Figure 1.--.
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Figure 1.--. |
Most schools have a good selection of board games for rainy day activities. This is not usually done as a club or occupations activity. Chess is especially popular not only bcause of the nature of the game, but the fact that the matches are realtively short and thus can fir easily into the school schedule including hort periods of free time that the children migh have. The exception here is chess. This varies from school to school, but at many schools chess is very popular. There are organized matches and tournaments. This included both inter- and intra-school events. Chess seems most popular with boys, but we noted that some girls also played, although this varied from school to school. Chess is played year round, but of course is particularly useful during the Winter term and days with inclemate weather.
It is now obviously the close season for all our watersports except swimming; and archery and shooting have closed down now too until the weather becomes more attractive in the Spring. In Hobbies Hour these have been replaced by the ever-popular cookery and model-making, while chess continues to flourish in all seasons. We are this term what might be euphemistically termed a Chess Congress, or inter-schools tournament. Some half-dozen or more schools are sending chess teams to us one afternoon when a knock-out competition is being arranged among us all to be followed by a brief bun-fight and prize-giving. In the course of the past year or so we have lost a number of our "star" chess players (who were respnsible for our winning the inter-prep schools tournament at Dedbergh in 1986) but we will still have a number of keen and quite skilful boys, and I do not believe we will be knocked out of our own enterprise in the early stages. For some quite inexplicable reason we do not know, however, seem to be able to encourage girls to take up chess and our chess team is all male therefore. This cannot be right. Is there something a matter with the game or something the mattr with our girls that the two are so totally incompatible? After all, are occassionally to be found doing needlework (and frequently found doing cookery) and years ago the School football XI once had a girl centre-half. Next term. girls will be doing brick-laying in C.D.T. and they have already been mixing concrete. What is so odd about chess?
"Harecroft Hall Newsletter," Decenber 1988.
The individual chess tournament took place on Saturday 17th March at Wellesley Park School. We started nervously at first, but as the day wore on we gained in condidence. There was no set lunch times and we had to fit the eating in between matches and during our rest period, as well as playing football on the school field. As the day progressed it became hotter and at about ten to five a sweaty gang of Queen's chess players took to the hall to receive their certificates. Our only girl player, Natalie Lawrence, won a medal, proving herself one over the boys. All in all it was a good day enjoyed by everyone.
Peter Nacy, Paul Murray, and M.K.R., Junior Wyvern (Queen's College Junior School), 1989-90.
In the chess club this year it was interesting to see how Form III (allowed into clubs for the first time) made out against boys many years older. Several learners soon picked up the rudiments, and although they were not included in the club competition, they were by the end of the year able to hold their own with some of the older players. The rest of the club had a league competition but found Russell Eadie too strong for them. It is fitting that he went on to win the open competition held the followng term.
RSV, The Wheasheaf (Pownall Hall), 1980.
Easter represents new life on the spiritual front, and chess too has experienced a kind of Easter this year. The coffin prepared to receive it has been metaphorically burnt empty, and chess is once again alive and set to flourish in the future. It didn't start that way, but news of keen players in 3L, reached me, and thanks to Adamsrill, one of our opponents in the National Primary Cup, we got an introduction to the Abbey National Schools Tournaments, and from there chess never looked back. Our seniors took part in the local league, now reduced to four teams. We came second, winning two of our matches, but losing to Oathall. Our win at Oakmeeds was our first senior victory for years! The team comprised basically S. Aitken, J. Armitage, J. Doust, O. Burns and A. Rees. In our Prep Schools Team Championship the 'A'team was again beaten by the 'B' Team, which was largely a junior team. .... Chess is laregly a boys' sport, so well done to Hannah Stubbs on being te only girl in our tournament. She improved, and I hope it will not be long before she enters a girls'event to be the first girl at GW to represent the school in open competition at chess. ....
CCH, Great Walstead Magazine 1987.
On Monday 6th March, Bramcote School's chess team played against Ranby's one. In the first half of the game that I played I did well, and I got a castle with my night, but in the next part of the game he got me in a bad position and won the game. When we had all finished our games, except David Eales, we had some biscutts and a drink of orange. We talked with some Ranby boys about the School and a lot of things. After, we went back to see the end of the game. When we got back to school it was ten o'clock.
Sergis Royo-Villanova, 12.10, The Bramcote Magazine, Autumn 1984.
Chess has continued to be a popular activity, with good-sized groups of boys playing on both Monday nd Friday evenings. Henriques won the Chess Cup, beating Siddle in the final. This game proved an excellent example of when not to castle. Normally one advises young players to make yje move early on, but Siddle very unwisely moved his king, which was in no danger in the middle, right into the teeth of Henriques' flank attack. Soon afterwards the game was lost. Chess featured in indoor games, and one other match was played -- against Colstons. We were not at full strength and lost 2-4; Harker R. and Cooper won their games. The team was Harker R.; Davis K.; Airy; Cooper; Harrison and Wakefield.
Beaudesert Park Magazine, Autumn 1978.
