Swale Chess Club meets weekly and caters for chess enthusiasts, from novice to expert.
The Artisan Room, Central House, Central Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 4NU
Thursdays from 7.40pm
Please email us or telephone 01795 521423
***New season starts September 2019! New members welcome!***
Swale Junior Chess Club is also open. Select the picture below to visit the Junior Page:
To view the English Chess Federation League Management System, which shows all of the Kent County Chess Association fixture results, league tables etc: ecflms.org.uk
Update 20/09/19
Results from last night's games
(2.0) NEVOLS 0.5 HYDE (1.0)
(2.0) PAGE 1–0 POLLARD (0.0)
(1.0) GILLARD 1–0 POPA (0.0)
(0.0) MARSH 0–1 GEDMINAS (0.5)
(0.0) FRENCH P–P SIMPSON (1.0)
(1.0) WOOLACOTT P–P JEFFERIES (1.5)
The current league standings at 19/09/19 are:
01) PAGE P3 W3 D0 L0 GP3.0
02) NEVOLS P3 W2 D1 L0 GP2.5
03) GILLARD P3 W2 D0 L1 GP2.0
04) HYDE P2 W1 D1 L0 GP1.5
05) JEFFERIES P2 W1 D1 L0 GP1.5
06) GEDMINAS P3 W1 D1 L1 GP1.5
07) SIMPSON P1 W1 D0 L0 GP1.0
08) WOOLACOTT P1 W1 D0 L0 GP1.0
09) MARSH P2 W0 D0 L2 GP0.0
10) FRENCH P2 W0 D0 L2 GP0.0
11) POPA P3 W0 D0 L3 GP0.0
12) POLLARD P3 W0 D0 L3 GP0.0
Update 13/09/19
Last night's results in the Swale Championship
Another round of Championship 2020 games was played last night and the results were:
(0.0) POLLARD 0–1 JEFFERIES (0.5)
(0.0) GILLARD 1–0 GEDMINAS (0.5)
(0.0) POPA 0–1 PAGE (1.0)
(0.0) FRENCH 0–1 NEVOLS (1.0)
(0.0) MARSH P–P WOOLACOTT (1.0)
(1.0) HYDE P–P SIMPSON (1.0)
The current league standings at 12/09/19 are:
01) NEVOLS P2 W2 D0 L0 GP2.0
02) PAGE P2 W2 D0 L0 GP2.0
03) JEFFERIES P2 W1 D1 L0 GP1.5
04) HYDE P1 W1 D0 L0 GP1.0
05) SIMPSON P1 W1 D0 L0 GP1.0
06) WOOLACOTT P1 W1 D0 L0 GP1.0
07) GILLARD P2 W1 D0 L1 GP1.0
08) GEDMINAS P2 W0 D1 L1 GP0.5
09) MARSH P1 W0 D0 L1 GP0.0
10) FRENCH P2 W0 D0 L2 GP0.0
11) POPA P2 W0 D0 L2 GP0.0
12) POLLARD P2 W0 D0 L2 GP0.0
Update 06/09/19
New season at Swale Chess Club
Welcome to a new season of chess activity at Swale Chess Club!
The new season started off with six first-round 2020 Championship games being played and the results were:
NEVOLS 1–0 POPA
PAGE 1–0 MARSH
WOOLACOTT 1–0 FRENCH
SIMPSON 1–0 GILLARD
HYDE 1–0 POLLARD
GEDMINAS 0.5 JEFFERIES
League table standings as at 5th September 2019
1) NEVOLS 157 P1 W1 D0 L0 GP01
2) HYDE 149 P1 W1 D0 L0 GP01
3) PAGE 144 P1 W1 D0 L0 GP01
4) WOOLACOTT 141 P1 W1 D0 L0 GP01
5) SIMPSON 135 P1 W1 D0 L0 GP01
6) GEDMINAS 117 P1 W0 D1 L0 GP0.5
7) JEFFERIES 114 P1 W0 D1 L0 GP0.5
8) GILLARD 109 P1 W0 D0 L1 GP0.0
9) FRENCH 104 P1 W0 D0 L1 GP0.0
10) MARSH 100 P1 W0 D0 L1 GP0.0
11) POPA 76 P1 W0 D0 L1 GP0.0
12) POLLARD 42 P1 W0 D0 L1 GP0.0
Update 30/08/19
Lecture and Simultaneous at Swale Chess Club 29th August 2019
Swale Chess Club members and other club members with the masters
GM Matthew Sadler and WIM Natasha Regan visited Swale Chess Club last night and gave an excellent lecture to Swale Chess Club members and members of neighbouring chess clubs. The theme was their latest book Game Changer, written about the artificial intelligence system AlphaZero. With the aid of a demonstration board the chess masters analysed one particular game where AlphaZero played against the Stockfish chess engine, sacrificing material by advancing a pawn on the a-file to develop a rook.
Following on from the lecture, Matthew and Natasha signed copies of their book Game Changer and went on to play a tandem simultaneous event against fourteen eagerly awaiting players, scoring thirteen wins and one defeat.
The one defeat was against David Heath from neighbouring Maidstone Chess Club, who played an excellent game against the masters. The game is featured here:
Update 24/08/19
Last few places remaining!
Thursday 29th August 2019—Talk, simultaneous event and book signing with GM Matthew Sadler and WIM Natasha Regan
The talk will be on their latest book: Game Changer—AlphaZero's Groundbreaking Chess Strategies and the Promise of AI
@ The West End Room, Central House, Central Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 4NU. Start at 19.30 hours.
To book contact Swale Chess Club.
Update 23/08/19
Last night's results in the Rochester Championship
Congratulations to Sam Woolacott for winning the Rochester Shield for a second consecutive year and successfully defending his title as Rochester Champion.
A nice accompaniment to the joint Under 2050 first prize he picked up at the recent British Chess Championships in Torquay.
(3.0) WOOLACOTT Sam 1–0 JEFFERIES (1.5)
(0.0) GILLARD Andrew 0–1 WOOLACOTT Rob (0.5)
The final League Table positions as at 22/08/19
1) WOOLACOTT Sam P4 W4 D0 L0 GP4.0
2) NEVOLS Keith P4 W3 D0 L1 GP3.0
3=) JEFFERIES Tyrone P4 W1 D1 L2 GP1.5
3=) WOOLACOTT Rob P4 W1 D1 L2 GP1.5
5) GILLARD Andrew P4 W0 D0 L4 GP0.0
Confirmation of all the results
GILLARD 0–1 WOOLACOTT S
NEVOLS 1–0 GILLARD
JEFFERIES 0–1 NEVOLS
WOOLACOTT S 1–0 NEVOLS
WOOLACOTT R 0.5 JEFFERIES
WOOLACOTT R 0–1 WOOLACOTT S
JEFFERIES 1–0 GILLARD
NEVOLS 1–0 WOOLACOTT R
WOOLACOTT S 1–0 JEFFERIES
GILLARD 0–1 WOOLACOTT R
Update 20/08/19
Our trip to the seaside!
Five of us travelled to the 50th Thanet Chess Congress, held over the weekend at Broadstairs. A well-organised and well-attended event, and it was impressive to see that a number of entrants to the original congress had returned to take part once again.
Mini-puzzle!
Black to move. A nice finish from one of Andrew's games at the Thanet Chess Congress. Both players saw that it either checkmates or wins White's Queen:
Performances
Open
WOOLACOTT Sam (176) 0–1–1–2–2.5
Major (U151)
PAGE David (144) 0.5–1–1.5–2–2.5
WOOLACOTT Rob (141) 1–1–2–2–2
Intermediate (U131)
JEFFERIES Tyrone (113) 0.5–1–2–2.5–3.5
Minor (U111)
GILLARD Andrew (109) 1–2–2–2–3
Featured game from the Intermediate Tournament
London System versus the Dutch
ORR (129) vs JEFFERIES (113)
Update 16/08/19
Rochester Championship 2019
Last night's results and the result of the game played at Rainham on Wednesday 14th August 2019
Wednesday 14/08/19
(0.5) WOOLACOTT Rob 0–1 WOOLACOTT Sam (2.0)
Thursday 15/08/19
(0.5) JEFFERIES Tyrone 1–0 GILLARD Andrew (0.0) (Game featured below)
(2.0) NEVOLS Keith 1–0 WOOLACOTT Rob (0.5)
League Table as at 15th August 2019
1) WOOLACOTT Sam P3 W3 D0 L0 GP3.0
2) NEVOLS Keith P4 W3 D0 L1 GP3.0
3) JEFFERIES Tyrone P3 W1 D1 L1 GP1.5
4) WOOLACOTT Rob P3 W0 D1 L2 GP0.5
5) GILLARD Andrew P3 W0 D0 L3 GP0.0
Results so far
GILLARD 0–1 WOOLACOTT S
NEVOLS 1–0 GILLARD
JEFFERIES 0–1 NEVOLS
WOOLACOTT S 1–0 NEVOLS
WOOLACOTT R 0.5 JEFFERIES
WOOLACOTT R 0–1 WOOLACOTT S
JEFFERIES 1–0 GILLARD
NEVOLS 1–0 WOOLACOTT R
Featured game of the week
From the Rochester Championship: A useful training game for this weekend's Thanet Chess Congress.
Coming soon!
29 August—Talk, Simul and Book Signing with GM Matthew Sadler and WIM Natasha Regan
@ The West End Room, Central House, Central Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 4NU. Start at 19.30 hours.
Contact Swale Chess Club for further details.
Update 13/08/19
Nigel Short versus David Page—London, 30th April, 1989
In anticipation of our forthcoming simultaneous event with GM Sadler and WIM Regan, club member David Page writes
Back to TopNigel Short versus David Page—London, 30th April, 1989
This was the first of the thirty games to finish; Nigel Short lost one other game, to Jonathan Manley—the editor of the satirical chess magazine Kingpin, drew two and won the rest. It was subsequently written up by Bill Hartston and served as his chess column a few days later in The Independent.
The arbiter for the occasion was Bob Wade, who remembered the game when I phoned him a few days later to see if Trefor Owens and I could attend the opening of the Croydon Chess Centre, primarily because we wished to meet the star attraction and the man performing the official opening, none other than Garry Kasparov. The invitation was duly extended to us and we had a lovely day in London as a result.
Update 09/08/19
Last night's results in the Rochester Championship
(1.0) WOOLACOTT Sam 1–0 NEVOLS Keith (2.0)
(0.0) WOOLACOTT Rob 0.5 JEFFERIES Tyrone (0.0)
League Table as at 08/08/19
1) WOOLACOTT Sam P2 W2 D0 L0 GP2.0
2) NEVOLS Keith P3 W2 D0 L1 GP2.0
3) WOOLACOTT Rob P1 W0 D1 L0 GP0.5
4) JEFFERIES Tyrone P2 W0 D1 L1 GP0.5
5) GILLARD Andrew P2 W0 D0 L2 GP0
Results so far
GILLARD 0–1 WOOLACOTT S
NEVOLS 1–0 GILLARD
JEFFERIES 0–1 NEVOLS
WOOLACOTT S 1–0 NEVOLS
WOOLACOTT R 0.5 JEFFERIES
Dates for the diary
16–18 August—50th Thanet Chess Congress
www.thanetchesscongress.co.uk29 August—Talk, Simul and Book Signing with GM Matthew Sadler and WIM Natasha Regan
@ The West End Room, Central House, Central Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 4NU
Contact Swale Chess Club for further details.
Update 02/08/19
Last night's result in the Rochester Championship
(0.0) JEFFERIES 0–1 NEVOLS (1.0)
League Table as at 01/08/19
1) NEVOLS P2 W2 D0 L0 GP2
2) WOOLACOTT S P1 W1 D0 L0 GP1
3) JEFFERIES P1 W0 D0 L1 GP0
4) GILLARD P2 W0 D0 L2 GP0
5) WOOLACOTT R P0 W0 D0 L0 GP0
Results so far
GILLARD 0–1 WOOLACOTT S
NEVOLS 1–0 GILLARD
JEFFERIES 0–1 NEVOLS
Dates for the diary
August 16–18—50th Thanet Chess Congress
www.thanetchesscongress.co.ukAugust 29—Talk, simul and signing with Grandmaster Matthew Sadler and Woman International Master Natasha Regan
@ The West End Room, Central House, Central Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 4NU
Contact Swale Chess Club for further details.
Update 28/07/19
AGM Thursday 25th July 2019
Our Annual General Meeting was attended by eleven members with three members apologising for absence.
Presentation of trophies
Front row: Tyrone Jefferies—Swale Plate Competition Winner; David Page—Swale Championship Winner
Back row: Anthony Fletcher; Andrew Gillard; Vytautas Gedminas; Rob Woolacott—Chairman's Trophy Winner
Tom Fuller Runner-Up Trophies awarded to: Anthony Fletcher; Andrew Gillard; Vytautas Gedminas; Tyrone Jefferies
The club will remain open during August 2019 for the Rochester Championship and Junior Club.
Update 19/07/19
Last night's results
Congratulations to Tyrone on retaining the title of winner of the Swale Plate competition!
Swale Plate competition
(0.0) POLLARD 0–1 MARSH (9.0)
(8.5) FLETCHER 0–1 JEFFERIES (10.0)
(5.5) EDWARDS P–P POPA (3.5)
Rochester Championship
(0.0) NEVOLS 1–0 GILLARD (0.0) (Game featured below)
Plate competition final league table 18/07/19
1) JEFFERIES Tyrone 11.0 Winner
2) MARSH Duncan 10.0 Runner-up
3) FLETCHER Anthony 08.5 Games remaining 2
4) EDWARDS Rufus 05.5 Games remaining 3
5) POPA Alin 03.5 Games remaining 2
6) POLLARD 00.0 Games remaining 1
Rochester Championship league table 18/07/19
1) WOOLACOTT Sam 1.0 Games remaining 3
2) NEVOLS Keith 1.0 Games remaining 3
3) WOOLACOTT Rob 0.0 Games remaining 4
4) JEFFERIES Tyrone 0.0 Games remaining 4
5) GILLARD Andrew 0.0 Games remaining 2
Dates for the diary
July 25—Swale Chess Club AGM
August 16–18—50th Thanet Chess Congress
www.thanetchesscongress.co.ukAugust 29—Talk, book signing and simultaneous with GM Matthew Sadler and WIM Natasha Regan
Last few places remaining! Contact Swale Chess Club for further details.
September 05—New Season: 2019–20 Swale Championship
Featured game of the week
From the Rochester Championship: Discretion is the better part of valour!
Update 12/07/19
***Newsflash!***
29 August 2019—Talk, simultaneous event and book signing with GM Matthew Sadler and WIM Natasha Regan
The talk will be on their latest book: Game Changer—AlphaZero's Groundbreaking Chess Strategies and the Promise of AI
For further information contact Swale Chess Club.
Results from last night's games
Plate competition
(9.0) JEFFERIES 1–0 POPA (3.5) (played at Rainham 10/07/19)
(9.0) MARSH 0–1 EDWARDS (4.5)
Rochester Championship
(0.0) GILLARD 0–1 WOOLACOTT Sam (0.0) (Game featured below)
Plate competition league table as at 11/07/19
1) JEFFERIES 10.0 Games remaining 1
2) MARSH 09.0 Games remaining 1
3) FLETCHER 08.5 Games remaining 3
4) EDWARDS 05.5 Games remaining 3
5) POPA 03.5 Games remaining 2
6) POLLARD 00.0 Games remaining 2
Featured game of the week
The Rochester Championship got off to a flying start with a classic French Defence:
Update 05/07/19
Last night's results
Championship
(9.5) FRENCH 0.5 SIMPSON (10.5)
Plate
(0.0) POLLARD 0–1 FLETCHER (7.5)
Swale 212
A lively 212 last night, won jointly with 4.5/5 a head by Keith Hyde and Keith Nevols. Every player won games, which is a nice sign of the club's increasing strength in depth.
Swale championship final league table 04/07/19
1) PAGE David 17.0 Winner
2) HYDE Keith 16.5 Runner-up
3) NEVOLS Keith 15.5
4) SIMPSON Dennis 11.0
5) GILLARD Andrew 11.0
6) WOOLACOTT Rob 10.5
7) FRENCH Kevin 10.0
8) GEDMINAS Vytautas 9.0
Plate competition league table 04/07/19
1) JEFFERIES Tyrone 9.0 Games remaining 2
2) MARSH Duncan 9.0 Games remaining 2
3) FLETCHER Anthony 8.5 Games remaining 3
4) EDWARDS Rufus 4.5 Games remaining 4
5) POPA Alin 3.5 Games remaining 3
6) POLLARD Nick 0.0 Games remaining 2
Date for the diary
16–18 August 2019—Thanet Chess Congress
Update 28/06/19
Congratulations to David on winning the closely-fought 2019 Swale Championship!
Last night's results
Championship
(16.5) PAGE 0.5 HYDE (16.0)
(10.5) SIMPSON 0–1 WOOLACOTT (9.5)
Plate
(9.0) MARSH P–P EDWARDS (4.5)
(0.0) POLLARD P–P FLETCHER (7.5)
(9.0) JEFFERIES P–P POPA (3.5)
e4e5 Blitz Tournament
Keith Nevols was the outright winner scoring an impressive full marks. Amongst the various e4e5 openings we saw an Evans Gambit, a Marshall Attack and a Fried Liver Attack along the way!
Swale championship league tables as at 27 June 2019
1) PAGE David 17.0 Winner
2) HYDE Keith 16.5 Runner-up
3) NEVOLS Keith 15.5
4) GILLARD Andrew 11.0
5) SIMPSON Dennis 10.5 Games remaining 1
6) WOOLACOTT Rob 10.5
7) FRENCH Kevin 09.5 Games remaining 1
8) GEDMINAS Vytautas 09.0
Plate competition league tables as at 27 June 2019
1) JEFFERIES Tyrone 9.0 Games remaining 2
2) MARSH Duncan 9.0 Games remaining 2
3) FLETCHER Anthony 7.5 Games remaining 4
4) EDWARDS Rufus 4.5 Games remaining 4
5) POPA Alin 3.5 Games remaining 3
6) POLLARD Nick 0.0 Games remaining 3
Dates for the diary
July 25–29 August 2019—Rochester Championship
16–18 August 2019—50th Thanet Chess Congress
www.thanetchesscongress.co.uk
Notes
Club member Tyrone reports from the Pimlico Summer Tournament, Unfortunately I lost my third Pimlico game last night due to reaching a zugzwang position after move 41. playing with the black pieces.
No pawn moves and Black's King has only Ke6 or Kg6. Black is unable to meet White's 42nd move e4 and resigns. 1–0
Mini-puzzle! 21/06/19
Club member Tyrone reports, I drew my second game last night, in the Pimlico Summer Tournament Major U150 section with the white pieces, and reached a critical position after Black's 34th move …e4. My rook on d3 is en pris and defending the b3 pawn. The obvious move is to play 35) Rc3. However, White is able to play a better move.
Update 21/06/19
Last night's results
Championship
(8.5) WOOLACOTT 1–0 NEVOLS (15.5)
(9.5) SIMPSON 1–0 GEDMINAS (9.0)
Plate
(7.5) FLETCHER 0–1 MARSH (8.0)
(3.5) POPA 0–1 EDWARDS (3.5)
Updated league tables after last night's results
Championship
1) PAGE 16.5 Games remaining 1
2) HYDE 16.0 Games remaining 1
3) NEVOLS 15.5 Games remaining 0
4) GILLARD 11.0 Games remaining 0
5) SIMPSON 10.5 Games remaining 2
6) FRENCH 09.5 Games remaining 1
7) WOOLACOTT 09.5 Games remaining 1
8) GEDMINAS 09.0 Games remaining 0
Plate
1) JEFFERIES 09.0 Games remaining 2
2) MARSH 09.0 Games remaining 2
3) FLETCHER 07.5 Games remaining 4
4) EDWARDS 04.5 Games remaining 4
5) POPA 03.5 Games remaining 3
6) POLLARD 00.0 Games remaining 3
Dates for the diary
June 22—Petts Wood Rapidplay
June 29—SCCU/London Club Championships
6-round rapidplay for teams of four players See the brochure here
July 25–29 August—Rochester Championship
August 16–18—Thanet Chess Congress
Update 14/06/19
Last night's results
Championship
(15.5) PAGE 1–0 GEDMINAS (9.0)
(11.0) GILLARD 0–1 NEVOLS (14.5) (Game featured below)
(09.5) FRENCH P–P SIMPSON (09.5)
Plate
(03.0) POPA 0.5 MARSH (7.5)
(06.5) FLETCHER 1–0 POLLARD (0.0)
Updated League Tables after last night's results
Championship
1) PAGE 16.5 Games remaining 1
2) HYDE 16.0 Games remaining 1
3) NEVOLS 15.5 Games remaining 1
4) GILLARD 11.0 Games remaining 0
5) SIMPSON 09.5 Games remaining 3
6) FRENCH 09.5 Games remaining 1
7) GEDMINAS 09.0 Games remaining 1
8) WOOLACOTT 08.5 Games remaining 2
Plate
1) JEFFERIES 9.0 Games remaining 2
2) MARSH 8.0 Games remaining 3
3) FLETCHER 7.5 Games remaining 5
4) POPA 3.5 Games remaining 4
5) EDWARDS 3.5 Games remaining 5
6) POLLARD 0.0 Games remaining 3
Dates for the diary
June 22—Petts Wood Rapidplay
June 29—SCCU/London Club Championships
July 25–29 August—Rochester Championship
August 16–18—Thanet Chess Congress
Featured Game of the Week
This week's very tactical Championship game starts with the Scandinavian Defence, and the advantage changes hands several times!
Update 07/06/19
The results of last night's games
Championship
(09.5) FRENCH 0–1 NEVOLS (13.5)
(11.0) GILLARD 0–1 PAGE (14.5) (Game featured below)
(08.0) GEDMINAS 1–0 WOOLACOTT (8.5)
(09.0) SIMPSON 0.5 HYDE (15.5)
Plate
(07.0) MARSH 0.5 JEFFERIES (8.5)
(06.5) FLETCHER 0–1 POPA (2.0)
(03.5) EDWARDS P–P POLLARD (0.0)
Updated League Tables as at 6 June 2019
Championship
1) HYDE 16.0 Games remaining 1
2) PAGE 15.5 Games remaining 2
3) NEVOLS 14.5 Games remaining 2
4) GILLARD 11.0 Games remaining 1
5) SIMPSON 09.5 Games remaining 3
6) FRENCH 09.5 Games remaining 1
7) GEDMINAS 09.0 Games remaining 2
8) WOOLACOTT 08.5 Games remaining 2
Plate
1) JEFFERIES 09.0 Games remaining 2
2) MARSH 07.5 Games remaining 4
3) FLETCHER 06.5 Games remaining 6
4) EDWARDS 03.5 Games remaining 5
5) POPA 03.0 Games remaining 5
6) POLLARD 00.0 Games remaining 4
Featured Game of the Week
A rare appearance of Bird's opening, leading to a splendid game between Andrew and David in last night's league.
