Junior Chess


At the moment there are 14 people involved in this group and more are expected shortly.
Most are involved in the first Junior Club Championship and enjoying their longer games.

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Report of final round, Mingara Junior Chess Championship, December 9

Two neat combinations, one winning a piece and the other delivering checkmate, saw Jayden Robinson win his final-round showdown with Dylan Calder and claim the 2009 Junior Club Championship.

From the position at right, Jayden saw that Dylan's bishop on g4 was defended only by the white knight and won a piece by "taking out" the defender with 1...Bxf3 2 gxf3 Qxg5+.

Equal second in the Championship were Chris Hughes and McCoy Beeby, who with last-round wins finished just half a point ahead of Dylan. The runner-up trophy will go to Chris on countback.
In the Junior Age Championship, contested by the younger half of the field, Michael Burke, Kingsley Blake and Jack Perry finished equal first. The trophies will go to Michael and Kingsley on countback.
Trophies will be presented next Wednesday, followed by a fast and furious lightning tournament.
Go to Junior Results for detailed results and standings at end of the championship.

The Wednesday group will recess over the school holidays, but the club will hold a junior tournament on Monday, January 18, which will be rated by the NSW Junior Chess League and is expected to attract some of the strongest young players on the Central Coast.

Junior report from December 2

Jayden Robinson is guaranteed at least a share of first place in the 2009 Junior Club Championship regardless of his result in the final round, to played next Wednesday, December 9.
He is drawn to meet Dylan Calder in what is shaping as the game of the tournament. Both players are undefeated, but Dylan has conceded two draws. There's plenty at stake for Dylan. A win will make him our Co-Champion with Jayden, but a loss could see him finish fourth. Others with chances of grabbing second place are Chris Hughes, Michael Burke and McCoy and Mason Beeby.
Joshua Campbell, Michael Burke and Kingsley Blake are contenders for the Junior Age Championship, contested by the youngest half of the field.
Kingsley passed testing on the en passant rule and castling to become our seventh player to earn a Level 1 Achievement Award. His certificate and medallion will be presented next Wednesday. Go to Junior Results for detailed results and the draw for December 9.

Junior report from November 25

As the Junior Club Championship passed the half-way stage it was Jayden Robinson who poked his nose just half a point clear of the pack. Jayden himself admits he scored an easy point when top seed Chris Hughes was unable to play and forced to forfeit in the first round, but has since showed that he deserves to be in the lead with continuing solid performances.
Trophies are to be awarded to the winner and runner-up in the Junior Club Championship and in the Junior Age Championship, the Age awards going to the best performers in the youngest half of the field.
Those eligible for the Age awards are Joshua Campbell, Michael Burke, Blake Horton, Kingsley Blake, Rebecca Howarth, Jack Perry and Harrison Blake. Michael currently heads the group, with Kingsley just half a point behind him.
Chris and Jayden were able to play their Round 4 matches a week early, as both will be unable to play on December 2. Jayden went to 4/4 with a win over McCoy Beeby, while Chris drew with Dylan Calder.

Junior Club Championship Report from Wednesday, November 18

Three players have each scored maximum points after the first two rounds of Mingara's inaugural Junior Club Championship.
McCoy Beeby, Dylan Calder and Jayden Robinson are all on two points, while just half a point behind them and still undefeated is the unrated James Howarth.
The tournament will be rated by the NSW Junior Chess League and so provides a chance for new players to gain a rating and for others to climb the ladder with wins over more highly rated opponents.
Good performances have come not only from the winners.
Michael Burke put up a tough fight before going down to the higher rated Dylan Calder, establishing himself as an improving player who is likely to cause some upsets.
Coming events include the Newcastle Junior Tournament on Sunday, December 6 (details from Allan Wright at nwright@kooee.com.au) and the Mingara Junior District Championship, a one-day event to be held mid January at Mingara, full details available soon.
The cross table below shows the results of the first two rounds and the current standings. The draw for November 25 is also shown below.
October 2009

Report on Junior Level 1 Achievement Awards

Five more players from our Wednesday group have earned their Level 1 Achievement Awards and will soon be presented with their certificates and medallions.
McCoy and Mason Beeby, Michael Burke, Jack Perry and Jayden Robinson have now passed the eight skills examined for the award. They ticked the remainder off at a testing session on the last Wednesday before school holidays.
Kingsley Blake added to his tally and has now passed all but two, while our youngest member Harrison Blake added a notch by showing a good understanding of the 'en passant' rule.
Dylan Calder, our first Level 1 Achiever, helped with the testing in what was a hectic afternoon for the coaches.
The group continues to grow. We expect to see another new face when we resume on October 21.

August 2009
Level 1 Achievement Awards
Mingara Chess Club congratulates Dylan Calder on becoming the first member of our recently-formed junior group to earn the Level 1 Achievement Certificate and Medallion.
To receive the award, players must demonstrate an understanding of eight basic elements of chess. Testing involves answering questions as well as making correct moves on the board.
All information needed to earn the award is contained in the first nine chapters of lessons provided by the club.
Dylan made a determined effort to gain the qualification and was rewarded for his study, passing all eight subjects at his first attempt.
He is the only member of the group to have been tested on all subjects.
Three others - Jack Perry, Michael Burke and Mason Beeby - have passed four out of four and will have the chance to finish the job at the next testing session on August 26.
Here are some of the comments about Mingara Junior Chess

From Dylan:
These lessons are an excellent way to learn chess while having fun at the same time. They provide professional help and the help of your peers. Whether you're just starting the game or you want to try something new, this is the place for you.

From Mason:
The Mingara Chess club is a terrific place to learn chess and make new friends. It is a great experience and fun too. I recommend it for all ages and rank it 10/10. I enjoy my time here and wish other people could give it a go.

From Kingsley:
The Mingara Chess Club is a great experience and I would rate it 4.9 stars (out of 5, I hope! Ed.).

From Jack:
Hi, my name is Jack and I am 9 and like the Chess Club because I make more friends.


Why don't you try our lessons now.

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