Category Archives: Teams

Ollie Blacklock : Under 9 Team Manager

Hampshire Junior Chess Association is delighted to announce the appointment of Ollie Blacklock as our Under 9 Team Manager.

Ollie has kindly penned his chess biography as an introduction :

Discovering there was no junior chess club within 25 miles for my son to attend, I decided to set up a club at his school – the New Forest Small School – in Lyndhurst in 2015.

Following visits to three junior chess schools in Kazakhstan, and a discussion with Elyena Gaichenya of the “Champion” club in Almaty, I decided to start an independent junior club – the New Forest Chess Club – based in Lymington in 2017. This club has been very successful and has over 20 members and a waiting list, and some of the strongest junior players in the county.

I joined the Southampton Chess Club in 2017, and am in the process of registering as an ECF accredited coach. I give private chess tuition, and when I’m not doing chess, I’m being a design engineer, sailing, or playing music.

We wish Ollie all the best in his new role and look forward to his contributions to the fortunes and success of Hampshire Junior Chess Association.

Ollie Blacklock
Ollie Blacklock
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Team Managers Wanted !

Team Manager Badge
Team Manager Badge

Hampshire Junior Chess Association is looking for three new Team Managers (and assistants) for the 2018 – 2019 season and beyond.

They are needed for the :

EPSCA Under-9 (Open) Team : first match is March 2019

EPSCA Under-11 (Open) Team : first match is March 2019

SCCU / ECF Under-14 (Open) Team : first match is November 2018.

Previously these teams were managed by HJCA Secretary, John Upham, who will offer the new Managers as much assistance as required plus access to a small budget.

Please contact john.upham@zen.co.uk with any offers or suggestions.

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Swindon Magic for Hampshire Under-11 Team

Eighteen Under-11 Hampshire chess players braved to the snowy and icy cold winds (mostly North or West) to the superb New College school in Swindon near Brighton and had a great time playing chess against seven other counties which were : Berkshire, Glamorgan, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Surrey (Wey Valley), Sussex and Wiltshire.

Starting out with two players short meant we always lost at least two points per round translating to -6 from three rounds. Despite this handicap the team acheived plus scores in two out of three rounds and finished a very creditable 5th out of eight counties in the first competition for the team in many years.

Winners were Surrey over Sussex on the slimmest of tie-breaks (most wins).

We should have a particularly load shout out for three players who scored 100% (3/3) : Matthew Deacon, James New and Patrick Atkinson.

Andrew Kirby scored a very strong 2.5/3 on board one (top board) to lead the team.

A big thank-you to all the Mums and Dads who transported their children. Thanks to Jocelyn Kirby for her invaluable help.

Detailed results may be seen here.

Here is a photograph of the team :

Hampshire EPSCA Under-11 Team 2018
Hampshire EPSCA Under-11 Team 2018

John

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Calling all Hampshire Juniors !

Hampshire Junior Chess Wants You !
Hampshire Junior Chess Wants You !

If you are eighteen years old or younger, reside in Hampshire or go to a Hampshire LEA school then we want to hear from you !

Of course, we also hope you are a keen chess player !

Hampshire Junior Chess Association (HJCA) is building junior teams from the “ground up” for the 2017 – 2018 season and are focusing on the following county teams :

  • EPSCA Under – 9
  • EPSCA Under – 11
  • EPSCA Under – 11 Girls
  • SCCU Under – 14

for the time being.

If you are keen on chess and wish to have the chance to play for your own home county then please get in contact. For the past few years junior chess in Hampshire has lacked its own teams and so myself (John Upham) and GM Nick Pert and others decided to do something about it.

You may well be currently playing for another county such as Surrey, Sussex, Dorset or Berkshire. This is not a problem and you may switch to your home county if you wish.

Please ask your parents to contact myself (John Upham) on john.upham@zen.co.uk or (07976) 634053 or www.facebook.com/john.upham with your details and will be in touch.

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