All posts by John Upham

John is an English Chess Federation accredited coach and has taught in schools and privately since 2009. John started chess relatively late(!) at the age of twelve following the huge interest in the Spassky-Fischer World Championship match in 1972. John Upham is the founder of British Chess News, staff photographer and the IT Manager. John performed similar roles for British Chess Magazine from 2011 until 2015. John is an English Chess Federation accredited coach and has taught in schools and privately since 2009. John started chess relatively late(!) at the age of twelve following the huge interest in the Spassky-Fischer World Championship match in 1972. John is Membership Secretary of Camberley Chess Club and an ordinary member of Crowthorne and Guildford Chess Clubs. John plays for Hampshire and for 4NCL Crowthorne. John is Secretary of the Hampshire Junior Chess Association and the Berkshire Chess Association and manages the Chess for Schools partnership. He has played in the British Championships and represented Yateley School, Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Guildford Chess Club, CentYMCA, Crowthorne Chess Club and Camberley Chess Clubs. He is an active photographer for with his own gallery. John has both junior and adult learners as private students. John has recently re-launched the Hampshire Junior Chess Association. John has recently started playing for the Crowthorne team in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL).

3rd LiChess Battle : We are promoted !

The Hampshire Team played its second LiChess Battle on Monday, June 2nd and after 90 minutes of hard fought Blitz games emerged in 3rd place out of nine teams.

LiChess 3rd Team Battle
LiChess 3rd Team Battle

A late entry was the mighty Sussex team so winning was always going to be challenge.

At many points in the match we were lying second.

Here are the best scorers from our team :

LiChess 3rd Team Battle
LiChess 3rd Team Battle

Second Team Battle on the Lichess Arena

Lichess.org
Lichess.org

The second Team Battle on the Lichess Arena will take place on Monday, June 1st starting at 6pm.

The link is https://lichess.org/tournament/JtgLYYwK

Please register for this ASAP !

The HJCA Lichess Team
Hampshire Junior Chess Association is entering junior teams into the online Lichess Arena competitions.

The matches start at 6pm each Monday night and complete by 7.30pm

Please register (for free) on lichess.org and then email me (John Upham) at john.upham@zen.co.uk and will get you into the team !

Chess charity wants a million children on board

Chess charity wants a million children on board
Chess charity wants a million children on board

From The Times of London

“A charity is offering a million children the chance to learn chess from tomorrow to give them an “intellectual challenge” during the lockdown.

Chess in Schools and Communities (CISC) along with ChessKid, the world’s biggest online chess platform, is offering primary pupils access to lessons, puzzles and videos about one of the world’s oldest board games.

Malcolm Pein, the scheme’s founder, says he wants to create the world’s biggest online chess club. “The same way Joe Wicks kicks in at 7.30am, let the chess kick in at 3.30 after all the home schooling is done,” he said.

A child who registers on the ChessKid website starts with tutorials on chess pieces and the rules of the game. Invitations to quiz tournaments and other such challenges

See https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/chess-charity-wants-a-million-kids-on-board-rrn9j2pwj  for more

Hampshire Delancey UKCC Megafinal

The Hampshire Megafinal is postponed : a new date will be announced ASAP

Entries are now open for the 2020 Hampshire Megafinal on May  3rd in Winchester College

Please ensure that you do not miss out and get your entry in AS SOON AS POSSIBLE !

Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge
Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge

Please enter here ->  https://www.delanceyukschoolschesschallenge.com/product/2020-hampshire-megafinal-3rd-may-2020/

Winchester College, Hampshire, England, SO23 9NA
Winchester College, Hampshire, England, SO23 9NA

Hampshire Junior Open Congress entry system now online !

Hampshire Junior Open Chess Congress 2019
Hampshire Junior Open Chess Congress 2019

Hampshire Junior Chess Association is delighted to announce that the online entry system is now open for business.

The 2020 Congress is on Sunday, October 4th 2020 at New Hall, Winchester College.

You may enter and purchase your “tickets” for each child via our secure payments system using our partner Eventbrite.

Please visit The online Entry System to secure your entries.

If you wish you may pay via BACS (or even a cheque !) with the details in our pdf entry form – > Hampshire Junior Chess Congress 2020 Entry Form

Winchester College, Hampshire, England, SO23 9NA
Winchester College, Hampshire, England, SO23 9NA

HJCA Appoints EPSCA Under-9 & Under-11 Team Manager

Team Manager Badge
Team Manager Badge

Hampshire Junior Chess Association is delighted to announce the appointment of FIDE Trainer Lucas Piecha as the EPSCA Under-9 and EPSCA Under-11 Team Manager. Winchester based Lucas adds these Team Manager roles to his Head Coach role and will be a popular appointment.

Lucas Piecha, FIDE Trainer
Lucas Piecha, FIDE Trainer

Lucas will be selecting Hampshire juniors for the March 2020 series of EPSCA matches including the first EPSCA match to be hosted by HJCA in many years !

HJCA would like to thank Ollie Blacklock for his sterling work as the previous Team Manager.

Details of our Team Managers may be found here and details of all HJCA Officers may be found here.

Details of forthcoming matches may be found here.

EPSCA Dates Confirmed

English Primary Schools Chess Association
English Primary Schools Chess Association

EPSCA have sent HJCA dates and venues for the 2019 – 2020 competitions #

Dates and venues as follows :

Under 11 zone Saturday 7th March 2020 in ?

Under 9 zone Saturday 14th March 2020 in Hampshire (!)

Under 11 Girls Final Saturday 21st March 2020 in ?

Under 11 Final Saturday 28th March 2020 in ?

Under 9 Final Saturday 25th April 2018 at ?