Coaching in Plymouth

Our esteemed colleague Nick Butland is offering group coaching sessions to juniors in Plymouth.

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PAST Training events (click for notes)

Title
DJCA squad training event Sun 9th Nov 2025	A day for the Devon County Team squads -- Invitation-only	Sunday, November 9, 2025 - 10:00
DJCA squad training event SAT16th Nov 2024	A day for the Devon County Team squads U11 U14 U18 Invitation-only	Saturday, November 16, 2024 - 10:00
DJCA squad training event SUN 19th Nov 2023	A day for the Devon County Team squads U11 U14 U18 Invitation-only	Sunday, November 19, 2023 - 10:00
U18/U14 training event Sat 3rd June 2023	A day for the Devon County Team squads U9 U11 U14 U18 Invitation-only	Saturday, June 3, 2023 - 10:00
DJCA U18 Training Tournament 2021	Open to all players 13+ but will suit stronger players. Invitation spots for strong U13 players. All games to be played on Lichess Players will receive coaching notes from the games	Saturday, February 20, 2021 - 09:30
TBGS Invitational Training Evening	Nick Butland Championship Analysis	Monday, December 9, 2019 - 17:30
TBGS Invitational Training Evening	Julian Bacon Surviving the Opening	Wednesday, November 27, 2019 - 17:30
TBGS Invitational Training Evening	Dave Regis on Endgames	Thursday, November 7, 2019 - 17:30
TBGS Invitational Training Evening	Trefor Thynne Master Commentary	Wednesday, October 9, 2019 - 17:30
DJCA Invitational Team Training Evening		Thursday, January 9, 2020 - 17:30
DJCA Training Day	DJCA squad training day	Saturday, November 16, 2019 - 10:00
DJCA Junior Squad Training INVITATION ONLY	Squad members will receive an invitation by email. If you think you have been forgotten, please contact us. This is for all players in the squad, not just those in the team selected for the South Wales & West of England Jamboree on Saturday 13^th January, for which invitations have not yet been made. Players to arrive for 0945, please.	Saturday, November 18, 2017 - 10:00

Chess Tips

MIDDLEGAME TIPS:

* KNIGHT: The short-stepping Knight can get left behind if the battle moves away, so the best bet is to keep them in the centre. They are often best placed on c3 and f3 in the opening, although a Pawn on c3 may be needed to support d2-d4. Later, e5 and d5 are useful squares to occupy when they can threaten Pawns on c7/f7 and pinned Knights on c6/f6. They may be driven away from e5/d5 by pawns; best are squares where the opponent cannot - or dare not - chase them with pawns. If Black has moved his Pawns from c7 to c5 and from e7 to e5 then a Knight on d5 can never be driven away, only exchanged for another piece. When this happens, you can try to recapture with another piece which also cannot be driven off. But another good square for a Knight, when pawns are on e4 and e5, is f5: here it threatens the pawn on g7, and if ever Black pushes it away with g6 then a hole appears on h6 for the Knight to hop into, perhaps giving check.

Devon Junior Chess Association (DJCA)

Supporting junior chess in the county

Devon Junior Chess

attachment:

PAST Training events (click for notes)

Coaching in Plymouth

Chess Tips