News
Bournemouth Junior Chess Update: Lightning Tournament! ⚡
What a fantastic morning! We had 18 young players join us for a high-energy, fast-paced Lightning Event featuring a buzzer time control of a…
Now Enrolling · Saturday Mornings
Where young minds master the game.
A friendly Saturday chess club in Bournemouth for juniors aged 7–17. Ten years of teaching the next generation to think, plan, and play — one move at a time.
Daily Puzzle
Fresh from Lichess every day
10+
Years running
30+
Weekly players
£8.50
Per session
Sat
10am — 12:30pm
Club at a glance
Everything a young player needs to grow.
Weekly sessions
Structured Saturday mornings with coached lessons, puzzles, and tournament-style games.
All abilities
From first-time players learning the pieces to ECF-rated juniors sharpening their theory.
Gentle on families
Pay-as-you-go — no term commitment, no membership fees. Come when it suits.
Club News
View all posts →
This week at the club
Puzzle of the week
Fresh puzzle every day
Can you find the winning move?
White to play · Mate in 1
A quiet position — but one move ends it.
Black's king looks comfortable enough in the corner, and white's queen is a long way away. But there's a tactic here that every junior should spot within twenty seconds. Take a minute, picture the board, and find the move.
Qh7# —
the queen slides to h7, delivering mate supported by the bishop on d3. The black king has no flight squares and cannot capture.
Learn chess
All resources →
Pick a path — start wherever you are.
01 / Starter
The basics
Piece movement, check, checkmate, and the rules that trip everyone up at first.
- How each piece moves
- Castling, en passant, promotion
- Reading the board & notation
02 / Improving
Game improvement
The tactical patterns and opening ideas that win junior games most often.
- Forks, pins, skewers, discovered attacks
- Opening principles & common traps
- Basic checkmates (K+Q, K+R)
03 / Sharpening
Skills & practice
For juniors playing in tournaments or chasing their first rating.
- Endgame technique (pawn endings, opposition)
- Playing with a clock
- Recording and reviewing your games
Our coaches
Meet the team behind the board.
ES
Eric Sachs
Founder
Since 2014
TS
Tony Sanderson
Senior Coach
DBS-checked
SB
Steve Bailey
Coach
DBS-checked
GH
Graham Hillman
Coach
DBS-checked
Ready when you are
Your child's next move starts Saturday.
Fill in the registration — Eric will confirm a place within a couple of days. Chess sets, coaches, and friendly opponents are waiting.