In addition to adult chess, the club provides chess coaching sessions for children, “Ealing Cadets”, who are aged 5-16. The coaching is intended to promote chess amongst youngsters and is not for profit. We group 10 – 15 sessions into “terms” which broadly align with local school terms. The sessions take place on Mondays from 5:30pm until 7:00pm at Boddington Gardens Sports Club.

Ealing Cadets has been accredited by the English Chess Federation (ECF) as complying with their Junior Development Pathway criteria (see Junior Development Pathway). Our coach, Mark Robinson, has an up-to-date DBS certificate, and had a 35-year career in education. Each week, he organises games and mini-tournaments between the cadets and uses a large TV screen to demonstrate chess ideas, puzzles, tactics, openings and strategies. Mark also organises various online chess tournaments for the cadets in a protected online environment. Participation is voluntary. Cadets also play in occasional over-the-board matches against schools and other chess clubs.

Please note – In Ealing Cadets, we try to keep numbers of boys and girls roughly equal and therefore have separate waiting lists. Our boys waiting list is quite long, and can take over two years for a place to become available. We do not accept complete beginners. New cadets need to know the rules, how the pieces move and the idea of checkmate.

The cost of the sessions is £4 per child per session (£3 for siblings). The first “taster” session is free to see if the sessions meet the child’s and parents’ expectations. It is Ealing Chess Club’s aim to make chess universally available to all children. The cost of the sessions should not be a factor in a child joining us. If the costs are a problem, you are urged to approach us as we are happy to have a confidential conversation about the fees.

Contact: Neville Rowden
Tel: None
Mobile: None
Email: secretary.ealing.chess.club@gmail.com

Ealing Chess Club has a safe-guarding policy for under 18s – see Safeguarding Policy.