Hi everyone, we are starting this weekend with our newly rebooted Junior Club programme. Exciting lectures and fun chess play is on the way. We run from 5:00pm to 6:15pm. Our topic for this week is: “These Three Squares For Your Knights”.
The first lecture is free for everyone (parents are also welcome) to attend. Our junior club programme costs $40/term. If you’re interested in our programme please sign up: https://www.trybooking.com/nz/TGH
More info: https://www.aucklandchess.nz/junior-club/
Our lectures are designed mostly for players who already knows how to move all the pieces, but if demand is here we will also consider simpler topics in the future.
News
FM Alphaeus won ACW July; see you all in August!
FM Alphaeus Ang won the July ACC Chess Weekend, played as part of the FIDE100 Guinness World Records attempt on International Chess Day of 20 July (check the link for Vega crosstables, Lichess games and photo album).
The next event will be held on 24-25 August, register online at https://newzealandchess.nz/auckland-chess-weekend-august-2024/
SJN Schedule Term 3 Created, New Format Explained.
Hi everyone, for many years we ran the junior club as a very casual-play style event where players just came and played for an hour or 1.5 hours at the very beginning. It attracted a lot of attention and our junior players throughout the years got stronger. Some went up to the Monday Nights and played there instead. However, as we ran it more and more, I found that newer players often felt discouraged when they came to the event when they lose their first game. Sometimes they don’t come back again. It’s a shame that this happens and we all remember our first chess playing experience (maybe it’s against your father, or your grandfather, or maybe your brother etc) and many people quit chess the first time they are exposed to it. It’s too hard they think, I’m not smart enough for chess. or so they think.
I’ve always looked for ways to make chess interesting, or fun to children. We are planning to make it more beginner friendly starting next term, by including a short lecture as a part of our session. We will teach them ways to win, ways to become more confident and actually they start to realise that everyone has this hurdle to overcome. Some have their own shadows they have to defeat (I certainly do, and Gothamchess does too), others have their confidence issues when they are watched by the opponent.
Starting in Term 3, we are running our regular Saturday Junior Night on Saturdays from 5PM to 6:15PM (lecture starts at 5:00PM to 5:25PM), but occasionally when there is a clash with a weekend tournament, we will run on a Friday (the day prior) from 5PM to 6:15PM instead. There is a cost of $40/Term and there is going to be a Trybooking link (here: https://www.trybooking.com/nz/TGH) for payment.
The schedule has been updated on the main junior club page: https://www.aucklandchess.nz/saturday-night-junior-chess/
Thanks. Alex
ACC Blitz and Rapid will be held on July 13 and 14
The July edition of ACC Blitz and Rapid will be held on July 13 and 14. 9 games of 3+2 blitz followed by 9 games of rapid 25+5. All FIDE- and NZCF-rated (NZCF only for rapid).
You can register online at https://newzealandchess.nz/auckland-blitz-rapid-july-2024/ now.
SJN cancelled over Matariki wkd. Final session Jul 6.
We will continue next week.
SJN cancelled Jun 15, Resumes Jun 22
We continue next week.
ACC Blitz&Rapid on June 15-16 and other events
The next blitz and rapid event happens next weekend, June 15 & 16. Register online here https://newzealandchess.nz/auckland-blitz-rapid-june-2024/
Don’t forget about the classical events, too:
Peter Stuart Memorial, 28-30 June (Matariki holiday)
ACC Chess Weekend, 20-21 July (It’s the international day of chess, we will have special programmes)
ACC Winter Cup Vega is up – please check your registration
The 2024 ACC Winter Cup Vega listing is up – https://www.vegaresult.com/vega/index.php?id=2901 – please check your names. FIDE ratings will be updated again after June 1, as our tournament is played with June ratings.
SJN cancelled May 25 & Jun 1. Resumes Jun 8.
See you on Jun 8.
Where to go on winter weekends in June: chess events at ACC
ACC Autumn Cup is over, and winter is arriving. If you were wondering how to spend upcoming cold weekends in June, do come to play chess at the Auckland Chess Centre!
Our June schedule is:
June 15-16, ACC Blitz & Rapid June edition
June 28-30, Peter Stuart Memorial during the Matariki holiday (organised by the North Shore Chess Club, held at ACC)