Chess in the Community

The first ever Chess in the Community Festival was held in Ward Jackson Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 26th July from 12pm till 4pm. The weather was very kind to all who attended with beaming sunshine beating down on us!

There was a little something for every one, including two giant chess boards, free coaching, and most importantly International Grandmaster Gawain Jones.

Gawain took on all comers giving odds of 1 minute to 5 minutes and even played a blindfold exhibition match against Cleveland's own David Smith (pgn game), and then gave a 14 board Simultaneous display with the final score of GM 14 v 0 Woodpushers.
 

Well done to everyone that turned up to support this event and a very special thank you to GM Gawain Jones for his support and time.
Perhaps the biggest thanks should go to Bill Wilson from Hartlepool chess club who organised the whole event, and for trying to put chess in the 'limelight' WELL DONE BILL !!!

A quick ponder	Line them up	Another day at the office!
Dave and 'The Vitch' from Peterlee CC	Players trying to help each other (in vain!)	Checkmate with 3 seconds left on the clock!
'blindfold' game against David Smith (behind)	David Smith 'in the zone'	'Indiana' Jones shouting his moves
	Left is Peterlee's own Colin Walton 185 ECF playing Grandmaster Gawain Jones 239 ECF in a time handicap game where GM Jones has 1 minute and Colin has 5 minutes. Very few players can give those odds to Colin, even Grandmasters! Needless to say he actually won both games against Gawain. Even our own Kenny 'the vitch' Boxall won (on time) not bad for a 107 ECF Grade, the drawback being we will never ever hear the end of it! I believe these three games were the only defeats inflicted on GM Jones all day! Although I wouldn't bet my life on it! Here are the games played by Colin Walton - game 1 & game 2. Well done to all who could be bothered to turn up and support this event!