The Twickenham Library Chess and Strategy Games Club is somewhere children and young people who enjoy playing ‘brain games’ can come along, enjoy themselves, meet their friends and make new friends.

While our main focus is on chess, younger children will do best to start by learning to master simpler games.

Older children, or younger children who can already play a proficient game, will be able to play full games of chess. Younger children who don’t know how to play, or are not able to play proficiently, will be introduced to a series of minichess games using subsets of the pieces and the rules. World leading experts on children’s chess agree that children should spend a year or so on this phase before moving onto complete games.

Because some children will be apprehensive about learning something new, we’ll also provide the opportunity for them to play other strategy games, such as Connect 4, Chinese Checkers, Othello and Draughts.

Richard’s website www.spectrumchess.uk gives some idea of the sort of club we’d like to run.

If you’d prefer a professionally run junior club with formal lessons, rated games and competitions, we strongly recommend Richmond Junior Chess Club.

Older children who already play well might like to join us at Richmond & Twickenham Chess Club on Tuesday evenings for social chess and league matches against other local clubs.

Of course there’s no reason why your children couldn’t join two or even three clubs if they really enjoy playing chess.