'Tis the season to play chess (and to have a Chessmas party, of course!).
Our Juniors had a truly joyous time at our over the board 'Chessmas' celebration. The evening started with Duck Chess. According to duckchess.com, "The basic principle of the game is very simple: in addition to the usual pieces, the two players have joint control of a small rubber duck, which acts as a “blocker” (i.e. nothing can move onto or through it), and which must be moved to a new square after every turn. The goal is to successfully capture the opponent’s king". Lots of silly squeaking and laughter while they learned how to play with the duck. They also played a few rounds of Bughouse. Bughouse chess is played in teams, and the normal chess rules are applied. However, after the pieces are captured, they are passed to the other teammate on the other board. (I'm confused, but hey! They loved it!)
Enjoy a few photos of Duck Chess and Bughouse Chess.
We also want to thank the volunteers who brought delicious food and drinks for the kids to enjoy. The coaches handed out gifts, and our juniors were grateful to receive them.
Also, a few certificates were issued at the end of the term.
The following players were recognised for their exceptional efforts in the J4NCL Finals:
Ruqayyah Rida, Nolan Periera, Huzaifa Baig, and Mae Catabay.
Gabo Gong was awarded a certificate for his enthusiasm in the club and his improvement in playing performance.
Jason Ren is one of the players that I can always count on to have a smile and positive attitude, and that is what his award is for. He has also been impressive in his performance progress.
Grace Wilde was chosen for overall improvement and her impressive tournament results.
Nolan and Mae showing their certificates of achievement for the J4NCL - All four of you (not pictured, Huzaifa & Ruqayyah) are shining stars!!
Gabo Gong has performed so well! Keep it up Gabo!
Way to go Jason!
Great efforts, Grace!
Here is a video I found about Duck Chess from "Chess Whiz" with Special Guest: Tim Paulden (creator of Duck Chess)
We all had a wonderful time at our Chessmas party. Thank you to all of the parents and others who support our club. We send you and your families warm holiday greetings, and hope there will be a lot of chess in the new year. Remember to practice and to play online for some of our fun club tournaments on Lichess. Merry Chessmas, and see you next year!