The IGO Chess Club meets at 10:00 am 2nd and 4th Fridays during the 'winter' months (September–April), but 4th Fridays only during the 'summer' months (May–July). There are no meetings in August or December. A reminder email with a Zoom link is sent a few days before each meeting.
In addition to playing friendly chess games, we also examine interesting puzzles, grandmaster games and instructive videos. The group is not intended for beginners! A typical member has played little chess since school days but is interested in taking up the game on retirement.
The (approximate and flexible) format of our meetings is as follows:
10:00–10:20 Chess puzzles or practice positions from Lichess
10:20–10:40 A short biography of a World Chess Champion and an illustrative game
10:40–11:00 Analysis of a recent game played between two members (if available)
11.00–12.00 Play on Lichess. Unfinished games can continue in the member's own time.
We use Lichess as the chess server on which we play our games. As a prerequisite, it is advantageous if you register for an account with Lichess. This makes it easier to send a challenge to your opponent when a game is initiated.
If you have ever had an English Chess Federation (ECF) grading, please let us know. Otherwise, a rough indication of your chess proficiency is helpful.