and entry is open to all. To enter, contact timpeterwall@gmail.com or go to https://newcastlechessclub.com for more details.

PUZZLES

Puzzle A: Sindarov-Nikitenko, 2024. White to play.

Puzzle B: Agasarov-Shahinyan, 2024. White to play.

Puzzle C: Pranesh-Nigmatov, 2024. Black to play.

Puzzle D: Nagarkatte-Miszler, 2024. White to play.

ANSWERS:

A: 1 Bxh6! 1-0. If 1…Kxh6 2 Qg6 checkmate.
B: 1 Re7! 1-0. If 1…Rxe7 2 Qxf8 checkmate.
C: 1…Qh3+! 2 Rgg2 (if 2 Rxh3 Rxf2 checkmate) Rxf2+ 0-1.
D: 1 Nxd5! exd5 2 Re1+ Kf7 3 Re7+ 1-0.

Time scrambles key to Ding-Gukesh match

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 29 November 2024)

In seconds, it will all be over. The outcome depends on who makes their move before the time runs out. North East fans watching the World Championship this week between Ding Liren and Dommaraju Gukesh in Singapore were thrilled to see the players scrambling as the seconds ticked down to zero.

In Game 1, Gukesh escaped losing on time by just one second, but in Game 3 Ding lost on time, pieces flying across the board as his clock reached zero. So why are the players struggling with the clock?

It’s the time controls. Most matches now use increments (time added on for each player after they make a move). But in this match, there is no increment added until after Black’s 40th move.

In the last 20 years, matches have increasingly used digital clocks, rather than analogue clocks with a flag that fell once a player’s time ran out. Increments of up to 30 seconds are easily set on digital clocks. They make event management simpler, as a chess referee doesn’t have to be on hand to sort out time scrambles. The chess world got used to increments, and players always knew they would have a little extra time for each move.

Taking away those extra precious seconds has left Ding and Gukesh wrong-footed. Time management skills learned in the 20th century need to be relearned – and it is creating some chaotic finishes.

No one in the Northumbria League really wants matches to go back to no increments. Disputes with no arbiters present, just well-meaning but highly partisan team captains often led to huge arguments, Mexican standoffs and even years-long grudges between clubs.

But in a World Championship match, you can play with no increments – as there are highly-qualified arbiters on hand to correct any infringement on the single game in progress.

The increments have been dropped after World Championship matches were producing too many draws. Players would memorise opening theory for 15-20 moves, then know they could fall back on the 30 seconds extra per move. Having no increments means that the Ding-Gukesh match may well come down to who handles the clock better.

In the Northumbria League, unless we want to see pieces (and possibly blood) spilled on the board in frantic time scrambles, it seems increments are here to stay.

The World Championship match runs until December 11. Games start at 9am UK time. For live commentary, go to chess.com.

PUZZLES

This week’s puzzles are from the Northumberland Championships.

Puzzle A: Puzzle A: Brookes-Russell. White to play & win.

Puzzle B: Peardon-Sathishkumar. White to play & win.

Puzzle C: Cheung-Stipanovic. Black to play & win.

Puzzle D: Wright-Green. White to play & win.

ANSWERS:

A: 1 Nb3! Qb5 2 a4 wins the knight on e5.
B: 1 e4! traps the bishop on d5.
C: 1…Bd5! forks queen and knight.
D: 1 Qh1+! Kg6 (if 1…Qh5 2 Rh7+! Kxh7 3 Qxh5+) 2 Qh7 checkmate.

Newcastle Dragons go top in Northumbria League

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 22 November 2024)

Two teams from Newcastle Chess Club, formed just last year, have gone top in their divisions of the Northumbria League. Newcastle Dragons are leading Division 1 with 6 match points from four matches, while Newcastle Jesters lead Division 4 with 4 points from three matches.

Gosforth, the biggest club in the North East with 10 league teams, lead Divisions 2 and 6 with a maximum 6 points each from three matches for the Regents and Siths teams.

Leam Lane Bullets lead Division 3 with 4 points from two matches, while South Shields Sand-dancers lead Division 5 with 6 points from three matches.

Newcastle have been involved in some of the most dramatic matches so far, with the Dragons’ top board, Tim Wall, being involved in frantic time scrambles with Newcastle University’s Husain Nakara and Leam Lane’s Graeme Oswald. Against Nakara, Wall lost on time after the digital clock malfunctioned, while against Oswald the players agreed a draw with just seconds on the clock, despite Oswald having checkmate in two moves available.

Northumbria Chess League tables so far:

Division 1

1 Newcastle Dragons 6
2 Gosforth Empire 5
3 Newcastle University A 4
4 Jesmond Monarchs 3
5 Tynemouth 2
6 Leam Lane Aces 0
7 Gosforth Salters 0

Division 2

1 Gosforth Regents 6
2 Morpeth A 5
3 Tynemouth B 2
4 South Shields Arbeians 2
5 Alnwick A 1
6 Gosforth Centurions 1
7 Forest Hall Dragons 1

Division 3

1 Leam Lane Bullets 4
2 Gosforth Ivy 3
3 Gateshead 2
4 Morpeth B 2
5 Forest Hall Titans 2
6 Gosforth Hawthorns 1
7 Gosforth Woodbines 0

Division 4

1 Newcastle Jesters 4
2 Tynedale 4
3 Newcastle University B 3
4 Forest Hall Phoenixes 3
5 Tynemouth C 2
6 Alnwick B 1
7 Gosforth Jedis 1

Division 5

1 South Shields Sand-dancers 6
2 Jesmond Knights 4
3 Forest Hall Griffins 4
4 Morpeth C 3
5 Gosforth Otterburns 2
6 Tynemouth D 2
7 Forest Hall Centaurs 1
8 Alnwick C 0

Division 6

1 Gosforth Siths
2 Forest Hall Wizards
3 Newcastle University C
4 Newcastle Cavaliers
5 South Shields Custodians
6 Cramlington Royals
7 Morpeth D
8 Newcastle University Women

The Northumbria Junior Chess Association is planning a junior tournament with sections for primary and secondary school players at Newcastle Preparatory School Sports Hall, Clayton Road, Jesmond on Saturday 7th December. Entries online at: https://njcachess.co.uk/.

PUZZLES

Puzzle A: Capablanca (White, to play) v Graham, 1919.

Puzzle B: Carmichael (White, to play) v Alekhine, 1926.

Puzzle C: Lasker (Black, to play) v. Bird, 1892.

Puzzle D: Bird (White, to play) v Lasker, 1892.

ANSWERS:

A: 1 Rxc6+! 1-0. If 1…Qxc6 2 Ne7+ wins.
B: 1 Kh3! Qd3+ 2 g3 1-0. If 2…Qf5+ 3 g4+ Qxg4 4 Qxg4 checkmate.
C: 1…Rxd1! 2 Rxd1 Bxe4 and Black wins by …Bxg2 and …h1(Q).
D: 1 Rg1 Bb4+ 2 Ke2 Qh3 3 Bxf7+! Kd8 (if 3…Kxf7 4 Ng5+) 4 Bxg7 Ne7 5 Ng5 Qh4 6 Ne6 checkmate.

Santa’s coming – with chess goodies

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 15 November 2024)

All the tell-tale signs of the Christmas season are already upon us. The parties are beginning, Slade’s on the jukebox and Fenwick’s ‘12 Days of Christmas’ window display is in full swing.

Your thoughts may turn to what presents to get for family and friends. If you’re passing on the idea of a festive reindeer jumper, why not consider something different – a chess set, instructional book or online membership?

Chess sets come in all shapes and sizes. For the serious player and connoisseur, classic Staunton pattern wooden sets make an excellent gift, while fancy themed sets range from Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings to Napoleonic armies, Batman and Star Wars are perfect for gaming enthusiasts.

The best value set for children and newcomers is actually just a standard plastic set and rollup board. These can be purchased for as little as £15-20 online or from retailer Chess & Bridge (www.chess.co.uk). Digital chess clocks are a must-have for budding champions, and these can be found online from £20-£30 upwards.

There are plenty of good chess books to choose from to fill Christmas stockings.

Handy primers include ‘How to Beat Your Dad at Chess’ by Murray Chandler, ‘Beginner Chess Puzzles’ and ‘Intermediate Chess Puzzles’ by Martin Bennedik, and ‘Learn Chess Tactics’ by John Nunn.

‘The Chess Revolution’ by Peter Doggers brings the history of the game bang up to date, including the impact of the ‘Queen’s Gambit’ Netflix series and online chess, while the original novel, ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ by Walter Tevis, is an inspirational read.

Some out-of-print classics are well worth a read if you can find them online or from second-hand booksellers: ‘Chess for Tigers’ by Simon Webb is full of practical tips for outwitting your opponents, and the timely ‘How to Cheat at Chess’ by William Hartston is a hilarious romp through all kinds of over-the-board skulduggery (it may surprise you to know that cheating scandals didn’t start with Hans Niemann and Vladimir Kramnik).

Many young players are learning as much via online videos and chess websites as from conventional chess books. A chess.com membership will set you back about £30 a year, but comes with masses of instructional videos, puzzles and lessons. There is also plenty of great free stuff out there: check out lichess.org and the ‘Power Play Chess’ channel on YouTube.

There’s a whole chess world out there, so feel free to jump in.

PUZZLES

Puzzle A: Paul Dargan (White) to play. Mate in 2.

Puzzle B: James Ross (White) to play and win.

Puzzle C: Mick Riding (White) to play and win.

Puzzle D: John Boyd (Black) to play and win.

ANSWERS:

A: 1 Qc6+ Rc7 2 Qa8 checkmate; or 1…Kb8 2 Rd8 checkmate.
B: 1 Qh6! wins a piece, as if 1…Bf6 2 Qh7 checkmate.
C: 1 Rxd5! Qxd5 2 Bc4! wins. If 2…Bd4+ 3 Ne3 Bxe3+ 4 Qxe3 Qc6 5 d7+ Ka8 6 Nc7+ Ka7 7 Bb5! wins Black’s queen.
D: 1…Bxb3! 2 Rxd7 (if 2 cxb3 Rxb3+ 3 Kc2 Qxa4 wins) Bxc2+! 3 Kxc2 Qxa4+! 4 Ke4 f5+ 5 Kxe5 Re8+ 6 Re7 Bg7+ 7 Ke6 Nf4 checkmate.

Learning from losses key to resilience

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 8 November 2024)

The great Liverpool manager Bill Shankly once said that “football isn’t just a matter of life and death. It’s much more important than that.” But learning to cope with victory and defeat with equal grace, and recognising that a sport is just a game that we play by the rules, is a very important life lesson.

Losing at chess can be painful. But developing resilience is very important for any strong chess player. In the US Championship last month, 17-year-old grandmaster Christopher Yoo was so disappointed at losing a game that he crumpled up his scoresheet and stormed out of the venue, hitting a female videographer on the way.

The consequences were dramatic. The teenager was arrested, charged with fourth degree assault, and expelled from the tournament. Although he later apologised profusely, the potential damage to his career was very real. But American chess officials remain optimistic that the young player will learn his lesson and bounce back.

In the UK, one prominent grandmaster took out his frustration at defeat by punching a hotel wall. The main physical damage was to his own fist, but the psychological fallout can also be serious.

Chess coaches try to instill in their students the importance of accepting defeat gracefully, and focusing on the positive lessons that can be learned. In chess, unlike in war, a monarch isn’t deposed forever or thrown in jail, but gets to reset the board and start again with a full set of pieces. 

One of the great examples of a resilient chess player is world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. In a recent match, Carlsen lost game after game, seemingly on tilt. But then he managed to steady his nerves, and fought back from behind to win the match.

Learning chess – and coping with its ups and downs – often stands young people in good stead for their future lives. Here are three junior chess clubs on Tyneside you can take your kids to:

Gosforth – Saturdays, 10 am – 12 noon, at Gosforth Empire Club, 32-34 Salters Road, NE3 1DX. Go to: https://www.gosforthchessclub.co.uk/ for more info.

Newcastle – Sundays, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm, at Jesmond Library, St George’s Terrace NE2 2DL. Contact: timpeterwall@gmail.com or go to: https://newcastlechessclub.com.

Forest Hall – Fridays, 5 pm – 7pm, at Forest Hall Ex-Servicemen’s Institute, 26 Crescent Way North, NE12 9DX. Full details at: https://www.foresthallchess.org.uk/.

PUZZLES

This week’s puzzles show spectacular ways of avoiding defeat to force a draw by perpetual check and stalemate.

Puzzle A: Siebrecht (White) to play & draw.

Puzzle B: Bernstein (White) to play & draw.

Puzzle C: Christiansen (Black) to play & draw.

Puzzle D: Boerkoel (Black) to play & draw.

ANSWERS:

A: 1 Rh3! Qxf7 2 Bg6+! Draw by perpetual check.
B: 1 Rxb2! Rh2+ 3 Kf3 Rxb2 stalemate.
C: 1…Qxf6! 2 Qxf6 Rh2+! Draw. If 3 Kxh2 Rg2+! 3 Kh3 Rg3+! 4 Kh2 Rg2+! 5 Kh1 Rg1+! 6 Rxg1 stalemate.
D: 1…Rxf2! 2 Kxf2 (if 2 gxh4 Rg2+ 3 Kh1 Rh2+) 2…Bxg3+! 3 Nxg3 Qf4+ 4 Ke2 Qg4+ 5 Kxe3 Qg3+ 6 Ke4 Qg4+ draw by perpetual check.

Legendary Zollner trophy up for grabs

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 1 November 2024)

The 2024-25 edition of the North East’s longest-running chess tournaments, the Northumberland Championships, are the biggest in recent years, with a total of 65 competitors. The Open (Zollner) could well see a new champion this season.

The silver-plated Zollner trophy, depicting legendary 10th century Viking chieftain Rollo, was donated to Northumberland Chess Association in 1930 by Louis Zollner, the Danish consul to Newcastle. The trophy is the association’s most treasured possession, as it was once valued at the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow at £25,000. With such a price tag, the trophy is not held by the winner but kept at an undisclosed location and only put on display briefly each year at the AGM, before being whisked away into hiding again.

Six-time Zollner champion, Tim Wall (Newcastle), faces stiff competition this year from FIDE Master Andy Burnett and Nathan Ekanem (Newcastle), Husein Nakara (Newcastle University), Paul Dargan (Tynemouth), Gustavo Leon Cazares and David Armbruster (Gosforth). All seven players are on 1/1 after the first round.

Round 2 Zollner pairings are:

Wall (1) – Leon Cazares (1);
Nakara (1) – Dargan (1);
Armbruster (1) – Burnett (1);
Ekanem (1) – John Boyd (South Shields, 0);
Gary Murphy (Jesmond, 0) – Chris Izod (Jesmond, 0);
Jack Erskine-Pereira (Gosforth, 0) – Dalil Benchebra (Leam Lane, 0).
Andy Trevelyan (Jesmond, 0) has the bye, while David Walker (Leam Lane, 0) has withdrawn.

The Under 2000 (Sell) tournament is wide open after Round 1, with six players sharing the lead.

Full Sell scores:

1-6 Jounaid El-Archi (Newcastle), Alex Blake, Ian Chester (Gosforth), Stuart Skelsey (Forest Hall), Paul Bielby, Michael Allen (South Shields) 1/1;
7-10 Mick Riding, Andrew Robinson (Gosforth), Raj Mohindra (Forest Hall), John Awesome (Newcastle) 0.5;
11-16 Mark McKay, Alan Green (Gosforth), Jeremy Revell, Stamen Kolev (Newcastle), Morgan French, Reece Wright (Forest Hall).

The Gilroy (Under 1700) has 36 competitors, and no fewer than 15 players share the lead.

Full Gilroy scores:

1-15 Andrew Hardy, Darren McCarthy (Alnwick), Brandon Russell, Jonathan Rooney, Tom Krause, Alykhan Bandali, Felix Glover (Gosforth), Denise Mosse, Kevin Cox (Gateshead), Alfie McGonagle, Thomas Cameron (Newcastle University), David Simm (Morpeth), Jonny Kearney (Tynedale), Martin Brookes (Tynemouth) 1/1;
16-21 Bob Heyman, Michael Owen, Joey Pramana, Sanjay Satishkumar (Gosforth), Danny Atcheson, James Phillips (Newcastle) 0.5/1;
22-36 Antonio Stipanovic, Alex Piercy, Gautham Satishkumar, Steve Armstrong, Aaron Cheung, Simon Horrocks, Vishnu Sriram, Ethan Ross, Viaan Gokul Nath (Gosforth), Dave Peardon, Alan Smith (South Shields), Ethan Tatters, Jonathan Solomon (Forest Hall), Viktoria Bezganovic, James Flint (Newcastle University) 0.

PUZZLES

This week’s puzzles are from Round 1 of the Northumberland Championships.

Puzzle A: Benchebra-Armbruster. Black to move.

Puzzle B: Simm-Ross. White to move.

Puzzle C: Hardy- Flint. White to move.

Puzzle D: McKay-Blake. White to move.

ANSWERS:

A: 1…Rxa7! 2 Rxa7 Bd4+ wins.
B: 1 Nxd5! cxd5 2 Rxd5 wins two pawns.
C: 1 b4! 1-0. If 1…axb3 2 Rxa5, or 1…Ra8 2 bxc5.
D: 1 Qb8+ Qf8 2 Ne7+! Kg7 3 Qxf8+ Kxf8 4 Nxg6+ wins.

Gosforth Empire go top in Northumbria League

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 25 October 2024)

Gosforth Empire have surged into an early lead in Division 1 of the Northumbria League, ahead of last year’s champions Newcastle Dragons and newly promoted Newcastle University A.

Gosforth Empire have won both of their matches to reach 4 match points, while Newcastle Dragons and Newcastle University A drew 2-2 with each other to reach 3 match points.

Gosforth Empire won 3-1 against Tynemouth A. On top board, Gosforth’s Gustavo Leon Cazares beat Paul Dargan, and on Board 3 David Armbruster beat David Henderson. Tynemouth’s new Italian signing, Tommaso Penna, drew with Gosforth’s Roger Coathup on Board 2, while Gosforth’s Shakhti Sood drew with Gary Cornwall on Board 4.

In the Newcastle v Newcastle University clash, University’s board 1, Husein Nakara, beat Zollner champion Tim Wall after a bizarre time scramble, while Jounaid El-Archi won on board 4 for Newcastle Dragons.

Jesmond Monarchs, who had a bye in the first round, got on the scoreboard with a fine 3-1 win over Leam Lane Aces. Jesmond’s top board Chris Izod beat Graeme Oswald, Andy Trevelyan beat Dalil Benchebra and John Turnock beat John Marsh. Leam Lane’s sole win was scored by Kirill Gara on Board 2 versus Gary Murphy. Leam Lane are without their usual top board, David Walker, this season, while Tynemouth may struggle if they cannot regularly field their strongest four players.

Full Division 1 scores so far:

Gosforth Empire 4;
Newcastle Dragons & Newcastle University A 3;
Jesmond Monarchs 2;
Leam Lane Aces, Gosforth Salters & Tynemouth A 0.

In Round 1 of the Zollner Championship, all seven games were decisive.

Full results:

Wall 1-0 John Boyd (South Shields);
Nathan Ekanem (Newcastle) 1-0 Walker (Leam Lane);
Nakara 1-0 Izod;
Burnett 1-0 Jack Erskine-Pereira (Gosforth);
Leon Cazares 1-0 Trevelyan;
Dargan 1-0 Murphy;
Armbruster 1-0 Benchebra.

Scores after Round 1:

Wall, Ekanem, Nakara, Burnett, Leon Cazares, Dargan, Armbruster 1;
Boyd, Walker, Izod, Erskine-Pereira, Trevelyan, Murphy, Benchebra 0.

This weekend sees a lower turnout than usual from North East players in the Scarborough Congress, one of the biggest weekenders in the North of England. Grandmaster Daniel Gormally (Alnwick), a previous Scarborough Open winner, is missing from the lineup.

In the Major tournament, Newcastle are represented by Jeremy Revell and John Awesome, while Forest Hall’s Ethan Tatters is also playing.

In the Intermediate, Newcastle University’s Utku Deniz Demir is top seed, while Morgan French (Forest Hall) and Martin Beardsley (Gosforth) are in the lineup.

Regular weekend warriors Noel Boustred (Forest Hall) and Kevin Cox (Gateshead) are in the Minor, while Stan Johnson (South Shields) is in the Foundation.

PUZZLES

This week’s puzzles all feature winning tactics involving pins.

Puzzle A: Black to play.

Puzzle B: White to play.

Puzzle C: White to play.

Puzzle D: White to play.

ANSWERS:

A: 1…Nxe4! 2 Nxe4 Bxa1.
B: 1 Rxe5+! Kd7 2 Rxe4.
C: 1 Nd6+! exd6 2 Bxd8.
D: 1 Qxd3 exd3 2 Bxc6.

North East clubs welcome new players

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 18 October 2024)

Chess clubs around the North East are staging their biggest recruitment drive of recent years as new players are taking up the game in droves. Encouraged by playing online, many new players are joining chess clubs – in schools, libraries, social clubs and pubs. Clubs are reaching out more to recruit new members – offering a mix of friendly and competitive chess.

Newcastle Chess Club is actively recruiting new players of all levels, from beginner to expert. It meets on Tuesdays 7pm-10.30pm, at The Old George Inn off the Bigg Market, for league chess and friendly games, plus internationally rated blitz tournaments on the first Tuesday of each month.

Newcastle also runs a free drop-in club at Newcastle City Library, 11am-1pm on Saturdays, and a Junior Club at Jesmond Library on Sunday afternoons, 2:30-4:30pm. Go to https://newcastlechessclub.com or contact Tim Wall on 0750 372 2366 for full info.

South Shields has recently moved to The Customs House, Mill Dam, South Shields NE33 1ES. Club nights are on Thursdays, and there is a drop-in club at The Word library on Saturdays, 10am-12 noon. For more info, contact Chris Sayers on calexsayers79@gmail.com.

Gosforth, the region’s biggest club, meets at Gosforth Empire Club, Salters Road, from 7pm-11pm, and a Junior Club on Saturdays, 10am-12 noon. For more details, go to: https://www.gosforthchessclub.co.uk.

Cramlington, the region’s newest club, meets on Fridays from 6:30pm at the council offices in Manor Walks Shopping Centre. For more info, contact: cramlingtonchessclub@gmail.com.

Forest Hall, which meets at the Forest Hall Ex-Servicemen’s Institute, runs adult and junior chess activities on Friday evenings. For more info, contact foresthallchessclub@gmail.com.

Leam Lane meets on Tuesdays at Leam Lane Working Men’s Club, contact johnmarsh1948@hotmail.co.uk.

Gateshead plays on Thursdays from 7:15pm at the Carlton Club, 11 Bellevue Bank, Low Fell NE9 6BQ. Info from: peterdwells@btinternet.com.

Newcastle University’s club is open to students and staff and meets on Thursdays from 6.00pm at the Barbara Strang Teaching Centre. Contact: James-Flint@outlook.com for joining details.

Jesmond play at the Punch Bowl, 125 Jesmond Rd on Thursdays from 7:15pm. To take part, contact: andytrev@gmail.com.

Tynemouth meet on Tuesdays at The Hunting Lodge, Earsdon Road, near West Monkseaton metro. Enquiries to davidslk@btinternet.com.

Tynedale meet on Mondays at Ovington Social Club, The Old School House, Ovington, NE42 6DN. Contact: colin.ripley@gmail.com.

Morpeth plays at Morpeth Rugby Club on Wednesdays. Contact: morpethchessclub@gmail.com.

Alnwick meet at Alnwick Rugby Football Club. Drop a line to gellames@yahoo.com for full info.

PUZZLES

Puzzle A: White to play and win.

Puzzle B: Black to play and win.

Puzzle C: White to play and win.

Puzzle D: White to play and win.

ANSWERS:

A: 1 g6! Rxh5 2 g7! Rh1 3 g8(Q)+.
B: 1…Rh1+! 2 Kxh1 Kg3! 3 Rf7 (or 3 Bc4) Re1+.
C: 1 Bh5! gxh5 (or 1…Bd5 2 Bxg6 Bg8 3 Bxf5) 2 g6 hxg6 3 h7 wins.
D: 1 Rd1+ Rg1 2 Rf1! Rxf1+ 3 Kxf1 a5 4 bxa5 b4 5 a6 b3 6 a7 b2 7 a8(Q or B) checkmate.