(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[LawrenceCooper]

Polish family, originally from Gdansk.
I've been asked to teach the children the Polish Opening as the grandfather plays as well and wants to see them play it.

Lucky that they're not Latvian, or, even worse, Irish.

Having lived in Stafford my whole life I'm grateful that I wasn't introduced to the gambit sharing its name.

[NickFaulks]

or, even worse, Irish.

"I hadn't seen the king's pawn was defended." Famous last words, brilliant and far too good to check, even if you could.

[Simon Rogers]

I am pleased to report that we had another two new members at Poulton-le-Fylde Chess Club last night.
One of them used to play for Bridgewater Chess Club, in Somerset.

[Reg Clucas]

After a three year break, Altrincham & Hale Chess Club meetings restarted this week. The club's last meeting had been in March 2020, at which point Covid put an end to things. When things started to open up in the summer of 2021, we found that we were unable to continue at our previous venue. With Covid levels still high there was little enthusiasm at that time to find a new venue. We now have a venue and there was an encouraging turn out for the first meeting, with several new members including a couple of juniors.

[Simon Rogers]

This was posted on the Lichfield Chess Club website a couple of days ago:
"Membership hits record high"
"Lichfield Chess Club's membership, plus recent newcomers has reached 73, the highest number in the club's 55 year history, surpassing the previous highest totals in the early 1970's and 1990's.
The surge in membership at Lichfield started last year and reflects a worldwide chess boom attributed to juniors and adults taking up computer chess during the pandemic following the success of the Netflix drama, The Queen's Gambit"

[Simon Rogers]

I am pleased to report that we have had another three new members turn up tonight at Poulton-le-Fylde Chess Club.
We also had a new member a couple of weeks ago.

[Kevin Thurlow]

In 2020, there was great excitement as the KO Final was due to be played between Yeovil and Sedgemoor (the latter based near Bridgwater). However, covid lockdown started a week or so before the due date, so the match was postponed, for an indefinite time, as lockdown ran and ran (well, for some of us anyway)... As the league partly ran last season (there was no division 1), I assumed the KO title had been shared. I was wrong, the 2020 final will finally be played in early September! We always have tough but enjoyable encounters with Yeovil, so it's a good start to the season.

[Ian Jamieson]

Polish family, originally from Gdansk.
I've been asked to teach the children the Polish Opening as the grandfather plays as well and wants to see them play it.

Lucky that they're not Latvian, or, even worse, Irish.

Having lived in Stafford my whole life I'm grateful that I wasn't introduced to the gambit sharing its name.

Even my brother has switched to … the Latvian.

[Ian Jamieson]

Three new juniors at Cleveleys a couple of weeks ago, three year old, ...

Seriously?

Hi Ian.
Yes. The three year old sat with her dad.
The five year old and eight year old are very promising.
Polish family, originally from Gdansk.
I've been asked to teach the children the Polish Opening as the grandfather plays as well and wants to see them play it.
I must admit, I've never played it myself and only faced it once against the protégé Niamh Bridgeman at Scarborough Congres and lost.
I'll be asking advice about the Polish Opening in the Chess Questions Category in the future.

Get hold of play 1 b4 by Yury Lapshun and Nick Conticello.

Edit

There’s also 1.b4 Theory & Practice of the Sokolsky Opening by Jerzy Konikowski & Marek Soszynski. I used to prefer this over Lapshun and Conticello’s book but I am beginning to prefer Lapshun and Conticello these days.

There may possibly have been a new book or books published on the opening - I haven’t kept up with new book publications since Covid - although it’s unlikely.

Edit

Yes, there is also Play the Orangutan by Carsten Hansen published November 2021 but I don’t have a copy of this (yet - ordered) There is a review of the book by James Vigus on Lichess - sorry I can’t post a link but it shouldn’t be too difficult to find - I found it.

Tim Harding also did three articles on it some years ago on the old chess cafe.

[Roger de Coverly]

Tim Harding also did three articles on it some years ago on the old chess cafe. (on the Polish 1. b4)

Long before that he wrote up some ideas in BH Wood's Chess. 1973 as I recall.

His main line ran something like
1. b4 c6 2. Bb2 a5 3. a3 axb4 4. axb4 Rxa1 5. Bxa1 Qb6 and now White has the choice between 6. c3 and 6. Bc3 neither of which look very pleasant.

My archive shows that I've had the position four times starting in 1973 (!) winning all four. I would hesitate to adopt it now as there are improvements for White even in the first few moves.

[Ian Jamieson]

Tim Harding also did three articles on it some years ago on the old chess cafe. (on the Polish 1. b4)

Long before that he wrote up some ideas in BH Wood's Chess. 1973 as I recall.

His main line ran something like
1. b4 c6 2. Bb2 a5 3. a3 axb4 4. axb4 Rxa1 5. Bxa1 Qb6 and now White has the choice between 6. c3 and 6. Bc3 neither of which look very pleasant.

My archive shows that I've had the position four times starting in 1973 (!) winning all four. I would hesitate to adopt it now as there are improvements for White even in the first few moves.

I was aware of that but I’ve never come across a copy - maybe there is a copy in the ECF library.

As a sometime Sokolsky player I’m quite happy when Black chooses this line because as you say White has other moves.

[Simon Rogers]

Quite a lot of news to report.
Apologies for not posting sooner as I have been busy with work.
New member at Poulton-le-Fylde Chess Club on Monday. Club AGM as well.
The junior club that I run, Cleveleys Chess Club for Juniors reopens next Thursday 14th September. I believe we have a number of new children starting.
Blackpool & Fylde League AGM tonight at Lytham Chess Club, which I will be attending.
Looks like I will have some good news and bad news to report to the forum from the AGM.
I've picked up a number of new clubs starting around the country, which I will start posting when I get home in a New Topic in General Chat.
There are also a number of new congresses, Junior and Adult, which I will gradually report.
A friend on the chess scene has also asked me to report some sad news to the forum.
Bye Bye for now.

[Mick Norris]

After a three year break, Altrincham & Hale Chess Club meetings restarted this week. The club's last meeting had been in March 2020, at which point Covid put an end to things. When things started to open up in the summer of 2021, we found that we were unable to continue at our previous venue. With Covid levels still high there was little enthusiasm at that time to find a new venue. We now have a venue and there was an encouraging turn out for the first meeting, with several new members including a couple of juniors.

Good to see Altrincham return to the Manchester League for the winter season

We also have 2 teams from the University who haven't entered for a decade or more now

I think we have 50 teams in all, hard to compare with pre Covid, as teams now have 6 players whereas they used to have 7 usually or 5 in some cases

We do have more players registered than last season, probably unsurprisingly with the extra teams but at least it shows it's not just players changing clubs

[Kevin Thurlow]

I can reveal that the 2019-2020 Somerset KO Final was played last night and ended Yeovil 1-5 Sedgemoor, with the score a bit harsh on the home side, but we had a friendly chat afterwards. Sedgemoor start their defence in about a month's time.

Division 1 returns this season, where Sedgemoor, Wells and Yeovil play each other FOUR times each. Some of us hope that it will be possible to juggle the board orders a bit to avoid only playing two different opponents.

Fans of football history should note that Yeovil Chess Club does not have a notorious sloping pitch.

[Roger Lancaster]

Seriously, it's September 2023 and there are clubs only now "returning to normal" ??