Can we arrive late or leave early?

Yes, it’s a drop-in club so you can come and go as you please.

Do parents have to stay with their children?

We strongly recommend that parents stay with younger children at all times. Children will gain far more benefit from the club if they are able to play the games they learn here at home. We encourage parents who are not themselves chess players to learn with their children.

Can we play other games as well as chess?

We’ve found that children are coming here specifically to learn and play chess. However, as we believe that chess, especially for younger children, is best approached through minigames using subsets of the pieces and rules, we’re also teaching and encouraging children to play these games.

Do you encourage girls to play chess?

Very much so, yes. Girls and women are underrepresented in the chess community and we’re keen to increase female participation in our wonderful game.

Do you cater for children with special needs?

Marie and Richard both have a particular interest in helping children with special needs and believe that chess can be an ideal long-term hobby for some children diagnosed with ASD or ADHD. We are totally non-judgemental and want the club to be inclusive. We just require an understanding that, due to the nature of chess, children will need to remain fairly quiet and still while they are on the premises.

Do you provide private tuition?

Richard sometimes has vacancies for private pupils. Speak to him at the club or contact him via www.chesswithrichard.uk for further information.

Do you run chess clubs in schools?

Marie and Richard are of the opinion that primary schools would be better advised to run strategy games or minichess clubs rather than the traditional after-school chess club. Richard can advise any school wishing to take this route.