Hi,

Given the fact that it seems OTB chess will not be taking place at all during the 2020/21 season, what will be happening with the Giant Killers trophy this season? I looked to see the list but there is nothing despite the fact we have been playing online tournaments for months.

This weekend another series of online chess events from Junior allegros, Blitz, allegro, and "standard" chess over the three days. 

You'll almost certainly find something to enjoy.  Enter here, or see details on the Chess Scotland main events page.

The US Chess Federation have made the latest Chess Life magazine (November 2020) available as a free pdf download on their website. Anya Taylor-Joy is featured on the cover in her role as Beth Harmon in the incredibly popular Netflix tv miniseries, "The Queen's Gambit". In an extensive article inside the magazine, Bruce Pandolfini, a well known chess teacher in the US and a chess consultant on the project, provides an insiders view on the making of the series. Well worth downloading and reading (see link below).

https://new.uschess.org/sites/default/fi..._promo.pdf

As far as I can see, it looks like CS Player of the Year has ceased.  I think this is a great shame, because it was an opportunity to engage with the membership and consider the contribution made by a diverse group of contenders.
If it is not too late for 2020, I'd like to suggest CS try and it get it going again.  I'd also like to suggest Neil Berry and Andy Howie for their contribution to keeping online chess going during the pandemic (there may well be others who are equally deserving in the same category).

Keti Arakhamia-Grant on BBC Breakfast this morning as they discussed one of Netflix's more successful series "The Queen's Gambit."

Contributions also from Malcolm Pein and a random English junior. Chess.com also contributing with their upsurge in online accounts.

Now whilst all this focus on chess appearing in main stream media is pleasing, I find the suggestion of a surge in people learning chess rather amusing.

I am unaware of any surge locally in Ayrshire of clubs or individuals being contacted, either during the first lockdown or now, about how to learn to play chess. Now that could all be taking place online with YouTube and online chess platforms being used.

The question may be, hopefully, how to cope with a surge in interest after OTB gets going again, or do they all stay online?

we played in masks today

This weekend sees a number of online events taking place on the LiChess platform.

Events range from a blitz on Friday to a 5 round standard play over Saturday and Sunday and allegros for both Juniors and adults.

Enter through the links on the main page. Please refresh the entry page as some browsers are using the old entry page.

Hi Guys

Can I draw your attention to this training opportunity, both for adults and kids. Chess Scotland will fund two places

https://www.chessscotland.com/news-post/...s-academy/

Hi all
I've been asked by the CS President to clarify that the initiatives I having been setting up (e.g. The Scottish National Online Chess League ) are not under the auspices of Chess Scotland and consequently will be completely independent from Chess Scotland. Consequently we the committee will have to create a completely independent new organisation , called something along the lines of the Scottish Online Chess Organisation. The good news is that the services we provide will be free and cost neutral. Anyone wishing and willing to join will of course be welcome.

Fascinating article about Walter Tevis - author of Queen's Gambit - which is currently airing on Netflix - a surprisingly authentic account of chess life although I must say I have not come across anyone resembling this series heroine at any of the congresses I have attended   . I see he also wrote the Hustler and Man Who Fell to Earth and was a chess nut. I quote: "I think that most people take up the game of chess in a very serious way if they have personality problems ... I was afraid of girls, I was afraid of a lot of things, and chess was a way of … getting rid of some of that anxiety by displacing it in something that was relatively safe,”

Enjoy the article and don't miss this on Netflix

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/queens-gambit-netflix-true-story-author-walter-tevis/