• Support Wokingham Today
  • Get the print edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Wokingham.Today
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • All
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
    • Riseley
    • Shinfield
    • Sindlesham
    • Sonning
    • Spencers Wood
    • Swallowfield
    • Three Mile Cross
    • Twyford
    • Wargrave
    • Winnersh
    • Wokingham
    • Wokingham Without
    • Woodley
    • Woosehill
    • Yateley
    Police

    Man arrested after crash near Wokingham leaves motorcyclist with life threatening injuries

    Henley Festival 2025 Pictures: Garry Jones and James Robinson.

    PICTURE GALLERY: McFly and Diana Ross at Henley Festival 2025 

    Colour us proud: Wokingham celebrated its LGBTQ+ community with Wokingham Pride on Saturday, July 8. Picture: Jake Clothier

    Celebrate Wokingham Pride

    The artwork at Wokingham station. Pic: WBC.

    Community artwork marks railway bicentenary

    Wheel chair-using morris dancer Lorraine twirls with the side

    Wokingham foodbank has handed out a record number of parcels Pciture: Phil Creighton

    Wokingham Foodbank partners with Tesco to support local families

    Managing director of Gabriel's Angels: "A tremendous achievement for all the group's teams." Picture: Gabriel's Angels

    Gabriel’s Angels wins care award for third year running

    Holme Grange School welcomed more than 350 people to its biggest ever SustainFest. Pictures: Holme Grange School

    SustainFest 2025 at Holme Grange: bigger, better and greener than ever

    Cllr Conway

    FROM THE LEADER: A year on from the general election

  • SPORT
    • All
    • Binfield FC
    • Reading FC
    beryly Lubala Picture: Wikimedia Commons

    Reading FC transfer target joins fellow League One side

    Tom McIntyre

    Former Reading FC defender told he can leave Championship side

    Reading FC

    Reading FC to appoint new assistant manager

    Reading FC

    Coach snubs Reading FC assistant manager offer to join Premier League club

    Reading FC

    Reading FC sign striker on loan from Brighton

    Reading FC

    Reading FC sign defender on loan from Manchester City

    Tyler Bindon

    Former Reading FC manager Ruben Selles reunites with Tyler Bindon

    Wokingham Town face Binfield in the FA Cup.

    FA draws revealed

    Rams

    Rutherford swaps San Diego for Sonning after signing for Rams RFC

  • READING FC
  • COMMUNITY
    Colour us proud: Wokingham celebrated its LGBTQ+ community with Wokingham Pride on Saturday, July 8. Picture: Jake Clothier

    Celebrate Wokingham Pride

    The artwork at Wokingham station. Pic: WBC.

    Community artwork marks railway bicentenary

    Wheel chair-using morris dancer Lorraine twirls with the side

    Wokingham foodbank has handed out a record number of parcels Pciture: Phil Creighton

    Wokingham Foodbank partners with Tesco to support local families

    Managing director of Gabriel's Angels: "A tremendous achievement for all the group's teams." Picture: Gabriel's Angels

    Gabriel’s Angels wins care award for third year running

    Holme Grange School welcomed more than 350 people to its biggest ever SustainFest. Pictures: Holme Grange School

    SustainFest 2025 at Holme Grange: bigger, better and greener than ever

    Teachers on strike at Maiden Erlegh school. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Teachers strike over proposed re-structuring

    Restaurateur and chef Awanish Roy. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Michelin-star aims for Wokingham’s latest restaurant

    Wade Summer Fair, held in the day centre grounds was a great success. Picture: Andrew Batt

    WADE Fair hobby horses were a big hit

  • LIFESTYLE
    • All
    • Food
    • Health
    • Obituaries
    • People
    Colour us proud: Wokingham celebrated its LGBTQ+ community with Wokingham Pride on Saturday, July 8. Picture: Jake Clothier

    Celebrate Wokingham Pride

    The artwork at Wokingham station. Pic: WBC.

    Community artwork marks railway bicentenary

    Wheel chair-using morris dancer Lorraine twirls with the side

    Managing director of Gabriel's Angels: "A tremendous achievement for all the group's teams." Picture: Gabriel's Angels

    Gabriel’s Angels wins care award for third year running

    Holme Grange School welcomed more than 350 people to its biggest ever SustainFest. Pictures: Holme Grange School

    SustainFest 2025 at Holme Grange: bigger, better and greener than ever

    Restaurateur and chef Awanish Roy. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Michelin-star aims for Wokingham’s latest restaurant

    Some of the horses in Wokingham. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Horses avoid parking tickets

    Find out more about WBC's Climate Emergency Action Plan, by visiting the council's website. Picture: Eco Pramono via Pixabay

    Naturally Speaking: What does Friends of the Earth say about Wokingham?

    Cllr Lou Timlin, town major of Wokingham, at the new SAFA superstore in Peach Street. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Mayor welcomes new businesses

  • WHAT’S ON
    • All
    • Arts
    • Entertainment
    Henley Festival 2025 Pictures: Garry Jones and James Robinson.

    PICTURE GALLERY: McFly and Diana Ross at Henley Festival 2025 

    Colour us proud: Wokingham celebrated its LGBTQ+ community with Wokingham Pride on Saturday, July 8. Picture: Jake Clothier

    Celebrate Wokingham Pride

    Liz Chaderton is exhibiting at Dinton Pastures.

    Works from Hurst artist on show

    Visitors can come face to face with life-size animal recreations.

    Go wild at The Lexicon

    Sparkle Vegan market takes place in Wokingham on the second Sunday of each month. Picture: Kranich17 via Pixabay

    Find vegan products at a Wokingham market

    It will feature displays from expert growers and enthusiasts from across the region.

    Wokingham to welcome regional fuchsia show

    REVIEW: “Jesus Christ Superstar” at The Watermill Theatre, Newbury

    PAMELA RAITH

    REVIEW: Death Comes to Pemberley at The Mill at Sonning

    Crowds are expected, so queuing systems will be in place. Pic: GWR.

    Take the train to Henley Regatta

  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
Wokingham.Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Community

Young chess mates check out opponents

by Emma Merchant
March 9, 2024
in Community, Education, Featured, Finchampstead, Uncategorised
Youngsters have been enjoying chess tournaments at Berkshire Junior Chess Association matches since 2000. Picture: BJCA

Youngsters have been enjoying chess tournaments at Berkshire Junior Chess Association matches since 2000. Picture: BJCA

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

YOUNG people who enjoy strategy board games can test their mettle at an open chess competition.

The Berkshire Open Event Chess Tournament for players aged 18 and under is organised by Berkshire Junior Chess Association (BJCA).

The competition gives young players the opportunity to find out how good they are at the game.

Some may discover they have a special talent.

Keith and Kate Tunstall run the group.

Keith said: “Young people play lots of games online, but there’s nothing quite like a real board with actual chess pieces you can physically move.

Related posts

Reading FC transfer target joins fellow League One side

Former Reading FC defender told he can leave Championship side

“If you learn to play chess, you have a game to enjoy for life, so we want to sow the seeds of interest, and give young people something to love doing.

“And you can get really good at it.

“Two of our club members went on to become international masters: Matthew Wadsworth and James Adair both came up through the under nines.”

But without clubs like this one, young talent can’t be discovered or nurtured.

BJCA has been running since 2000.

“We began with an under nines group, as a way to give something back,” said Mr Tunstall.

“I had loved the game since I was a child, and I thought I was quite good, because I’d been school chess champion at my school, Emmbrook.

“But then my son beat me when he was six.

“He ended up playing for England under 18s.

“He still does it for fun, and can even now beat me with his eyes closed.

“There used to be lots of little chess clubs in schools, but now lunch breaks aren’t long enough for the game.

“So we think it’s important to keep the club going.”

Not everyone gets on with the game, but some take it very seriously.

“It’s brutal,” said Mr Tunstall.

“If you make a mistake, your opponent can take you to the cleaners.

“But it’s great for learning life lessons: learn from your mistakes; don’t get so upset when things go wrong – try again; understand the rules.”

Mr Tunstall would love to see more young people coming along to try their hand at competitive chess, especially girls.

“Any youngster who can play chess, and who enjoys it, can come along,” he said.

“We can’t teach them the game if they don’t already know it, but if they can play, and want to see how they fare in competition, they’ll have a great time, and make some long lasting friends.”

Berkshire Junior Chess Association (BJCA) is affiliated to the Berkshire Chess Association.

It promotes chess for juniors aged eighteen or younger who live or go to school in Berkshire.

Young people must be accompanied by an adult.

The group’s monthly contests take place over six rounds, with time in between to play outdoor games.

The next event takes place at Nine Mile Ride primary school, Finchampstead, on Sunday, March 24.

Doors open at 1.15pm for registration and introduction.

Games start at 1.45pm, with prize giving at 5.15pm.

Entry costs £11 for English Chess Federation (ECF) members, and £13.50 for non-ECF members.

For information, visit: www.bjca.org.uk.

To enter, email: [email protected], call: 0118 932 8346, find the group on Facebook, or visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk and search for Berkshire Junior Chess Association.

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Previous Post

Trinity Concert Band to perform music from stage and screen at its spring concert in Wokingham church

Next Post

ANOTHER VIEW: Memories are made of this

FOLLOW US

POPULAR THIS WEEK

Pixabay

Honest Motherhood: Goodbye For Now

July 7, 2025
Find out more about WBC's Climate Emergency Action Plan, by visiting the council's website. Picture: Eco Pramono via Pixabay

Naturally Speaking: What does Friends of the Earth say about Wokingham?

July 10, 2025
Emergency services have announced that they have left the scene of a fire following an incident in Whitley Wood Road on Sunday, February 16.

Man charged with sexual assaults

July 8, 2025
Are you interested in working at the new Saimsbury?s in Arborfield Green.?

Arborfield Green jobs drop-in

July 6, 2025
Thames Valley Police has announced that a large fire has broken out in woodland along Monks Lane, near the A339, behind Newbury College.

Emergency services declare major incident as fire breaks out in Newbury

July 11, 2025
Work will start soon on the new district centre at Arborfield Green. Pic: WBC.

New shopping destination on the way

July 6, 2025

ABOUT US

Wokingham Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Wokingham. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Wokingham Borough.

Wokingham.Today is a Social Enterprise and aims to ensure that everyone within the Borough has free access to independent and up-to-date news. However, providing this service is not without costs. If you are able to, please make a contribution to support our work.

CONTACT US

[email protected]

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Support Us
  • Book Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: [email protected], or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
  • COMMUNITY
  • LIFESTYLE
  • SPORT
  • READING FC
  • OBITUARIES
  • WHAT’S ON
  • JOBS
  • PHOTOS
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • CONTACT US
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION
  • SUPPORT US

© 2022 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.