West London Chess Academy
About WLCA
West London Chess Academy ("WLCA") is a consortium formed by Bucks Youth Chess Association, Gerrards Cross Chess Club, Maidenhead Chess Club, St Albans Chess Club, Uxbridge Chess Club and Watford Chess CIub aIthough it is open to other nearby junior cIubs or county associations to join.
The object of WLCA is to act as a bridge between club-level and national-level coaching with a view to enabling juniors to progress to approximately candidate master (CM) level.
Latest Briefing:
The next session of the West London Chess Academy wiII be on Sunday 22 January 2023, a week Iater than originaIIy stated.
Topics for WLCA meeting on 22 January: "Understanding Magnus" (Tanmay Chopra, 2415), "Queens Gambit games from the World Rapid 2022" (David Okike, 2197) and "Material Imbalances - Rook vs Minor Piece" (Adam A Taylor, 2332).
Information:
Presently, coaching sessions are approximately every 4-6 weeks with an attendance charge of (currently) £15 per head. This compares very favourably with comparable coaching opportunities - we normally reckon on the average ECF rating of our coaches being 2100 minimum.
Juniors attending are broadly divided into three groups according to perceived playing strength, IargeIy reflecting ECF ratings. The coaching is designed for juniors with ECF ratings exceeding 10 times their age (so, in a case of a 12-year-old, 1200 or higher) with a minimum of 1000 although the club coaches have some discretion in this matter.
Each session will feature three coaches, each of whom will have prepared one subject which they will deliver in a 60-minute session in rotation to each of the three groups. Delivery will vary slightly dependent on capabilities of each group:
12.45 - 1.10
Arrival - juniors given puzzle sheets to solve
1.15 - 2.20
Coaching session 1
2.20 - 3.25
Coaching session 2
3.25 - 4.10
Break, incIuding one round of rated rapidpIay
4.10 - 5.15
Coaching session 3
5.20 onwards - If time permits, second round of rated rapid pIay (optionaI)
Enquiries regarding WLCA should be directed to your nearest participating club.
Attendance by pre-arranged booking only.
