The North East chess community was dealt another severe blow this week with the sudden death of David Burke. At the early age of 58, David succumbed to a massive heart attack while being driven to Banff hospital following some slight chest pains. Efforts to resuscitate him at the hospital were regrettably unsuccessful. David was an avid chess fanatic, a love only second to his family.  The latter always knew what to buy him for birthdays and Xmas – another chess book or video! He was an active member of the Newmachar club and regularly turned out on the top boards in both the long and Allegro versions of the game. The club team was based on a parody of characters from the Lord of the Rings going into battle over the 64 squares and his moniker was Lord Burke – a title that caused much mirth from his wife.  He also was a regular attendee at Congresses such as Dundee, Perth, Edinburgh and Oban, often with his sparring partner and chauffeur the late Steve Sawaryn. During the Covid pandemic he set up a Lichess online club so that club players could receive their weekly ‘fix’ of the Royal Game and benefit from his coaching skills. He was also passionate about encouraging juniors to play the game and was ever-present at NEJCA events, where he helped as an assistant arbiter, coach between rounds and always ready to give any ‘byes’ a game of chess (with lots of instruction included). As well as contributing to local chess activity and acting as tutor to club members, he was also keen to improve his own game and recently had been under the tutelage of Hamish Olson. He was forever regaling we mere wood-pushers about the different perspective that Hamish brought to the game.

In life, David was a very honest and gentle person (but over the board do not give him the slightest chance of a king hunt!). He also had a very self-deprecating sense of humour, and his emails are littered with anecdotes and comments where he is the butt of his own jokes. Those who knew him well were proud to call him a friend and that makes his loss all the harder to bear. His early death has had a massive impact on his family and currently they have not decided how they prefer to mourn his passing, possibly at a private funeral.

The European Youth (hybrid) Championships have just started and there is a strong representation from Scotland

https://chess-results.com/tnr582087.aspx...ES&flag=30

Best of luck to all the players.

One cannot help noticing that Freddy Gordon has made a good start.

The trustees of the Scottish Junior Chess Educational Trust (SJCAET) have obtained the approval of the Scottish Charities Regulator (OSCR) to close the trust with effect earlier this month after some 52 years of the trust's operation in support of a wide range of Scottish junior chess educational purposes. 

The trust's remaining assets (some £4,900) have as part of the approved closure process been transferred to Chess Scotland for the agreed (ring-fenced) purpose of helping to defray the future costs of the Glorney Gilbert International Junior Chess matches when next held in Scotland. The Trust has frequently provided grants for this purpose for many years (most recently for the Glorney Gilbert events held in Paisley 2018).

In due course, the trustees plan to draft a brief note in celebration of the trust's work since its inception in 1969 for the CS historical archive. 

We most warmly thank all of those donors who have contributed greatly to the promotion of the trust's purposes over that half-century. You can rest assured that support by grants made by the trust have been much appreciated by junior chess club organisers in schools and in the community, as well as the individual junior players who have benefitted and their parents.

Junior chess giving will, of course, continue in very many other already-existing (often quietly voluntary) forms. The trustees have merely come to the conclusion that the trust's charitable model has run its effective course. And we wish good luck to all in the future!

More historic games (with very familiar names!) available to download now:

* Glasgow Junior International 1970
* Glasgow Congress Open 1967

https://www.chessscotland.com/features/game-downloads/

Thanks again to Alistair Maxwell and Alan McGowan for providing these!

I'm aware some clubs are meeting face-to-face. I notice there was an OTB congress in Northumbria recently and that Andy Burnett did well in the recent European Seniors in Sardinia (reported on chessbase but not here). Beyond chess, the post vaccinated UK is slowly returning to normal with indoor events across many activities restarting. But what is going on with chess in Scotland? It is mid-October, 
- There are no congresses, 
- Are there are any local leagues restarting? 
- I assume there is no National League?
- What about Richardson and Spens Cup?  
- Will the 2019-20 events be played out in same way Olympics and Euros football were? 
- More generally, is there anything going on at all?
I'm conscious chess in Scotland has been in a slow decline over many years and the pandemic has been an accelerator in many areas. Is OTB chess one of those areas accelerated to extinction or are there people out there working to bring things back up?

From Castlehill CC:
Martin Chalmers B: 1/09/60 – D: 17/09/21 aged 61 R.I.P
It is with a heavy heart that I have to inform you all that Martin Chalmers passed away on Friday. He was in a coma for over two weeks brought on by COVID and was on a ventilator which was switched off early Friday morning, but he never woke up.
Martin Chalmers was a long time member of Castlehill Chess Club off and on and had just come back after a short break, indeed he would be classed a stalwart of our chess club. He enjoyed his chess and for a long time played in the weekend chess tournaments about once a month playing all over Scotland. He was a vocal and colourful character, and you always knew when Martin was in the club! He was always willing to help everybody especially juniors with their chess!
Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time and as soon as we have conformation on his funeral arrangements, we will let you know ASAP.

I see the allegro grades have all reverted to being the same as your main grade due to no games being played over the last grading period. 

Due to the circumstances over this period would it not be better to revert these grades to how they were before otherwise it makes a nonsense having a separate allegro grade.

A Huge thanks to the arbitering team including David Clayton, John McNicoll, Alistair Maxwell & Andy Howie for Scottish Chess Tour PGNs including the following tournaments

• Ayr 2016
  
• Ayr 2017 Major
  
• Ayr 2017 Open
  
• Ayr 2019
  
• Inverness 2016 Major
  
• Inverness 2016 Open
  
• Inverness 2017 Major
  
• Inverness 2017 Open
  
• Perth 2017 Major
  
• Perth 2017 Open
  
• Perth 2018 FIDE A
  
• Perth 2018 FIDE B
  
• Perth 2019 Minor
  
• Perth 2019 Major
  
• Perth 2019 Open
  

Tragically I must pass on news of the death of Steve Sawaryn.  After his family, chess was one of Steve’s main passions. He could often be seen in action on the East coast congress circuit, plus trips to the Oban tournaments to indulge in the Royal Game. His quiet and impeccable conduct during a game, win, lose or draw, was respected by all his opponents. In recent years he took over the Presidency of the North East Junior Chess Association (NEJCA) and continued furtherance of the love of chess in local juniors. He was also responsible for organising the Scottish Girls event at Lathallan castle on behalf of Chess Scotland. He was also a key member of the Junior Home Board. He was an excellent organiser and presented an open and honest approach to everything he did  and this inspired both respect and loyalty from his support team. He was unflappable and never once raised his voice. A rock in what could sometimes be the maelstrom of junior chess! He was always ready to assist people struggling with difficulties in life and become a trusted confidante.
 
At 66 he had many years of active life before him, alternating between Aberdeenshire and Mallorca, where he and Maria had bought a second home a few years ago. Unfortunately, he was recently diagnosed with angina, following some struggles during hillwalking, and he died at home of heart failure.
 
Steve’s departure leaves a large hole in many lives, especially for Maria and his three children. There is also the loss to the Scottish chess community. His character  was described by one of his chess colleagues as kind, capable, diplomatic and enthusiastic. Not many of us would deserve such a fulsome epitaph, but he did!

I have added the links for Olympiad 2021 games here.
Division 4  -- Aug 20, 2021 - Aug 22, 2021
FIDE Online Chess Olympiad Division 4 2021 - Live Games - Chess.com
 
Division 3 --- Aug 27, 2021 - Aug 29, 2021
FIDE Online Chess Olympiad Division 3 2021 - Live Games - Chess.com
 
Division 2 --- Sep 2, 2021 - Sep 4, 2021
FIDE Online Chess Olympiad Division 2 2021 - Live Games - Chess.com
 
Division 1 --- Sep 8, 2021 - Sep 10, 2021
FIDE Online Chess Olympiad Division 1 2021 - Live Games - Chess.com

However - these links currently contain NO INFORMATION - they as simply bookmarks at this time - the organisers have not yet published further information

I will also post on the Website News page and will notify as soon as the data becomes available.