All posts by John Upham

John is an English Chess Federation accredited coach and has taught in schools and privately since 2009. John started chess relatively late(!) at the age of twelve following the huge interest in the Spassky-Fischer World Championship match in 1972. John Upham is the founder of British Chess News, staff photographer and the IT Manager. John performed similar roles for British Chess Magazine from 2011 until 2015. John is an English Chess Federation accredited coach and has taught in schools and privately since 2009. John started chess relatively late(!) at the age of twelve following the huge interest in the Spassky-Fischer World Championship match in 1972. John is Membership Secretary of Camberley Chess Club and an ordinary member of Crowthorne and Guildford Chess Clubs. John plays for Hampshire and for 4NCL Crowthorne. John is Secretary of the Hampshire Junior Chess Association and the Berkshire Chess Association and manages the Chess for Schools partnership. He has played in the British Championships and represented Yateley School, Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Guildford Chess Club, CentYMCA, Crowthorne Chess Club and Camberley Chess Clubs. He is an active photographer for with his own gallery. John has both junior and adult learners as private students. John has recently re-launched the Hampshire Junior Chess Association. John has recently started playing for the Crowthorne team in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL).

Team Managers Wanted !

Team Manager Badge
Team Manager Badge

Hampshire Junior Chess Association is looking for three new Team Managers (and assistants) for the 2018 – 2019 season and beyond.

They are needed for the :

EPSCA Under-9 (Open) Team : first match is March 2019

EPSCA Under-11 (Open) Team : first match is March 2019

SCCU / ECF Under-14 (Open) Team : first match is November 2018.

Previously these teams were managed by HJCA Secretary, John Upham, who will offer the new Managers as much assistance as required plus access to a small budget.

Please contact john.upham@zen.co.uk with any offers or suggestions.

Hampshire Megafinal : April 22nd, 2018

The Hampshire Megafinal is taking place on Sunday, April 22nd 2018 in the splendid environs of Perin’s School, Pound Hill, New Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9BS.

If your child has qualified to the Megafinal stage and your school postcode is a Hampshire one then this is the correct Megafinal to enter.

Alternatively, if this is your nearest Megafinal then you may enter even if your school postcode is not a Hampshire one.

To enter the Hampshire Megafinal please click here

Swindon Magic for Hampshire Under-11 Team

Eighteen Under-11 Hampshire chess players braved to the snowy and icy cold winds (mostly North or West) to the superb New College school in Swindon near Brighton and had a great time playing chess against seven other counties which were : Berkshire, Glamorgan, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Surrey (Wey Valley), Sussex and Wiltshire.

Starting out with two players short meant we always lost at least two points per round translating to -6 from three rounds. Despite this handicap the team acheived plus scores in two out of three rounds and finished a very creditable 5th out of eight counties in the first competition for the team in many years.

Winners were Surrey over Sussex on the slimmest of tie-breaks (most wins).

We should have a particularly load shout out for three players who scored 100% (3/3) : Matthew Deacon, James New and Patrick Atkinson.

Andrew Kirby scored a very strong 2.5/3 on board one (top board) to lead the team.

A big thank-you to all the Mums and Dads who transported their children. Thanks to Jocelyn Kirby for her invaluable help.

Detailed results may be seen here.

Here is a photograph of the team :

Hampshire EPSCA Under-11 Team 2018
Hampshire EPSCA Under-11 Team 2018

John

Chess (almost) by the Sea Side !

Seventeen young Under 9 chess players ventured (mostly South or East) to a lovely school in Hassocks near Brighton and had a great time playing chess. More details to follow.

A big thank-you to all the Mums and Dads who transported their children. Thanks to Alex Warren and Ollie Blacklock for their invaluable help today.

Many tremendous performances and a special shout out to six year old Nicholas Deacon who scored 3/3 on board 3 and Harrison Cwajna on board 12 : perfect !

The detailed results may been seen here.

Here is a photograph of our Under-9 Team :

Hampshire EPSCA Under-9 Team
Hampshire EPSCA Under-9 Team

John

Success for Hampshire Girls !

Congratulations !
Congratulations !

Hampshire Junior Chess Association is proud to report success for Hampshire girls in recent tournaments as follows :

In the Wiltshire and West of England Tournament :

Mansa Chandar : U14 Girls West of England Champion 2018

and

Melissa Hamilton : U12 Girls West of England Championship 2018

Well done girls and we are confident of further success !

Recent Equipment Purchase !

Hampshire Junior Chess Association has taken advantage of an excellent offer from the makers of the best digital chess timer, the DGT 2010. DGT via FIDE and then the ECF made available DGT 2010 timers at a knockdown price provided we purchased a bulk quantity. Following the successful Junior Congress in October we were able to purchase twenty DGT 2010s bringing our stock to thirty four (34).

DGT 2010 Chess Timer
DGT 2010 Chess Timer