Christmas

The club will be shut on Boxing Day and the following Saturday, 28th December. 
If it's too long for you to survive without a game or two then scoot over to Hastings for the kick-off of the legendary Hastings International Chess Congress where the Christmas Weekender starts at 9:30 Saturday morning.

Quiet match nights and new clocks

Now the season is well under way we are getting noise problems again on match nights. Therefore - on match nights - i.e. when any MSCL match is being played - the plan is to use the large through room, preferably with the screen doors open, for all the match and tournament games. Then there is enough room for two home teams plus any tournament games and spectators all in the same room. The poker room and the library will be used for friendlies, analysis and chat. If the folding doors in the large room are kept open people are aware if there are other games still going on, e.g. when a match finishes things can get very animated and disturb the players in the other half. Please remember this if you turn up early for an internal match (you can check the MSCL fixture list on the website if you're not sure).

Extra numbers also mean we were getting very short of usable clocks. Anthony has done a thorough inventory of what we have and mended what was mendable. Then we have bought six new analogue and five digital clocks for matches and released roughly the same number of older clocks for general use. Clocks and boards are now stored in one cupboard and sets in the other. We are expecting people to gradually get more used to using digital clocks so now there are plenty to practice with! Teams will have a choice of which to use.

Duke of York : Film: Computer Chess

Hi Folks,

A new film called Computer Chess is going to be screened at the Duke of York Cinema at 9pm next Friday the 15th November. 

Here is link to the film description;
http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Duke_Of_Yorks/film/Computer_Chess/

I think it would be great if we had a sort of chess club outing to watch this film. what do you think?

Also I am meeting Robin Jones at the Worlds End pub at 7pm a few hours before the film starts to play a few games of chess and a have a pint, please come and join us or meet at the Cinema.

Here is a link to the worlds end pub;

http://www.viewbrighton.co.uk/pubsandbars/worlds-end-maps-26388.html

see you all there.

Kind Regards

Michael

e2e4 Gatwick Congress

Seven of us went to the e2e4 Gatwick Congress at the weekend. The five in the U140 mostly played each other - when they weren't battling against the joint British Champion under 8s, plus one or two others. Rob did the best coming joint 3rd on 3½ - having played two of his colleagues and avoided the under 8s altogether. Mustapha came joint 4th in the U170 on the same score with Robin only half a point behind. A great tournament with great company, only the bar food pricey and abysmal.

First match this season [ First Team ]

Good win first match this season [4-1] over Knoll Knights.

Good to see Ron Nicholas in attendance and looking healthy

 after his health scare last season. Winners for Brighton & Hove 

 on the day were Geoffrey James, Luke Rutherford and Brian

 Denman. One down eight to go!. 

Chennai beckons

It's less than three weeks until the World Championship between Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen, an event most chess fans will be anticipating with relish.

Game 1 is scheduled to start on Saturday 9th November at 3pm Indian time.  The match is being played in Chennai, currently they are 4.5 hours behind the UK but as our clocks go back this weekend (take note) the games will start at 11:30 UK time by my calculation.

If it goes to 6-6 then November the 28th will be particularly exciting as it has been reserved for a play-off at rapid-play time controls - shame it falls on a week day.

I'd imagine a lot of people will be predicting that Carlsen will win without recourse to a tie-break, but it may not be as clear cut as people imagine; the fact is we haven't seen Magnus play in many (any?) match situations.

Anyone want to try to predict the result?

Let's hope that there will be a good live video feed and commentary.  Full schedule and other details from the official site.

http://chennai2013.fide.com/

BHCC Tournaments 2013-14 and MSCL home match starter

The Tournaments are now all up and running with early results already on the website (see http://www.brightonandhovechessclub.org/Tournaments.htm if you are reading this on Blogger). There are still spaces in all the tournaments which means they can remain open for as long as possible and regular players have the chance of entering two. All entrants should be able to use the link on the Tournaments page to contact their opponents (please let me know if you can't). Good luck!!

A very exciting evening last night as the second team took on the third in the first home match of the season. The second team won by 4-1 with draws by Paul Selby and Michael Hamilton making up the point for the third team. Only downer was that none of the ten players did any clearing up :-(. Please remember that the whole team should pitch in to assist their captain if they can, although I appreciate that some will leave if their game finishes early.

Library

The library catalogue has been updated. Please remember to write in the Loan Book when you take a book out. If you want to take out one of the 'Reserve' books please could you let me know and I will countersign the loan book entry. There is a disparity between the number of books on the shelves and the number listed in the catlogue - some books may have been lost. I will make further updates when I can. As always, if anyone has a chess book that they no longer use languishing on their shelves, do think of donating it for the benefit of the club.

Introducing the 2013/14 CC, PK, TT, DC and Open Tournaments

We may have dropped back to five teams in the MSCL but.....
we are running FIVE internal tournaments this year, not just the usual four.

All the tournaments will have an absolute upper limit of 12 players each so all entrants must be prepared to play a maximum of 11 games before the end of June.

The difference is that the usual four will be limited to graded players only. This is to ensure that all the tournaments are fair and we're not trying to guess the grades of new members to fit them in. Plus we have so many new members this season that four tournaments won't be enough.

The graded tournaments will be as follows:

The Club Championship - reserved for players graded 160 and above
The Plummer Knight - U160
The Tasker Tankard - U125
The Denman Cup - U100

The numbers have been carefully worked out so I'm afraid electing to play in a higher tournament than the one your grade suggests will not be permitted or others may not get to play at all. But, we are introducing the new.....

Open Tournament which will be open to all, high and low, graded or not. All new ungraded members are invited to enter this tournament if they wish to play graded games. This tournament also gives graded members a choice, and the most reliable and dedicated tournament players can enter two and play twice as many games over the year.

The tournaments will begin as soon as two players have entered the same tournament - I will put up ghost charts tomorrow. If you want to accept your offer of a place in the graded tournaments - and you are up to date with both BHCC and ECF memberships - you can ink your name in over the pencil and begin. Please let me know if you don't want your pencilled-in offer of a place and you will be left out of the printed version. Ungraded players - BHCC and ECF members - can just write their name into the Open tournament.

As another plus to this new system it's possible for new members who get off to an early start to get a grade at the end of January. They will then become eligible for any remaining spaces in the graded tournaments. Similarly, ambitious graded players on the cusp of a higher tournament may hold back in hopes of a grading increase come January (although they risk missing out if the tournament is full).

I trust you're all still with me because I'm hoping this will all run like clockwork and everyone will have the best chance to play more games, win their tournament and be generally very satisfied with life!

Subscriptions are due

I have added the club's bank details to the Membership Form. Previous members can renew their membership this way but please set up the payment with your name as payee reference. New members please pay with the Membership Form at the club.

Ezra's Simul on Saturday 21st

Ezra has agreed to give us a simul this Saturday afternoon. It will be £3 each to paid-up members of the club (you can renew on Saturday). There will be no upper grading limit and he hopes to take on all-comers. Starting at 2:00 pm.

BHCC AGM on Thursday, 5th September at 8:00pm

As everyone should have already received the agenda and last year's minutes there won't be more than a handful of paper copies at the meeting. In the absence of any further nominations the elections will be as follows:

• President (Sue Chadwick, standing for re-election)
• Treasurer (Geoff James, standing for re-election)
• Secretary (Rob Counsell, standing for re-election)
• Tournament Controller (Andrew Caswill, standing for re-election)
• Librarian (Bob Davies, not standing for re-election. Anthony Stanton standing)
• Publicity (Michael Cain, standing for re-election)
• Ordinary member (Carl Rabey has moved away. Robin Jones standing)

Our teams for the coming season will be captained by the following:

• First Team: Paul Batchelor
• Second Team: Brian Izzard
• Third Team: Michael Cain
• Fourth Team: Jan ten Sythoff
• Fifth Team: Andrew Caswill

Our teams depend on the willingness of captains to organise both the home matches and the away transport. Geoff is the regular driver for the first team. If you would like to see us back up to six teams again next season you need to propose a captain, any level, willing and able to take this on.

Annual subscriptions are due at the AGM and should be paid, preferably by cheque, to Paul Selby who will be acting as temporary treasurer: £50 full membership, £30 concessionary (if in receipt of means-tested benefits) and £15 for U18s. Please remember to bring this with you to the meeting.

You will also be able to sign up to play in an internal club tournament (current ECF membership a requirement - annual subscriptions run from 1st September).

Hope to see you at the AGM for another good year at the club!

Brighton/Dieppe

I have updated the L'Echiquier Dieppois link on the Links page of our website (it doesn't work from Blogger). Note especially that there is a Brighton/Dieppe page which you can reach via the Tournois tab on their website.

To see pictures of the Brunswick Festival Chess Day (click on the link below;)

Brunswick Festival Chess Pics

Thanks for everyone for their support and look forward to seeing everyone on boat trip to Deippe on the 31st August where ill be organizing a fun 4 player tournament on the boat.

Good Skills

Michael

Infant tuition

One of the occasional opportunities coming via the website:

Dear sirs,
I am looking for private lessons for my 6 year old son who already plays chess at the very beginning stage. I would appreciate any help and advice as how to proceed. 
Many thanks

(email address available on request)

Brighton Street Chess 2013

To see pictures of the Street Chess Day (click on the link below;)

Street Chess Pictures 2013

Thanks for all your support and look forward to seeing everyone interested at the "Brunswick Festival" for the next chess event on Saturday the 17th August 2013 (11am to 7pm).

Good Skills
Michael

Brighton Festival 17th August 2013

We are also holding a second chess event "Brunswick Festival Chess Promotional Day" on Saturday August 17th from 11am to 7pm located at the prestigious Brunswick Square, Hove.

click here to see map;

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF-8&q=brunswick+square+hove&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=brunswick+square&hnear=0x48758553f34181db:0x68fbeacf34e3172b,Hove,+The+City+of+Brighton+and+Hove&cid=0,0,13337148989503665702&ei=mwcCUqq-MomyOezAgdgE&ved=0CKcBEPwSMA4

We have been allocated a space at Brunswick Square as part of the popular Brunswick Festival. Additionally the event organizer has kindly donated 2 large tables which we can use to play chess on during the day.

If you are interested and are free on this day, please email me michael_s_cain@yahoo.co.uk

Many Thanks for your time and hope to see for both chess events;
1. Street Chess - Saturday 10th August (9.30am-4pm)
2. Brunswick Festival - Saturday 17th August (11am-7pm).

Many Thanks 

Michael

August closure dates and AGM

Please note that due to the Street Chess event on the 10th August (see below) the club will now be closed on 10th, 15th and 17th August. 'Closed' means properly closed with the building locked up so remember to come along to the Street Chess instead.

The club AGM is on Thursday 5th September at 8:00 pm. Please send any agenda items to Sue or Rob by mid-August.

July 2013 grades are on the Members page of the website.

Street Chess and Chess Club Promotional Day - 10th August 2013

Hi Brighton Chess Club Members,

Good News, I am going to organize another Street Chess/Chess Club Promotional Day on Saturday August 10th 2013 from 9.30am to 4pm located on NEW ROAD, opposite Brighton Theater Royal (same location as last time).

Map: Here is a map link to the event:- Brighton Chess Club Promotional Day Location

What are we doing? We are going to erect 3/4 chess tables in a line and play 5 min speed chess throughout the day, we are also going to hand out Brighton Chess Club Business Cards to the general public. I'm sure if we play a lot of chess and look friendly, this will attract the attention of people walking by and hopefully we can chat and tell them more about our cool chess club and gain new members. :-)

Action From You: Would you be able to help me with this event? Yes/No.

If you are interested and are free on this day, please reply as I would really like to here from you? :-)

Here are the pictures again from the same event last year:

https://plus.google.com/photos/101721825617577586066/albums/5760113489986070945?banner=pwa

Many Thanks for your time and hope to see you between 9.30am and 4pm on Saturday the 10th August 2013.

Cheers

Michael

My Mobile number is (07976) 739911