Jan
16
Bulletin No.45 – The Stunning Stafford Gambit
Martin Simons offers a personal view on the attraction of this gambit. Be afraid, be very afraid, there is a new gambit in town! Until 2020, it was hardly known but maybe because of Lockdown and the vast numbers of chess players migrating across to the online blitz chess platform the Stafford Gambit has now [...]
DETAIL 
Jan
09
Bulletin No.44 – Chess Players – Are we just a little bit different?
Along with many other sports people and those who have a passionate hobby, we are often thought of as a special breed. In a game where deep, complex yet forthright decisions have to be made in solitude and silence, it is perhaps reasonable to think that the people who are drawn to chess are often [...]
DETAIL 
Jan
02
Bulletin No.41 – Christmas Puzzles and Quiz – ANSWERS
Photo by Photo by Kgbo (Wikimedia) CC BY-SA 4.0 How did you get on with our Christmas Puzzles and Quiz? Answers to all 24 brain challenges are below. A. Six Christmas Tree Chess Puzzles It wouldn't be Christmas without these! 1. Warm Up - What is the best move if it is White to move [...]
DETAIL 
Dec
31
Festive Bulletin No.43 – A Review of our Extraordinary Year
How Good Are Our Bulletins? - Please Have Your Say No, we are not asking 'How Good is Your Chess?' but 'How Good are Our Bulletins?' Over the last 9 months, and particularly more recently, have we managed to achieve the right balance or is there something else you would like to see covered and [...]
DETAIL 
Dec
26
Bulletin No.42 – More Local Games Fireworks!
Many thanks to all players who submitted their short games. The response has been absolutely fantastic and we have been a little overwhelmed. We apologise to those people whose games have not been included. However, due to all the excellent games submitted, here are 7 more to entertain you, some of which are just a [...]
DETAIL Dec
24
Bulletin No.41 – Christmas Puzzles and Quiz Special
Photo by Photo by Kgbo (Wikimedia) CC BY-SA 4.0 In this Christmas bumper edition, to mark the 24th day of the Christmas run-up, here are 24 fun Christmas questions and problems. There is a mixed bag, some easy and some just a bit more tricky: 6 Christmas Tree Chess Puzzles - It wouldn't be Christmas [...]
DETAIL 
Dec
19
Bulletin No.40 – Christmas Opening Gifts and Gaffs
It's that wonderful time of the year, and similar to Halloween, we are all wondering if there are any fun, exciting openings that can be played over the festive period to rejoice the season of goodwill! After some deep research and an online meeting with Santa Claus, he has confirmed there appears to be two [...]
DETAIL 
Dec
12
Bulletin No.39 – In Praise of Chess Variants!
Peter Anderson gives a personal opinion on the attraction of some chess variants. All these fun variants can be played on Lichess, including in the tournaments organised by Martin Clancy. Martin has organised special taster events for these variants on Monday and Wednesday in the coming week starting at 7pm. Please see the home page [...]
DETAIL 
Dec
05
Bulletin No.38 – 7 Deadly Sinful Traps for Black in less than 10 moves!
Photo of venus fly trap by Noah Elhardt. CC BY-SA 2.5 In Bulletin No.31 we showed you how to 'Bash' the Birds and to be (almost) winning after 3 moves. In this article we are now going to provide 7 cunning ways to 'trap' White in their standard mainstream openings in less than 10 moves [...]
DETAIL 
Nov
28
Bulletin No.37 – Ringwood Online Lockdown Tournaments
When covid-19 disrupted face-to-face play, Martin Clancy of Ringwood Chess Club quickly organised online tournaments and team battles open to all local players that have continued to the present day. In this bulletin Martin reflects upon these events. At the end we give a win each from some of the regulars at these tournaments: John [...]
DETAIL 
Nov
21
Bulletin No.36 – The 1993 World Chess Championship Revisited – Part 2
The photo above is of the VHS tape of the match by Messrs Keene and King. In Part 1, we covered how two local chess players, but one in particular, had the privilege of attending and reporting on the 1993 Short versus Kasparov World Chess Championship at the Savoy Hotel in London, and who also [...]
DETAIL 
Nov
14
Bulletin No.36 – The 1993 World Chess Championship Revisited – Part 1
No, we are not talking about the eagerly awaited Taylor v Kasparov match (pictured above and below) which immediately followed but the Short v Kasparov World Championship match! Billed as perhaps being the most exciting and important time in UK chess, the World Chess Championship in 1993 in its final pre-match stages suddenly became one [...]
DETAIL 
Nov
07
Bulletin No.35 – Allan Pleasants – Dorset’s Own Welsh Chess Champion!
Allan Pleasants is one of Dorset's leading chess players. In 2012 he won his first ever game versus a Grandmaster when he beat Keith Arkell at the 1st Bournemouth Grand Chess Congress which was reported in the Bournemouth Echo. Then, in 2017, after a few years of trying, he successfully became the Welsh Chess Champion, [...]
DETAIL 
Nov
07
Halloween Quiz Special: Answers
Did the wicked witches catch you out with their fiendish puzzles? Or did you fend them off with magical solutions? If you still want to have a crack at the questions without seeing the answers then click here 1. There are no ghosts on this board, just zombies blocking the way. What is the only [...]
DETAIL 
Oct
31
Bulletin No.34 – Halloween Gambit Horrors!
Something ghoulish and very creepy is happening in the local chess world tonight! Welcome to your darkest fears ... welcome to the horrific Halloween Gambit! Be prepared for some creepy crawly action - this is not for the faint-hearted. We think this would be great for bats, sorry we mean Blitz! 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 [...]
DETAIL 
Oct
24
Bulletin No.33 – Mike Waddington Talks Titles
Mike Waddington is one of Dorset's very strongest players, an FM and the only over-the-board titled player from the county still active. We asked him if he would mind writing a bulletin on how he earnt his FM title. He kindly agreed and went further, contributing this fascinating article on the history of titles, FIDE's [...]
DETAIL 
Oct
17
Bulletin No.32 – The British Chess Championships in 2016 – Part 3
In Part 1, we covered how the idea all started, how we overcame a few hurdles to secure its return together with its build up including the Opening Ceremony. In Part 2, we looked at how the event unfolded, some excellent results by local players, and a couple of interesting games. Further, we provided coverage of [...]
DETAIL 
Oct
10
Bulletin No.32 – The British Chess Championships in 2016 – Part 2
The British Chess Championships is seen by many as the annual highlight of the UK chess calendar and it was a sense of great achievement that it finally returned to Bournemouth in 2016 after 80 years absence. In Part 1 we covered the background and build up to these Championships, including the Opening Ceremony. Today, [...]
DETAIL 
Oct
03
Bulletin No.32 – The British Chess Championships in 2016 – Part 1
The British Chess Championships is seen by many as the annual highlight of the UK chess calendar and it was a sense of great achievement that we finally managed to secure its return to Bournemouth in 2016 after 80 years absence. Today, in Part 1, we cover how the idea all started, how we overcame [...]
DETAIL 
Sep
26
Bulletin No.31 – Bashing the Birds Opening in only 3 Moves – Updated!
Martin Simons wrote the first version of this article 30 years ago and has just updated it with fresh analysis. Introduction There is a little known secret, guaranteed to give you an advantage after only 3 moves with Black if White plays his or her move order slightly inaccurately in the Bird's Opening. Birds (or [...]
DETAIL 
Sep
19
Bulletin No.30 – The Chess Problem Column in the Bournemouth Echo
Did You Know? Welcome to the unreal imaginary world of chess problems! Many chess players might think that a chess problem is the same as a chess puzzle and/or a chess study. However, although they all have the same objective to find a solution in a possible chess position, they each have different meanings and [...]
DETAIL 
Sep
12
Bulletin No.29 – Blunders Part 4: Local Blunders
Colourised version of photo by Bletchhhy (WikiMedia) under GNU 1.2 In previous bulletins we have looked at world championship blunders, other international blunders and why blunders happen. Today, in the last bulletin on blunders, we take a stroll through blunders by some of Dorset's top players. We hope you enjoy them more than they did! [...]
DETAIL 
Sep
05
Bulletin No.29 – Blunders Part 3: Why Do Blunders Happen?
Colourised version of photo by Bletchhhy (WikiMedia) under GNU 1.2 Previously in Bulletin 29 we have looked at World Championship Blunders and other International Blunders. Today we discuss why blunders happen and illustrate them with a few examples from some of Dorset's strongest players. Next week we will finish with more local blunders. Introduction We [...]
DETAIL 
Aug
29
Bulletin No.29 – Blunders Part 2: International Hall of Fame
Colourised version of photo by Bletchhhy (WikiMedia) under GNU 1.2 We continue our journey through blunders in chess. Last time we covered world championship blunders. Next month we will look at why blunders happen and some howlers by local players. But today we are looking at: Man vs machine and you can guess who [...]
DETAIL 
Aug
22
Bulletin No.29 – Blunders Part 1: World Championship Matches
Photo by Bletchhhy (WikiMedia) under GNU 1.2 Love them or hate them, we all make many blunders in chess, and they add lots of entertainment to the game! Indeed, in the bar after, it is the blunder move that is most talked about! How often are we left frustrated and bewildered when a well played [...]
DETAIL 
Aug
15
Bulletin No.28 – Patzer: the Australian magazine featuring Dorset chess!
Patzer is a regular publication produced in Australia but this edition features games by local players.
Aug
08
Bulletin No.27 – Purbeck Chess Club Returns to Outdoor ‘over the board’ Chess
Following several months of isolation and limited over the board chess, Steve Peirson reports on the welcome return to face-to-face combat for some Purbeck Chess Club members.
Aug
01
Bulletin No.26 – Animal Openings Part 4: Wrap Up and Local Games
Image (cropped) by Mark Wagner based on photo by Lilly M (Wikimedia) under CC BY-SA 3.0 Thanks to everyone who has contributed to these articles and especially Tony Pritchard who identified some extra openings and all those who contributed games. We finish with Three openings that were missed or miscategorised on the way through [...]
DETAIL 
Jul
25
Bulletin No.26 – Animal Openings Part 3: The Weird and Wonderful
Image (cropped) by Jan van der Crabben under CC BY-SA 2.0 Did you know? There are at least 24 recognised openings and variations with animal names - and that excludes dubious ones you can find in some corner of the internet but won't find in any book. This makes animals one of the most [...]
DETAIL 
Jul
18
Bulletin No.26 – Animal Openings Part 2: The Birds
Cropped version of a photo by Rhododendrites (Wikimedia) under CC BY-SA 4.0 Did you know? There are at least 24 recognised openings and variations with animal names - and that excludes dubious ones you can find in some corner of the internet but won't find in any book. This makes animals one of the most [...]
DETAIL 
Jul
11
Bulletin No. 26 – Animal Openings Part 1: The Mammals
Cropped version of photo by Muhammad Mahdi Karim under GNU 1.2 Licence Are we barking mad? No, we are not at a zoo, nor are we suffering from Lockdown Lunacy but love them or hate them, you may have to face them one day! Did you know? There are at least 24 recognised openings and [...]
DETAIL 
Jul
04
Bulletin No.25 – Poole Club Chess International
Pictured above is Roy Milner, main organiser for the international trips. Did you know? Back in the mid 1970s the first informal (and unofficial) Poole Club Chess International trip abroad took place visiting a team in Cherbourg. The name of Poole was chosen at the time to reflect that Poole was twinned with Cherbourg […]
Jun
27
Bulletin No.24 – The Dorset Chess Website (Mike Jay and Peter Anderson discuss its history and future)
A brief history of the Dorset Chess website
Jun
20
Bulletin No.23 – Correspondence Chess and the Dorset County Team
A brief history of correspondence chess in the county.
Jun
13
Bulletin No.22 – Chess at the Cafe Tratt in Swanage
With lots of thanks to Derek Mount and Steve Peirson who produced the article. Pictured above, left to right, are Dick Woodford, Brian Beard, Paul Stanley and Derek Mount enjoying a relaxing game of chess at Caffe Tratt. Taking inspiration from the Flirt Café in Bournemouth, in autumn 2017 Purbeck Chess Club member Derek Mount […]
Jun
06
Bulletin No.21 – History of the Dorset Individual Chess Championship
The history of the Dorset Chess Championship in words and photos, and a few introductory words on bulletins for the comings weeks and months.
May
30
“Dorset Local Chat” – Articles 1 to 10
Dorset Local Chat N0.10 – The Dorset Rapidplay – 25 years strong and last UK Chess Tournament standing in 2020 by Martin Simons and Mike Jay How it all started, then developed – The Tuckton Social Club years (1995 – 2012) – Martin Simons discusses these early years (pictured above Bruce Jenks playing in […]
May
28
Bulletins 1 to 20 – Martin Simons reflects on 30 articles, 61 puzzles & 2 Towns
(Pictured above Martin Simons, Chair B&DCL and DCCA Executive Committee member. He has been the inspiration behind all the website “Bulletins” & “Dorset Chess Chats” over the last 2 months, providing interest and information during lockdown. They have required a huge amount of research and we are all very grateful to Martin. Also, as several […]
