Search found 1175 matches

by Richard James
Fri Mar 22, 2024 10:40 am
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Francis Joseph Lee
Replies: 6
Views: 305

Re: Francis Joseph Lee

British Chess News is now back up, having crashed on Wednesday evening. I suspect the problem was that too many people were trying to read my FJ Lee articles at the same time!

You can now enjoy them (and my earlier Minor Pieces) again.
by Richard James
Fri Mar 22, 2024 8:54 am
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Britbase Updates
Replies: 269
Views: 37384

Re: Britbase Updates

DR Lester is rather elusive. I'm pretty certain he was Denis Raymond Lester, born in Burton on Trent in 1916. His family moved to the Slough area a few years later, which is where he played chess in the late 1930s. He had a sister, Nina Eunice, whose birth was registered in Windsor in 1922, and whos...
by Richard James
Fri Mar 22, 2024 8:29 am
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Britbase Updates
Replies: 269
Views: 37384

Re: Britbase Updates

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:19 pm
There's a mention of STK Wilkinson in the junior event - I assume he is no longer with us?
Sydney Thomas Kevin Wilkinson: birth registered Croydon Q2 1927, died in Ipswich 7 May 2020.
by Richard James
Wed Mar 20, 2024 12:06 pm
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Francis Joseph Lee
Replies: 6
Views: 305

Francis Joseph Lee

The name of Francis Joseph Lee, an English chess professional active between the late 1880s and his death in 1909, is rarely mentioned today. I've written two articles about him in my Minor Pieces series for British Chess News. https://britishchessnews.com/2024/03/09/minor-pieces-69-francis-joseph-l...
by Richard James
Wed Mar 20, 2024 11:59 am
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Britbase Updates
Replies: 269
Views: 37384

Re: Britbase Updates

A game from the 1904 British Ladies Championship. It's not specified which of Miss Finn's queens made the final move. Source: The Pall Mall Gazette 10 September 1904 [Event "British Ladies Championship"] [Site "?"] [Date "1904.08.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Tapsell, Edith Mary Ann"] [Black "Finn, Kate ...
by Richard James
Sun Mar 17, 2024 12:48 pm
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Bletchley Park female codebreakers
Replies: 11
Views: 1468

Re: Bletchley Park female codebreakers

Pernel Strachey's sister Marjorie certainly played chess, so it's quite likely she did as well.

https://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot. ... achey.html
by Richard James
Sun Mar 10, 2024 9:50 am
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Britbase Updates
Replies: 269
Views: 37384

Re: Britbase Updates

https://britishchessnews.com/2023/04/19 ... r-beamish/

This article gives my current views on the chess playing Beamish family.
by Richard James
Sat Feb 03, 2024 6:27 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Recommend chess puzzles.
Replies: 12
Views: 922

Re: Recommend chess puzzles.

https://chessforheroes.uk/purchase/

You might want to look at some of these books.
by Richard James
Tue Dec 05, 2023 11:45 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: The Chess Heroes Project
Replies: 1
Views: 666

The Chess Heroes Project

I''ve recently published a series of books based on my 50+ years teaching chess. They're designed to take readers from learning the moves up to about 1500 strength. With Christmas coming up they will make an ideal present for anyone you know interested in reaching club standard. You can also downloa...
by Richard James
Sun Nov 05, 2023 4:31 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Chess in the community: library chess
Replies: 19
Views: 4680

Re: Chess in the community: library chess

Was Jon being paid by CSC? My understanding (I may be wrong, or the situation might have changed recently) is that CSC are able to provide equipment and training for library and other community based clubs, but they're not able to pay for a tutor. In other library chess news, the Twickenham Library ...
by Richard James
Sun Nov 05, 2023 4:10 pm
Forum: Junior Chess
Topic: Juniors with autism and ADHD
Replies: 16
Views: 2495

Re: Juniors with autism and ADHD

Roger I am glad to see this issue has been raised. As you may know I am the Newly Appointed ECF Manager for Chess Accessibility and one of the areas I am interested in is finding out how many clubs have players who have impairments, and one of the less obvious ones is SEN/ADHD/possible autism. Hi O...
by Richard James
Sun Nov 05, 2023 4:07 pm
Forum: Junior Chess
Topic: Juniors with autism and ADHD
Replies: 16
Views: 2495

Re: Juniors with autism and ADHD

Does anyone else have experience or expertise in this field? My local club is working out how best to handle an 8-y-o who is a relative beginner showing signs of chess ability but, due to autism and ADHD, whose behaviour can be disruptive. In my opinion, allowing for the fact that many chess player...
by Richard James
Sun Nov 05, 2023 3:33 pm
Forum: Junior Chess
Topic: Juniors with autism and ADHD
Replies: 16
Views: 2495

Re: Juniors with autism and ADHD

To clarify I agree ENTIRELY that chess should be accessible for all (as should everything else - I am very passionate about how our education system sets SEND students up to fail). Indeed I did suggest that it may be possible to create bespoke sessions for the youngster in question. My point was th...
by Richard James
Sun Nov 05, 2023 3:25 pm
Forum: Junior Chess
Topic: Juniors with autism and ADHD
Replies: 16
Views: 2495

Re: Juniors with autism and ADHD

It is a difficult one but at the end of the day you are running a junior chess club where you expect a minimum standard of behaviour and have to consider all players, not just one. Awful as it sounds the mother's circumstances are her problem not yours. That said, it depends what the boy is looking...
by Richard James
Sun Nov 05, 2023 3:24 pm
Forum: Junior Chess
Topic: Juniors with autism and ADHD
Replies: 16
Views: 2495

Re: Juniors with autism and ADHD

Does anyone else have experience or expertise in this field? I think Richard James might be a very good person to consult. Thanks, Angus. I've been watching the thread and was wondering if and how to reply. I've been working with young autistic chess players on and off for almost 20 years now and h...