This weekend I read an interesting blog post from England dealing with chess clubs. Specifically what chess clubs do to thrive "within the digital online chess age". So let's take a look at the list and how it applies to our own Port Coquitlam chess club.

​1. Support all levels of chess ability. The PoCo chess club at the moment serves lower-rated seniors. There are very few juniors and I am one of only two chess experts that show up regularly. 

​2. Create a welcoming atmosphere. I know this is important but I don't attend every Thursday meeting. My Thursday schedule is packed. The senior players that attend regularly are great guys but I don't think they know who is new to the club. Mr. Ed Enns is the key contact.

​3. Running lectures and tutorials. A total fail on this point. There is nobody to do and arrange this. I think a certain number of members would be required. I could see simultaneous exhibitions and tournaments. Perhaps guess the move training sessions would be fun. The seniors attending are only interested in skittles. The happily make the same mistakes over and over and play without clocks.

​4. Entering multiple leagues and cups. The club used to play in the Vancouver Rapid Chess League but for the 2017-2018 season I was forced to create a new Tri-Cities chess team because I couldn't find enough players from our club. Players that would be strong and committed enough.

​5. Supporting juniors. We used to have juniors attending but there wasn't enough attention paid to them. And then the club was demolished and moved to its present location in the hockey arena lobby. This isn't the best arrangement.

Conclusion: The main idea we are told is to focus on making friends. The chess will take care of itself. But in my case, I get to meet FMs and IMs online. So come visit our club on Thursday and see for yourself.


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This is how the internet has revolutionized chess. I can open up my laptop on Saturday and play against titled players. I can't think of better training than that. And from the comfort of my home with coffee on the table.

[Event "ICC 3 0 u"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2017.11.25"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NCM Vas Sladek"]
[Black "IM Gavin Crawley"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A45"]
[WhiteElo "1985"]
[BlackElo "2424"]
[PlyCount "102"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 e6 3. e3 h6 4. Bh4 c5 5. c3 Qb6 6. Qb3 Nc6 7. Qxb6 axb6 8. Nd2
d5 9. Bb5 Bd6 10. Ngf3 Bd7 11. O-O Ke7 12. Rfe1? Nxd4! 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Bxd7
dxc3 15. bxc3 Kxd7 16. c4 g5 17. Bg3 Bb4 18. Red1 Bc3 19. Rab1 Bxd2 20. Rxd2
Ra6 21. cxd5 exd5 22. Be5 Ke6 23. Bxf6 Kxf6 24. Rxd5 Rc8 25. Rd6+ Kg7 26. h4
gxh4 27. Rbxb6 Rxa2 28. Rf6 Rc7 29. Kh2 Rb2 30. Rxb2 Kxf6 31. Rb6+ Kg5 32. Kh3
Re7 33. Rb5+ f5 34. f4+ Kg6 35. Kxh4 Rxe3 36. Rxb7 Re2 37. Kh3 Re6 38. g4 Re3+
39. Kh4 fxg4 40. Kxg4 Re1 41. Rb6+ Kg7 42. Kf5 h5 43. Rb7+ Kh6 44. Rb6+ Kg7 45.
Kg5 Rh1 46. f5 Rg1+ 47. Kxh5 Kf7 48. Rb7+ Kf6 49. Rb6+ Kxf5 50. Rb5+ Kf6 51.
Rb6+ Kf5 1/2-1/2 

White to play!

​In the game David Bissell played Rf8, White played Qg5 and eventually held on to win 1-0. And yet, there was a better way to stop the Qd8+ with Bf8. Black is clearly winning after Bf8. Can you see why?

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1... Bf8 2. Re1 Qf7 3. Bg5 (3. Bh6 Rxg2 4. Ne4 Bxe4 5. Qxf8+ Qxf8 6. Bxf8
Re2+ 7. Kg1 Rxe1+ 8. Kf2 Rd1 9. Ke2 Rd3) 3... Rxg2 4. Qf6+ Qxf6 5. Bxf6+ Bg7 6.
Ne4 Rg4 7. Bxg7+ Kxg7 8. h4 h5 9. Rd1 Bxe4+ 10. Kh2 Rxh4+ 11. Kg3 Rg4+ 12. Kh3
Bd5 -+

​Davaa-Ochir Nyamdorj - David Bissell

Shuffling pieces against FIDE-titled opponents is not a good idea because they might censor you and never play you again. But clearly, FIDE-titled opponents are also guilty of bagging easy points. Just consider the position below. It's a dead draw and yet Black (a FIDE Master from Chile) refused my draw offers and won on time after we shuffled a lot with our Bishop and Knight respectively. Oh well, it's nice to play against strong opponents. I will get my revenge later.....

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​This is a draw since neither King can stray too far from the e-pawns. Foe example. 1. ...Kxa6?? 2.e6 and Black can't stop pawn promotion.

​NCM Vas Sladek- NM Wilson1 ICC blitz November 2017 

This position is from the Vancouver Rapid Chess League round 3. White is a junior player and when you play against these youngsters you can expect some wild positions. Black is fine here but he's taking too long. He needs to bang out a few moves to take advantage of the 5 second increment.

1. Nh3 Rh2 ( I prefer h4) 2. Bxg3 Rxh3 3. Bf2 Ra3 4. Rh1 Ra1+ 5. Be1 and Black's flag fell 1-0

David, Sherry and Dejan Radic (league debut) played well in round 3 of the Vancouver Rapid Chess League. They were down by a point heading into round three but they had two whites. And they made them count by winning with both. David took on the VCS 2 star master player Davaa-Ochir Nyamdorj and almost won. He could have forced a draw but kept fighting instead (full marks!)

Tri-Cities chess 4.5-4.5 Vancouver Chess School 2

​The league continues in December. 

Sherry, Dejan and David after the match. ​

This is what my regular Thursday night chess club visit looks like. Since my Thursday schedule only allows for about thirty minutes of play, it's a quick visit. Four old timers filed in. One generously shared his box of dates. And all four guys are the nicest chess club dudes you will meet. 

​I got to play Ed Enns who happens to be the club dynamo. He's always there and will answer your questions. His high rating is 1470. Today he is below 1000.

​Take a look at our position. White (Ed Enns) to play. His knight is en prise but there is a bigger problem for White. Do you see it?

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​Black's extra rook translates into more POWER. White saves his knight with 1. Ne2 but Rh5# is mate. 0-1

​Come down to the club and meet the guys. Perhaps you'll score some free dates.