Chess WITH THE KNIGHT
I received my NCA (Northumberland Chess Association) Bulletin this week. What a brilliant magazine!
If you are interested in chess in this area (or chess in general) you should order a copy.
I had a short spell as editor of it in the days when parts were hand written and run off on a Gestetner machine. Subsequent editors found innovative ways of improving it.
Now it is a different product altogether, technically, a high quality magazine on high quality paper, full of excellent articles, photographs and analysis.
The new editor this year, Mick Riding, (Gosforth Chess Club) has lifted the production and content levels to a new high.
I also fully endorse the upbeat message it is projecting, describing the considerable advances made by the local chess community.
The previous edition highlighted the achievements of John Wheeler who deservedly received national recognition for his contributions to chess in the North East (PS This was not an obituary...John is alive and well and still playing chess to a very high standard!)
This latest edition, quite rightly, drew attention to the receipt of the prestigous award of “English Chess Federation, Chess Magazine of the Year.” given by Paul Bielby, representing the ECF, to Mick Riding.
It also reported on the very successful Northumberland Masters Congress organised by Tim Wall. This was a top class event attracting high quality players from all over Europe and beyond, creating opportunities for our local players to play top notch chess without the usual long journeys and expensive accomodation.
Add to this the increase in local schools establishing chess clubs there looks to be an increasingly rosy future for chess in the North East. It’s great to be able to report this.
Send me information about how your club is getting on.