Being a member of Hammersmith Chess Club is not only about playing chess – there is much more to it. We have many groups of interest ranging from culinary ideas, lifestyles, philosophical discussions and much more. One of those groups is for keen runners.
Hammer’s runners share a WhatsApp group and a Strava team, and they try to keep fit together, particularly during lockdown times!
On Saturday June 6th, a small squad of Hammers – Adam, Chris, Raluca, Benji and Nadim – ran a virtual relay Marathon. Every runner covered 10.5km, so that the total distance summed up to more than the official Marathon distance (42.195km).
The beauty of that event is that it came as a good way to break the Covid-19 social isolation – whilst adhering to the required social distancing – and it was one of the first physical club member meetings organised since the lockdown started back in March.
All the runs were synchronised to converge at the same point in Kensington Gardens at 5pm. It was with great joy that the runners finished their runs together and met in real life in the park! Everyone felt that life is getting back to normal again, despite the lack of handshakes or hi-fives.
Kishan, who did not run on the day, joined the gathering with a generous serving of support and delicious snacks and drinks.
Everyone enjoyed the event and hoped for many more, if it was not for the British weather that cut the after-run gathering a bit shorter. Everyone is now eager for the next event, hoping it takes place on a more sunny day!
Before talking through my battle with “Ginger GM” Simon Williams, I will start by discussing my background in chess. I do this to outline how an ex-130 rated player (currently 106) might think as they work through a game in a highly uncomfortable position they have never seen before, against much higher-rated opposition.
Lots of my club peers probably go through the same kind of feeling during certain games of chess. I do this to point out the obvious: feeling uncomfortable at times is an unavoidable part of chess – the trick is to accept and embrace it!
I learned to play chess when I joined my school chess club at the age of 11, and my 14-year-old self made it to 130 level, from where I stagnated with no coaching and no plan. I continued to play actively through university and during my first years of work. However, work combined with some life events led me to all but give up chess at 30, for the best part of a decade.
Your correspondent – Dangerous Jon
Then, my childhood friends Aidan and Mark helped me back into chess. A plan was hatched to learn the same openings as they were, ditching my beloved e4 as white and Sicilian as black, for things I had never played before. The reinvention of my love of chess had begun. While I have hardly played in England, i have made recent annual trips to Bunratty with my friends to enjoy a break for socialising and chess.
I’ve now been a member of the mighty Hammer for about 18 months. I joined after a combined effort from John White and Mark (of Cork Chess Club) that got me involved in the Keith Arkell Simul at the tri-club meeting with our Dutch and Irish friends in London in Summer 2018. I hope to play many more matches and get back into over-the-board chess, and while I have had a few outings, work has conspired against me at various points.
Still, I am delighted to be involved with a great club that has a strong beating heart of committed players and great team spirit, and I hope to continue playing in future…. but for now we are in lockdown and with no over-the-board chess.
Since lockdown I have been continuing to play on Lichess, and my outdoors cycling has been swapped for cycling in the shed on my indoor training, where I have regularly combined exercise with watching YouTube chess videos, particularly when I find ones focused on openings I play.
On one such occasion I stumbled upon some videos by Simon Williams of ‘Ginger GM’ notoriety, which I found instructive and entertaining. I had seen Simon play at Bunratty and knew he was famous for a love of pushing ‘Harry’ and ‘Gary’ whenever possible. I appreciate good attacking chess and like this style, so when the invitation to play Ginger GM in a simul came up, I felt I had to give it a go. I have played in about half a dozen simuls over the years, and lost all except one – a draw with Peter Wells while I was at university.
So, the scene is set…
1. e4, g6 2. h4
So, already Simon demonstrates his love of Harry… this is not something I have ever faced before. Objectively speaking, 2.h4 must be an inferior move and black should be able to at least equalise. Practically speaking, it is entirely a different matter!
I know that when an opponent attacks on a wing, it is often good to counter in the centre, and so…
2…d5! 3. h5
3…dxe4
I felt 3…gxh5 was obviously bad. 3… Bg7 doesn’t feel quite right here either – I felt I had to take up the offer of a central pawn and play for activity.
4. hxg6, fxg6 5. d3, Nf6!
Taking the pawn would just help white achieve his aims. I have to continue to play actively. I am a pawn up but can see how easily white can attack if given half a chance!
6. Nc3, Bg4
Again playing for activity above all else, development of a piece with tempo felt logical.
7. Be2, Bxe2 8. Qxe2
Simon may have made a slight mistake here as Ngxe2 seems more useful development.
8…exd3! 9. cxd3, Nc6 10. Nf3, Nd4
Both Bg7 and Qd7 are also good here. I simply wanted to continue to develop with tempo where possible and felt piece swaps help me more.
11. Nxd4, Qxd4 12. O-O, O-O-O!
I had committed to this with my 10th move. The position is sharp, but black is doing well.
13. Nb5! Qb6
White’s 13th is not the computers best move, but Simon seeks to create complications and attack against a lower-rated opponent. 13… Qd5 may well have been my best option.
14. a4, a6 15. Be3, Qe6
Black is better, but the position is very sharp.
16. Rfc1, Nd5?
A mistake by me. White’s 16th is not the best, I should have taken up the challenge with 16…axb5! For example: (i) 17. axb5 Qe5 18. d4 Qd6 19. Ra8+ Kd7 20. Ra7 Rb8 21. Qc4 Nd5 and white has nowhere near enough for the piece. Or (ii) 17. Bf4 Qxe2 18. Rxc7 Kb8 19. Rxe7+ Ka7 20. axb5 Kb6 21. Rxe2 Nd5 and black is fine. I respected my opponent too much, I trusted that my GM opponent has serious threats. I saw how sharp taking the piece was and didn’t manage to calculate out those variations to safety. Spending a bit more time thinking here may well have yielded dividends for me!
17. Na7+?
17.Nxc7 was white’s chance to gain the advantage. I was working about this move once I had played Nd5.
17…Kd7
Not 17…Kb8? when 18. Nc6+ bc6 19. Ba7+ wins the Queen.
18. Rc5 Nxe3! 19. Fxe3 Qb6
I was looking at this and at 19…Bh6, and immediately wished I had played the latter: it develops with threats, connects the rooks, and is just a good move! …Qb6 mistakenly focuses on his threats, rather than generating my own.
20. Rac1 c6?!
20…Qxa7 is okay for black but after 21. Rxc7+ Ke8 there is still a lot of hard work to do.
21. Qg4+? e6!
White would be better playing 21. Nxc6 bxc6 22. Rxc6 Qxc6 23. Rxc6 Kxc6 but black should still win if he can complete his development without dropping a piece. This mistake is understandable as white has been under immense pressure to try and find threats.
The above point, with hindsight, reveals much to me about mistakes in my thinking as a (hopefully) improving club player. My main learning from this game is that feeling uncomfortable in this open position is absolutely okay, but it meant I did not realise at the time quite how strong my position actually was and how much pressure white was under.
The position is assessed by our silicon friends as better for black almost entirely throughout this game. It is right to feel uncomfortable, but I needed to also recognise that my position was better, and work to dissipate white’s short-term threats, then take my opportunities as they emerge.
The fact it was a GM on the other side of the board perhaps clouded my judgement, led me to worrying too much and giving him too much respect in some of my move choices! I have nothing to lose and everything to gain in a game like this, and should play as such!
22. Nxc6 Bxc5!
The point of …e6. Now white is in big trouble.
23. Ne5+ Ke8
e8 felt like the right square, to stay away from as many checks as I can.
24. d4 Bxd4
24… Rxd4 25. exd4 Bxd4+ 26. Kh1 Bxe5 is better as white has a resource after Bxd4.
25. exd4?
White could have played: 24. Rc6!! Bxe3+ 26. Kh2 Qxc6 27. nxc6 Rd6=
25… Rxd4! 26. a5
26. Rc8+ is met by 26…Rd8+!! However, now black has a big threat:
31… Rf8+ is also good e.g. 32. Nf3 Qf1+ 33. Ke3 Qd3+ 34. Kf2 Qd2#
32. Kg2 Qf1+! 33. Kh2 Rd2+ 34. Qe2 Rxe2#
Looking back over the game I am pleased with my fighting spirit, and while I made mistakes, I was delighted to take the tactical opportunity I was presented with! My first every victory against a GM, 31 years after I learned how the pieces move. Here’s hoping I can do it in a real over the board match one day!
I think Simon ended up with 11/15, so well done to the other three Hammers who took points (I’d love to see those games too), and a big thanks to Simon for his fun approach to the simultaneous. I have promised him a beer when he visits our club when we are all able to meet face-to-face again!
Simon broadcast the simul on his Twitch channel – you can re-watch here (starts at 7 minutes in):
Hammers, I must first apologise for the delay in this report – Covid-19 appears to have affected the creative bent of Lord Clueless. Am I alone or does everything seem to require so much more effort?
Plus, there is so much you can report on when the match is live and OTB – online reporting requires an even more vivid imagination and possible the use of exaggeration and hyperbole. Tactics that possibly power fake news.
To brighten up this report I am going to incorporate Matrix film references to describe the Titanic struggle between the two leading chess clubs in London – Hammer, and those South of the River upstarts – Battersea. How many can you spot?
Please post your answers in the feedback.
With the impact of the Coronavirus it was almost inevitable that the third leg of El Chessico would be an online event. The chess world has adapted and morphed to embrace the internet matrix and the neo world. The question is – could we exceed online the 30 boards we played OTB in the last El Chessico?
The answer was an emphatic ‘yes’ – 38 boards to be precise – to decide the destiny of the fabled El Chessico trophy.
After extensive discussions with Aldo, we decided each board would play a mini-match with two games – one as white and one as black – with a time controls of 25mins plus 10 sec increment.
The terms were set, the date agreed – would the neo Hammers take down the Smithy Batter boys? Read on…
First, the tale of the tape – through the match matrix:
Boards 1-10:
Boards 11-20:
Boards 21-30:
Boards 31-38:
Yes, a Hammer win – by a seven-point margin, and yes, we retain El Chessico, and more importantly, the bragging rights. Was it ever in doubt?
I have to pick out some gems here:
Thomas winning 2-0 against a future British Champion
A classic trinity of 2-0 wins for Marios, Sylvain and Moritz (the latter against a top English junior)
Other 2-0 stars include Kabir, Laith, Robin and Mr. Smith
There were a couple of metacortex default 2-0 wins for Georgios and Cian. Their reputations, without a doubt, cowering their opponents into freezing and essentially doing a white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.
However, every Hammer contributed to this outstanding victory – we were in red pill mode and digitally rained down an appropriate chess lesson to our frenemies.
El Chessico is safe and continues to reside in its natural home – with Lord Clueless content and focused on non-Nebuchadnezzar dreams and the road to Chess Zion.
The world, even in lockdown mode, is in a better place, and order has been reaffirmed in the chess world.
We are excited to let you know that Hammersmith Chess Club now has a YouTube channel. You can find it in the navigation menu at the top of this page, as well as via the following link: Hammers on YouTube.
We have already uploaded 7 videos, due to the outstanding support, great effort and ingenious initiative coming from one of our top Hammers, Christof Brixel. Many thanks, Christof! You will notice that our public channel currently has two main series:
Hammer Junior Hour, which includes 6 videos summarising our regular Junior Hour Session, with season 1 currently focusing on the analysis of some of the great games in the history of chess.
Hammer Endgame Series, focused on specific types of endgames. Our first video on rook endgames is currently available on the YouTube channel via the following link.
We also have a couple of longer, premium videos exclusively available to Hammer members, which can be accessed by contacting a member of the committee:
The Jobava London System
AlphaZero – the more human program
We are currently working on other videos, including an analysis of Jon Ludvig Hammer vs Magnus Carlsen (2003), another rook endgames video, and a Junior Hour “Basics” video.
Please keep an eye on our channel and subscribe to receive updates on all the newest videos.
I would like to use this opportunity to say that Hammer YouTube is the channel of our members and we hope to provide content that reflects the incredible diversity within our membership.
We hope the channel will become a reflection of the different backgrounds, cultures and interests that came together and shaped our club.
We have many ideas with regards to the future development of our community’s YouTube channel, but we would also like to welcome your ideas and expressions of interest! Please view below a few suggestions on how you could contribute to the channel:
Hammersmith Simul Nights: Volunteer to report or comment on one of our exciting simultaneous exhibitions and let’s showcase together one of our club’s very popular activities.
Are you strongly supportive of a specific chess style or maybe a certain opening? Do you believe blitz games could be key to growing as a chess player? Do you disagree and prefer long chess games instead? Everyone with an opinion on chess is welcome to join our CHESSbate series, a mix of chess and debate where you present your arguments on your opponent’s time. The clock is ticking so this is not an activity for the faint-hearted.
This is something for our Cooking Experts! Feel free to send us photos or video glimpses of your delicious food and even recipes. Would be great to collect some of your ideas with regards to suitable recipes for chess players.
Are you a fan of chess quizzes and other creative party games where chess is ever-present? Let us know how you and your friends have fun and we will include it in a ‘Top Chess Party games ideas for Hammers and Friends’ video.
Are you interested in a specific chess-related sector? Help us understand why you love this sector or teach us more about it in one of our ‘Hammers how to videos’. Some topics you might want to consider: “How to teach chess to children”, “How to improve your chess”, etc.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me at o.stroe@outlook.com if you wish to become a contributor to our YouTube videos. Any ideas, brief videos, audio recordings and/or photos are welcomed.
Dear Members, the club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is approaching – this year it will be held on Monday 1st June, and with due consideration to the Covid-19 situation, will be a Zoom meeting.
The Committee gives notice that the following Committee members will stand for re-election:
Chairman – Bajrush Kelmendi
Treasurer – Matteo Bezzini
Secretary – Adam Cranston
Club Captain – Ben Rothwell
Webmaster – Andy Routledge
PR & Events – John White
Auditor – Nadim Osseiran
No Portfolio – Chris Skulte
Diversity Officer – Currently vacant, but the Committee recommends the membership accepts an application from Raluca Stroe for this position.
Any member who wishes to submit a motion for the meeting, or to stand for a committee position, should do so at least 30 days prior to 1st June – that is, 2nd May.
In both cases, a motion or nomination can only be submitted by a fully paid up member of the club, and must be seconded by another fully paid up member. Both will be subject to a Committee recommendation and vote at the AGM.
The wait is over – the big day is finally upon us: El Chessico III is happening this evening!
This evening will see the 3rd instalment of the Biggest Match in Club Chess, as London’s two greatest clubs face off yet again over a record 38 boards!
From humble beginnings in 2016, when a mere 24 players took part (Hammersmith won), the Hammersmith vs. Battersea rivalry – dubbed ‘el Chessico‘ in honour of a small-time footy match in Spain – is a sporting contest like no other.
It not only marked the re-birth of Hammersmith as one of the best clubs in our fair city, but it also showed that this beautiful game has no limits.
If you build it; they will come.
It took almost 18 months for the next el Chessico to be arranged – some say Battersea were running scared.
In what was then the largest UK club game every arranged, with 30 boards facing off, Hammersmith took the challenge to Battersea and the result was the same – Hammersmith won.
So here we are, nearly five years after the first match and we eagerly await our opponents this evening.
Coronavirus has not deterred us, far from it. In a stunning show of force this 3rd game of the series will be played over 38 boards using custom lichess software!
Play fair, and enjoy a superb event.
Our line-up & board order is below – do Hammer proud – I know you all will.
13th March – We were a bit worried when the school started to warn us that it may close any day, given the situation. They even sent helpful guides of how to login to Microsoft Teams – not very useful for me, a tech phobe, but Kumar seemed fine with this.
16th March– I was working away in a corner of the London Library when the message flashed: “the School will close immediately for the duration… please pickup your son from school.”. I leave the accumulated books on the table and hurry to the school, where parents have started to gather. Westminster is closing even before Boris could get to it…
18th March – All schools closed in England, but classes for a few hours in the morning will continue for the next week… until Easter holidays kick in.
19th-20th March – The first few days, new WhatsApp groups are formed between parents; funny videos are circulating amongst all of us.
The social distancing has started. Kumar thinks this is an early Easter Holiday – he’s playing cricket with himself in our shared office space, paper flying all around. London Library closed; Chatham House closed; I can’t escape!!
21st – 22nd March – Sunny weekend, someone sends a photo of crowds in the parks, but we are following strict social distancing. Kumar’s mum is from Barcelona and terrible news from Spain makes us ultra-cautious.
And it’s not funny any more. Local Carluccio’s at South Ken closes down – so many memories of happy lunches here on Sundays.
Kumar is getting stir-crazy – how long can one play Monopoly? Kumar plays FIFA against his friend online; he hasn’t played real chess in 6 months (too much homework, and a sudden passion for squash and tennis at weekends), but decided to give it a go on chess.com blitz, but it seemed the Chinese side might have gone slow, not many connections.
24th March – I remember that there is Junior Hour online at Hammersmith Chess Club with Christof! Kumar eager to join. His interest in chess has revived! After piano on iPad, classes on Microsoft Teams, we now have another platform: Zoom for Christof! Kumar has a great time – speaking to real people, rather than anonymous players on chess.com
Christof mentions the Hammersmith Training website, and that many more sessions are being setup by Jim. Well, Jim and Paul McKeown were the very first people that Kumar ever played with when he started chess at Fulham 4 years back. My earlier Indian Chess with Kumar doesn’t count – no castling, no en-passant, no stale-mate, no double-move by pawns in first move…
26th March – Jim’s session well attended – the More Gambit against the Sicilian.
Kumar is totally hooked on the Chess sessions. He has done another one with Christof on young Carlsen, training with Jim, a couple of online Simuls, and booked for more on Sunday and planning to play for Tony (another of his former coaches) against a German Juniors Team – he will be busy the next few weeks! His interest in chess has come back, and I can go back to my books!
Thank you Hammer Online!!
With thank to Kumar’s father, Lokhi, for the brilliant writeup! If you’d like to share your story of the lockdown, drop us an email:updates@hammerchess.co.uk
Hammers – with the blossoming of our online presence, we must also acknowledge that the virtual game presents different challenges compared to the face-to-face game.
Words and actions can be made with less though for your opponents – or interpreted differently; distractions are much easier to come by; and the opportunity for computer or book assistance is ever-present.
Thankfully, most online chess platforms offer sophisticated anti-cheating software, but for the avoidance of doubt we expect all Hammers to abide by the following Code of Conduct when participating for the club in online games, tournaments, or other activities. And we will take appropriate action if any individuals do not.
Hammer Online – Code of Conduct
Respect your opponents & other online participants, and treat them no differently than you would in a face-to-face game.
Avoid using foul, abusive or upsetting language in any chat channels or online meetings.
Whether you win, lose or draw, be gracious at the end of your game.
Do not cheat – do not use computer assistance, book assistance, or any other form of outside help in your game.
Strive to do your best for the club whenever you play for us online.
We trust that all our members already abide by these simple steps, and we look forward to continuing with our hugely successful programme of online events.
Hammers – chess continues to flourish at Hammersmith, even during these troubled times! Our online activities have expanded and we are seeing a huge take-up for the games, training and other events – it’s been a fantastic response!
Please ensure you join our WhatsApp group to stay up to date on the latest details – contact us if you’d like to be added.
Here’s a taster of some of the events coming up:
Friday 3rd April, 8.45pm – Classic Games by World Champions (Training)
Saturday 4th April, 5.30pm – ‘How Good is your Chess’ Quiz
Saturday 4th April, 8pm – London Club Team Battle
Sunday 5th April, 6pm – Simultaneous display with FM Bob Eames
Sunday 5th April, 7:45pm – Banter Blitz – Tony Niccoli vs Chris Skulte
Monday 6th April, 6pm – ‘The Gambit Guru’ series – FM Bob Eames takes us through the Chigorin Defence to the Queen’s Gambit
Tuesday 7th April, 6pm – Junior Hour with Christof Brixel
Wednesday 8th April, 7.30pm – Round III of the Corona Cup
Thursday 9th April, 7.30pm – Simultaneous display with GM Keith Arkell
Friday 10th April, 7:05pm – Club v Club game against Lübeck Chess Club
Saturday 11th April, 8pm – London Club Team Battle
Sunday 12th April, 7:30pm – Simultaneous display with Fedja Zulfic
Monday 13th April – El Chessico v Battersea Chess Club (note: re-scheduled!)
Please note:In order to regulate attendance and help with organisation, we do ask that you register for these events first – this can be done in the WhatsApp group, or by contacting us ahead of time.
If anyone has any other ideas or suggestions for things we can organise, we’d love to hear from you! Events continue to be added all the time so please keep in touch to ensure you don’t miss out.
