January 18, 2004 - Friends & Family Chess League

Today saw the start of the Wycombe & Hazlemere Friends & Family Chess League for 2004. Organised by Brian Lacey for juniors that are associated with the Wycombe & Hazlemere club. This event was the first of six fixtures, each with two matches arranged to take place in the first half of 2004.

Six teams arrived at Rossetti Hall at 2:30pm, each team consisting of one adult and four primary or junior school children... well, most teams did anyway. One team (mine!) fielded two adults, but it didn't seem to help with our results!

After describing the rules to all players and stressing how important it is to be polite, quiet and respectful, and above all to think very carefully about each move before making it, the league began. I've never heard such a storm of pieces landing on squares - not unlike hail-stones! I'm sure the first game was ended by the time my board was on move three!!! As expected, it was the higher boards that had to be adjudicated at the end of the 45 minutes -- many ending with a draw.

All of the children were well behaved, staying quiet 'till the end of each match, and impressing many of the adults. All in all I think it was a fantastic afternoon, where many of these children played in their first serious chess matches. Kudos to Brian Lacey for organising it, I'm sure we're all looking forward to the next fixture!