All,

We have 20 or so students at present receiving or about to receive regular online coaching. If there is any progressive junior out there whom I have overlooked, forgot to ask etc please get in touch with me or any of the junior selectors on the home page asap. Our online coaching team can take on another few students presently so please be in touch as I will be delighted to hear from you.

Robin.

Hi Folks,

Gosh February already -- before we know it the Olympics will be over Yippee!!!

More importantly, SNCL is on in a fortnight. This is enough warning for you to get your teams together. So get on the job now please!!!!

No excuses for empty boards!!! Make that your 2012 resolution!!!

GG

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Hello,

I've had an idea for a new(ish) format for an event. There are currently no plans in place, it's just an idea, but I would appreciate some feedback.

The idea: Age Championship event
Aimed at: both adults and juniors
Format: 2 day weekend congress or 1 day allegro.

What are traditional tournament grading bands could be replaced with age groups. I would be keen to reinstate the junior age championships (or if these are planned, an age based junior tournament). Furthermore I'm keen to pursue a 16 - 30 event as its an age group often overlooked and I feel it should be given some attention, seniors at the top end and a 'middle aged' category for the inbetweeners.

As each section would essentially be 'open' I'd recommend maybe a 1st & 2nd prizein adult events, followed by generous grading prizes for sections (i'm still in the Fair City mentality of the more prizes the better!)

I have a date in mind and a venue too but I haven't had a chance to link these up. I guess it's a novelty event but I think it could be a social, prestige, novelty event.

Thoughts on a postcard please.

Best wishes,
Lynsey

I see the East of Scotland is being combined with Edinburgh and the standalone Championships will not be happening this year.

It’s interesting that those who are challenging the decision of Hamilton having a Stars Barred this year are completely silent about the East of Scotland Championships no longer being a standalone event. I think those criticising the Stars Barred (most of them players from the East too) perhaps need to have a look inwards. ;P

On a more seriousness note it’s not good to see competitors losing a tournament off the calendar. I sincerely hope the decision to no longer run the East of Scotland was communicated with the 59 players who entered last year. In my view they should have received an email/letter directly informing them that it would not be happening. If this hasn't happened, why hasn't it?

Also, the communication to the wider chess community has been abysmal on this I only found out as someone mentioned it in the passing.

I personally think it’s a shame the organisers couldn’t find a way to make the event workable and I’m interested to know why they opted to scrap the tournament rather than change the format. I suspect having a Championship/'Open' of 11 players had something to do with it. Any ideas?

P.S. For those who will mention the WoS being amalgamated into Prestwick. As Prestwick was a new tournament I consider that to be +1 -1 = 0 so it balances out. 8)

James Gillespies High will be traveling to Durham on Friday to play Queen Elizabeth Grammer School of Wakefield in the Zone Final for the Yateley Manor Schools' Competition. They look like a very useful side, with James Bowler on bd 1 ( ~ 1980), but reasonably evenly matched on grade over all. Our main problem is that as they are a younger side we will need to win by at least a whole point I think because of the age handicap.

I hope Andy McCulloch is wearing his best anti-junior suit this weekend, it looks like he is going to need it! I can confirm that there is no truth whatsoever in the rumour circulating that David Congalton bunged Mike Hanley a couple of bob to make sure he lowered the grading limit for the minor, ensuring that David escaped into the major.

UNDER 300:
1st Aedan McGhie Alexandra PS Airdrie 6/7
2nd Thomas Billcliff Lairdsland PS Kirkintilloch 6/7
3rd Aiden Connor Holy Cross PS Croy 5/7

Medals 50% and above
4/7 Reece Kennedy Holy Family PS Lenzie
Jennifer Lowe Keir Hardie PS Motherwell
Advaith Sastry Bearsden PS Bearsden
3.5/7 Luca Marchetti Holy Cross PS Croy
Liam Murphy Woodhill PS Bishopbriggs

UNDER 600:
1st Tom Laing Prestwick CC 5/7
2nd Euan Hamilton George Watsons Edinburgh
3rd Mati Steele St Marys Hamilton

Medals for 50% and above:
Jake Sanger Prestwick CC
Robbie McKichan Prestwick CC

UNDER 1000:
1st Andrew Bodie Jordanhill PS Glasgow 5.5/7
2nd Samuel Kearns Glenrothes CC 5/7
3rd Iona Bryson Annan 5/7

Medals for 50% and above
Lauren Hulme Keir Hardie PS Motherwell
Fintan Pathi Kirkhill PS Newton Mearns

OPEN:
1st Junior Daniel Deary Greenwood 5/6
1st Adult Jacqui Thomas East Kilbride 5/6

Qualifiers for Final:
Aedan McGhie, Thomas Billcliff, Aiden Connor, Reece Kennedy, Jennifer Lowe, Advaith Sastry, Tom Laing, Mati Steele, Jake Sanger, Robbie McKichan, Andrew Bodie, Samuel Kearns,Iona Bryson, Lauren Hulme, Fintan Pathi.

Michael.

Anyone in a position to post them?
TIA

There is a Chess for Kicks this Saturday 4th at Lennoxtown. This is the first CFK held at this venue although every year we try to hold a heat in the East Dunbartonshire area to accommodate children from the North of the City & surrounding areas.

~To say I am disappointed is an under statement - to date we have 8 entries. So all coaches & parents in & around the area can you please make sure all your Juniors know this event is taking place - entry form on the calendar (also an Open section for accompanying parents or guardians).