Yearly Archives: 2020

Khyber Cup 2020

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The Khyber Cup is back!

This year’s Khyber Cup will take place on Saturday 5th September, 14:00.

This is a 5 round Swiss, with 10m+5s time control and a couple of minutes between rounds for a breathing space.

There is a Zoom session available for those who want to talk between rounds. Note that you should mute and turn off your speaker when playing to avoid being distracted. Nonetheless, avoid commenting on people’s in-progress games just in case they still have their speaker on.

This is a friendly event; please feel free to invite friends and family to join. Note that it is only open to members of the Crowthorne Team on Lichess. If you or your invitees, are not members you will have to join first (and to do that you will need a lichess membership).

For more details, please refer to Jonathan’s email.

Crowthorne enters teams in 4NCL Online

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The 4NCL (Four Nations Chess League) has created on-line chess leagues (and tournaments) in the absence of over the board chess. George Green, our new 4NCL Captain, has kindly provided this update:

Crowthorne entered two teams in the 2nd 4NCL Online tournament, which started on Tuesday this week (Aug 25th). There are seven rounds, ending on 17th November, with the possibility of our first team playing in the semi final and final in December. The time control is 45 mins + 15 secs. 

Our first team is in Division 5 and our second team is in Division 6. Strangely our second team faced stronger opposition than our first team. 

Results:

AGM 29th July

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We will use part of the regular Zoom session next week (July 29th) to hold the AGM. Please let Jonathan know any items you wish to raise. At the moment we have only one, which is to capture opinions on the format of league matches next season, ideally with the aim of forming a club preference. If you have views in advance on this, or any other topic, do let me know and I can add them to the agenda.

We will have a regular club meeting tomorrow (July 22nd).

From the Crowthorne Vaults – Part 14

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In the following position, played in the Berkshire League in 2018, Mark has a nice attacking position. But can you find the forcing sequence of moves that leads either to mate or a large win of material?

White to play and win.

Online meeting Wednesday (July 1st)

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We will be having our usual Zoom meeting this Wednesday.

It’s a “bring and show” week again this week. Bring a game, position, puzzle or study of interest to show and/or watch other people’s items. Seems to work – we’ve not run out of material so far.

From the Crowthorne Vaults – Part 13

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In the following position, taken from a 2018 Surrey Border League game played by Mark against Helen Frostick, White has a not-so-obvious way of removing one of Black’s key defenders.

Can you find White’s forced win?

From the Crowthorne Vaults – Part 12

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In this position, from a Berkshire League match played in 2016, White has sacrificed a piece for this attacking position, and there is now only one move to win. Can you find it?

Crowthorne online – this week’s meeting

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As usual, we will be meeting online this week (Wednesday 27th), please see Jonathan’s email for details.

The format will be similar to last week’s, where everyone is invited to bring an interesting game or position to show. Jonathan has promised to show “amazing game to show which should provoke some interesting comments and analysis”.

From the Crowthorne Vaults – Part 11

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Here is a variation from a game of game of Mark’s played in 2012. There are two or three moves with which Mark, playing with the black pieces, would keep the advantage, but there is one which clearly wins.

Can you find it? Black to play and win.