Junior Event Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

Do I have to stay with my child ?

No, in fact we discourage it. We operate a secure venue and ask parent guardians to leave to allow us to operate a safe event. If parent guardians were wandering around the venue, then we would be unable to take responsibility for those children whose parent guardians cannot stay.

We usually have a separate area for any parent guardians that do want to stay.

Can I stay to watch the chess ?

We encourage guardians to leave the children to play Chess once they have settled. It is possible to stay a little while to check the children are happy. You can pop back in occasionally if you wish. If you have any concerns then please pass these on to your childs section leader or to the event director.

Is lunch available on site ?

This may vary on each site so please check the event details. We hope that more venues will be able to provide simple snacks or tuck shops going forward. Most children bring drinks and a packed lunch ( absolutely no nuts please ) that they munch on during the day. Playing chess is thirsty and hungry work.

Is there a half day option ?

We dont currently encourage this, as it complicates the tournament pairings. If however your child wants to leave at lunch time then we can facilitate this. If your child wants to speak to you at any time during the day then of course we will contact you. A child leaving mid way through the tournament would simply score 0 for any remaining matches. If this makes an odd number of players, then one player would be given a bye for each remaining round.

Can I just turnup and signup on the day ?

Sorry No, we need to setup the sections in advance so we can generate the pairings i.e. Who plays who. Please register on line, the night before at the absolute latest.

What section should I enter my child into ?

We typically run sections of Pawns, Knights, Bishops, Rooks and Queens.

Children playing in the Pawns section are typically new to chess and play inconsistently, often with hanging pieces and often with a random outcome between 2 players. 

Once the children start playing chess consistently then they would probably score highly in the Pawns and its time to move up to the Knights

Children playing in the Knights section tend to make less mistakes and have some awareness of common checkmates and tactics ( forks, pins etc )

Children playing in the higher sections such as Bishops, Rooks and Queens have typically played in previous Chess events and likely represented Lancs at under9 or under11.

Are coaches and helpers DBS checked ?

Yes ALL coaches and helpers have a valid enhanced DBS certificate.

We ( the Lancashire Chess Association ) maintain a database with DBS certificate details including date of birth and run annual checks against the DBS update service to ensure nothing has changed since the date of issue.

We are keen that many coaches, helpers and parent guardians get involved in helping to run our events so we submit our own DBS checks through the intermediary service “Checks Direct”. The DBS service charges the LCA just 12 pound for volunteers, which we cover through our event charges.,

Is there a qualified first aider on site ?

Yes, we ensure that we always have a qualified first aider in our coaching team. The coaches are listed on the individual event details pages. Any health issues or concerns on the registration notes are passed on the first aiders. And a separate note for each childs section leader alongside guardian contact details.

If you wish to discuss details or pass on any medication then please speak to either the event director or your childs section leader. If required we will involve a first aider in any discussion.

Can I sit with my child whilst they play ?

We try to discourage this as it can be off putting for the other children.

We do the following to try to mitigate the diverse needs of the children

• We have multiple Pawns sections with a helper per section. The helpers are very kind and supportive, sometimes primary teachers and are made aware of any concerns.
• We encourage all the children to be supportive, considerate and kind to each other
• For the lower sections without clocks, only after all the other games in the section are finished would the section leader then get involved to help bring the game to a close. Maybe offering help to both sides, maybe suggesting a draw and then outlining what each player could have done. It’s deliberately low pressure
• Its not a serious event .. its just a fun event to get more kids playing more chess … only the top sections will use clocks and be more formal
• Some parent guardians may stay in the playing hall a little while after we start playing Chess to check that their child is settled and happy. And to see the level of support from our lovely helpers and coaches in the playing hall
• Guardians can pop back in whenever they want to check on their child, we normally have 2 receptionists who will enable this to happen
• Section leaders will escalate to the event director if any of the children are not happy and we will immediately call guardians to discuss.
• If there is a coach or helper that your child is familiar with then we can usually match them up as section leader for your childs section
• Any queries or if you wish to discuss further … Please submit an entry for your child and add a note on the “Any health concerns of allergies” text box on the entry form. Somebody will contact you to discuss appropriate support.