When you see a good move, look for a better one’ Emanuel Lasker
The Pall Mall Chess Circle meets every Tuesday evening from 6.00pm onwards in the Club Room. All members of any standard are more than welcome to join us as they wish for a game or two. From 8.30pm onwards we congregate in the Long Bar for drinks and a bite to eat in the buffet area. An activity to some that tends to be the more enjoyable part of the evening!
Email chess@royalautomobileclub.co.uk
Telephone 020 7747 3295
Join us for informal chess every Tuesday evening from 6.00pm in the Club Room at Pall Mall. Make yourself known and a game of chess will be organised for you.
Look out for the regular Chess Informal Evenings - meet fellow members and enter the three in-house competitions (Sir Clarence Sadd, Ralph Eastman & Chairman s Cup). Handicaps apply to give everyone a good chance of doing well! Contact John Price: johnrsprice@lineone.net
Have a browse of the Fixture list under Useful Downloads - Chess Fixtures 2011/2012. If you are interested in playing in the Friendly Matches which involve the Club Chess Circle contact Rob Matthews: robmatthews@onetel.com. These matches are also social and a complimentary dinner is provided after these matches either home or away.
Hamilton-Russell Cup matches take the form of a Chess League for which all Club teams involved are shown also on the Fixtures & Results Page general fixture list. Rob Matthews is the Team Captain.
In addition we have established International matches against Clubs in Paris, Washington D.C and Gibraltar to add to your enjoyment!
Competitions
From October to April the three in-house handicap competitions start. The draw is made traditionally at the Chess Informal evening in September and culminates in the presentation of trophies to the winners and runners-up at the Annual Dinner in April.
The Sir Clarence Sadd Tournament
Should a match not have been played by the due date then: The Second named player shall go through by right PROVIDED that the first named player has made no reasonable effort to organise the match. However, should the first named player have made a reasonable effort to organise the match but there is no real response from the second named player then the first named player shall go through. By reasonable, one means proper contact at least two weeks before ‘play by date and giving alternative dates by which the match can be played on time.
Handicaps:
Star gives A KB Pawn A is White
Star gives B Q Knight Star is White
Star gives C Q Rook Star is White
A gives B KB Pawn B is White
A gives C Q Knight A is White
B gives C KB Pawn C is White
Players toss for colour only when playing opponent of equal handicap.
Clocks are to be used if either player so desires except for matches played on the last day of a round when clocks are mandatory.
When clocks are used the following rules apply:
1. Initial setting of clock
Each clock should initially be set at 4.45.
2. First time control
A player has to complete his first 30 moves within 75 minutes on his clock, i.e. before his flag falls at 6.00.
3. Subsequent conclusion of game
After the first time control has been passed by a player, his clock has to be put back by 30 minutes. A player then has to complete all his moves before his flag falls at 6.00 on his clock.
The Time Competitions, Ralph Eastman & Chairman’s Cup
Clocks are used, and time is strictly limited according to handicap grading.
Players of equal grading have 30 minutes each on the clock.
Handicaps:
Star playing A Star has 20 minutes A has 40 minutes
Star playing B Star has 10 minutes B has 50 minutes
Star playing C Star has 5 minutes C has 55 minutes
A playing B A has 20 minutes B has 40 minutes
A playing C A has 10 minutes C has 50 minutes
B playing C B has 20 minutes C has 40 minutes
In all games for the Time Competition a full set of thirty-two pieces is used, and the competitors toss for colour.
Rule Change
Should a match not have been played by the due date then: The second named player shall go through by right PROVIDED that the first named player has made no reasonable effort to organise the match. However, should the first named player have made a reasonable effort to organise his match but there is no real response from the second named player then the first named player shall go through. By reasonable, one means proper contact at least two weeks before ‘play by’ date and giving alternative dates by which the match can be played on time.
Rules for the Sir Clarence Sadd and Time Chess Competitions
In the event of a re-match occasioned by a draw, players of different handicaps in the Sir Clarence Sadd competition shall play the same colours: All others should alternate colours.
Any games played on the designated date which result in a draw will be resolved by “toss of coin”.
A player may not claim a win on time if he has insufficient material to mate, that is: i) a lone king; ii) king and bishop or king and knight unless he can demonstrate a forced win; iii) king and two knights unless he can demonstrate a forced win.
Competitors are asked to make every effort to arrange that their games are played as early as possible, and preferably to play them on a Thursday evening at the Club.
Competitors must write the result of their matches on the Chess Notice Board in the foyer. Failure to do so will result in both players being scratched at midnight on the designated date, unless the Secretary has previously been informed in writing of the result.
21/03/12: Roehampton v Athenaeum: HR CUP: 1 1/2 v 3 1/2
22/03/12: MCC v Chelsea Arts: HR CUP: 3 v 2
22/03/12: Reform v Brooks: Friendly: 2 1/2 v 1 1/2
11/04/12: Brooks v Hurlingham: Friendly: 1 v 2
11/04/12: Reform v Oriental/East India: HR CUP: 0 v 4
27/04/12: Reform v Oxford & Cambridge: Friendly: 1 v 3
Henry Mutkin - Chairman
John Price - Honorary Secretary
Robert Matthews - Match Captain
Colin Ferguson - Hamilton Russell Secretary
Robert Feather
Roger Smolski
Christopher Harwood
Stephen Meyler
Sheldon Marshall
Frederick Edge
Lee Green
Chess Evenings 2012
The Cedar Room, Woodcote Park, from 6.00pm
Monday 14th May
Monday 24th May
Monday 11th June
Monday 25th June
Monday 9th July
Monday 23rd July
Monday 6th August
Monday 20th August
Monday 3rd September
Monday 17th September
The Woodcote Park Chess Circle now meets twice a month from 6.00pm onwards in the Cedar Room. Members of any standard are more than welcome to join us for a game or two.
We congregate in The Fountain afterwards for drinks or a bite to eat. Options for some that are the more enjoyable parts of the evening!
For further details about the Woodcote Park Chess Circle and to register your interest, please contact Fred Edge f.edge@ntlworld.com