Coaching

With just one room available these days, I have offered group coaching
sessions only during the Summer when no matches or individual
competitions will be going on.

This year, as usual, we discussed a series of topics suggested by
members, including an Opening Workshop, Creating and Exchanging strong
pieces, Making and Meeting Threats, and Endgame Elements. New material
on the London System, Caro-Kann and Budapest Gambit was posted on the
website.

There is a standing invitation to all members throughout the year to
submit games for constructive comment.

Dave Regis, ECF Accredited Coach.

Juniors

Last year went smoothly in no small measure due to the backing of former
ECC member and DCCA Archivist David Beckwith. He runs our internal
grading competition and offers a 1-minute Endgame Challenge. My thanks
to him for his support and constant good cheer.

We don't compete in local leagues at the moment as our best players are
signed up for school team duty; I rejoice in the presence of school
teams in the EDCL.

Strong individual performances in local junior competitions were seen
from Max Kaye (who has turned out for Devon) and Pengxiao Zhu (who had a
good run in the UK Chess Challenge this year). A graduate to the adult
club, Leif Hafstad, came second in the Challengers section of the UKCC
Terafinal; he also played for England in the World Youth Chess
Championships Montevideo, Uruguay (Sept 2017) and has his call-up papers
for the same competition this year in Porto Carras, Greece.

We have just resumed meeting in September, reuniting with several
members from last year while also signing up some new ones. The range of
languages spoken in the club has been extended to include Swedish.

Dave Regis, Secretary, EJCC