School Holiday Events Throughout the Year

The main school holiday chess activities conducted by the NSW Junior Chess League in Sydney are as follows:

Regional Tournaments: Tournaments are also held in regional centres – Newcastle, Wollongong, Orange and the Central Coast – in most school holidays.

Summary of School Holiday Events

Holiday Coaching Clinics:  Expert coaching for boys and girls who are new players or fairly inexperienced:

  ▪  those who are unrated (because they have not played in a rated tournament) and

  ▪  those with ratings below 700. 

The clinics also cater for absolute beginners who do not yet know the moves.

There is also a special all-girls group (in recognition that some girls prefer the company of other girls).

One-Day, Two-Day and Three-Day Tournaments:  The One-Day and Two-day events are fun tournaments for all levels of players, especially those who might not be ready to play at the slower time limits and higher standards expected in our more serious tournaments. The One-Day tournaments in particular are recommended for all new players but the Two-Day tournaments are also appropriate for most new players. The Three-Day tournaments are not as suitable for very inexperienced players because of their slower time limit and the requirement to record the moves of their games.

These events attract a large number of participants aged from as young as four to 17. Each tournament is run in one open section for players of all ages (under 18). They play all rounds (it is not a knock-out) and are paired against others with a similar score. This means that after the first round or two they will be meeting players of approximately the same ability as theirs.

NSW Junior Championships:  These are played in two divisions (Under 18 and Under 12) and are for the stronger, more experienced players. They are played under serious tournament conditions with relatively slow time limits and the players are required to record the moves of their games.

NSW Girls Championships:  These are played in two divisions (Under 18 and Under 12) under serious tournament conditions, but are not as serious or difficult as the name "Championships" might imply. They are suitable for most girl players, even fairly inexperienced ones. Many girls like this event as they meet other girls without fear of being intimidated by boys whom they sometimes regard as "too competitive". Players in the Under 18 division are required to record the moves of their games. Recording in the Under 12 is not required but is recommended.

City of Sydney Junior Championships:  These are played in three divisions (Under 18, Under 15 and Under 12) and are intended for experienced players. They are played under serious tournament conditions with relatively slow time limits – though not as serious  or as slow as the NSW Junior Championships. Players are, however, required to record the moves of their games.

Regional Tournaments:  Tournaments (for players of all standards) are held in regional centres – Newcastle, Wollongong, Orange and the Central Coast – in (or shortly after) most school holidays.