Welcome
Our Junior Chess Club is designed for children who want to learn chess, improve their skills, and enjoy the game in a friendly and supportive environment. We cater for beginners through to more experienced junior players, with coaching tailored to different ability levels.
Chess helps develop concentration, problem-solving, patience, and sportsmanship, all while being fun and social.
When & Where
- Day: Tuesday
- Time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm
- Start date: Start of school term
- Runs during school terms only
- Venue: Salvation Army (Lower Hall), Bluegum Rd, Paraparaumu
Sessions typically run for around 10 weeks per term, with breaks during school holidays.
What We Do
Each session usually includes:
- Structured coaching and instruction
- Tactics and basic strategy
- Supervised practice games
- Mini-tournaments and fun challenges
- Guidance on good chess behaviour and etiquette
Who Can Join?
- Children aged 6 years and older
- Beginners are very welcome – no prior experience required
- More experienced juniors will be challenged and supported to improve further
Players are grouped where possible so they are learning alongside others of a similar level.
Fees
- Junior Club fee: $30 per term
- Annual Junior Club membership: $90
(Discounts may apply for siblings – please enquire.)
Pathways & Opportunities
- Junior members are encouraged to:
- Progress to the main club when ready
- Play in junior tournaments and school events
- Take part in regional and national junior competitions
Enrolment & Contact
To register or ask questions, please contact:
Name: Gordon Lyall
Email: gordon@crazyhorsechess.co.nz
Phone: 029 905 8045
Places can be limited, so early registration is recommended.
Junior Chess News
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Junior Club Champs – Everything to Play For in the Final Round
The penultimate round of the Junior Club Champs delivered some mighty battles across the boards. Champions Division: On board one, Isaiah – playing Black against Stanley – resourcefully defended an inferior endgame and ultimately claimed the full point in a tense time scramble. On board two, James (White) faced George in another closely fought endgame,
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Junior Club Champs set for an exciting finish
With five rounds now complete in the Junior Club Championship, everything is set for an exciting finish over the final two rounds. Champions Division The big surprise of the night came on board one, where Stanley was unable to convert his initiative against Jingwei. After defending accurately for much of the game, Jingwei reached a
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2025 Kāpiti Junior Chess Championship
The sixth running of the Kāpiti Junior Open and Schools Championship saw another great turnout, with 83 players along with parents and caregivers from all around the Kāpiti, Horowhenua and Wellington region filling the playing venue at Paraparaumu College. It was fantastic atmosphere as kids competed individually and as part of their school over four
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Junior Rapid Decided
In the Champions Division, Stanley had a strong showing, scoring 7 points from 8 games and dropping only one game to James in Round 4. The battle for the minor placings was extremely close, with three players finishing on 6 points. On tie-break, Jingwei claimed second place, while Isaiah secured third. Oscar M delivered a
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Junior members compete at NZCF Interschool championship
A number of junior members recently had the honour of representing their school at the recent NZCF Wellington Region Interschool Championship. The Kapiti Horowhenua region sent 9 teams to the event, and 14 of our junior members represented their school. Notable performances included 3rd place for Levin in the Intermediate division which was the most
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Junior T1 Rapid reaches halfway mark (04/03/25)
The junior T1 Rapid competition reached the halfway mark with 3 rounds completed. In the Open Division, Isaiah continued his winning form with a good win with the black pieces on board 1. Tautua and Devin, on board 2, were unable to create any imbalance and a draw was a fair result. There were good