The Devon U14 Team does battle each year against other teams from the West of England and South Wales. I have been providing a bit of feedback on their games over the while, and the collected comments are below. They're a sort of battle manual for junior chess, and I hope everyone will find something to help their chess here. There is a list of topics underneath and a list of tips at the back of most booklets. If you read a tip and don't understand it, look up the position in the booklet. Any questions? Drop me a line.

Contents:

u14_2024.pdf U14/U18 Jamboree games with comments 2024 [GAMES]

• General opening advice:
  • Knights before Bishops,
  • Good development once started must be completed,
  • Finish devlopment bvefore attacking,
  • Your Rooks need an open file (or a half-open one)
• Choosing easier openings
• Natural developing moves aren’t good enough
• The slow system against the Two Knights
• Blunder-proofing
• How does this help? (Who does this help?)
• Natural vs accurate moves
• Energy
• Pawn weaknesses
• Bishops and Pawns
• King and Pawn endgames (again(
• Fortresses

u14_2023.pdf U14/U18 Jamboree games with comments 2023 [GAMES]

• A. Challenge the centre and open a file
• B. Avoid Dreadful little Rook’s Pawn moves (DLRPMs)
• C. An opening is only as good as the ideas you bring to it.
• D. Get your eye in for tactics
• E. Eliminate blunders
• F. Energy
• G. Know the swapping rules
• H. Prefer Bishops to Knights
• I. Castling in the endgame (don't)
• J. Avoid being left with just your King if you stand worse

u14_2020.pdf U14/U18 Jamboree games with comments 2020 [GAMES]

• A. Playing against 'dodgy' openings
• B. Practice tactics
• C. Leap in the dark
• D. Take threats seriously
• E. Playing safe is dangerous
• F. Isolated Queen's Pawns
• G. Know the swapping rules

u14_2019.pdf U14/U18 Jamboree games with comments 2019

• A. Steinitz’ Law & Dr.Dave’s advice
• B. Practise your disco moves
• C. Country moves
• D. Endgames to watch
• E. Good and bad traps
• F. An exchange is probably better for somebody
• G. Play proper openings (not Old Stodge)

u14_2018.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2016

• A. Don't make any silly mistakes
• B. Play proper Openings
• C. Be careful about swaps!
• D. Chess is a team game
• E. Endgames worth looking at
• F. Resigning

u14_2017.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2016

• Silly mistakes
• Proper openings
• Old Stodge, Two Knights
• Writing down moves

u14_2016.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2016

• Swapping
• Attack and defence
• King and pawn endgames
• Sit on your hands
• Proper openings

u14_2015.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2015

• Blunders
• Attacking
• Being pushy
• Ruy Lopez, French Exchange, Two Knights, Philidor

u14_2014.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2014

• Chess and mistakes
• Pawns and planning - Isolated Queen's Pawns
• The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit

u14_2013.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2013

• Openings: Colle, Scandinavian, Danish, Hypermodern, QG Accepted&Slav
• Blunder-proofing your game
• Stop trying to win, and win!
• Playing for traps

u14_2012.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2012

• Openings: Bishop's Opening, and the Caro-Kann and King's Indian defences
• A basic opening repertoire
• Listen to the pawns
• Opposite-coloured Bishops

u14_2011.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2011

With guest appearance from Devon's top player Dominic Mackle!

• Openings: Petroff and Philidor Defences (and another rant about Old Stodge)
• A basic opening repertoire
• Spotting tactics

u14_20043.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2004

• Openings: Old Stodge [Giuoco Pianissimo], Sicilian Defence, French Defence, Queen's Gambit, Queen's Pawn Game without c4, King's Gambit, Scotch Game and Gambit
• Clockwork attacks, Pawns, What to swap

u14_2005b.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2005

• Openings: Two Knights', French Defence, Scotch Game, Queen's Game and Gambit, King's Gambit, Sicilian Defence, Old Stodge
• Blunder-proofing, Endgames

u14_2006.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2006

• Openings: Time-wasting, Italian Game&Old Stodge, French Defence, Queen's Gambit Declined
• Planning, Tactics

u14_2007.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2007

• Openings: General Opening Principles, Ruy Lopez
• Swapping, Basic Tactics&Nets, Endgame passed pawns

u14_2008.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2008

• Openings: Queen's Gambit, French Defence, Sicilian, Four Knights, Stonewall
• Swapping off in the endgame, Choosing a move, Tactics: discoveries, Queen sacrifices, Playing with a plan

u14_2009.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2009

• Openings: General Principles, Old Stodge, Italian Game, Sicilian, Queen's Gambit, Ruy Lopez, Scandinavian Defence,
• Tactics Advice, Strategy Advice, Thinking, Self-analysis

u14_2010.pdf U14 Jamboree games with comments 2010

• Openings: Old Stodge&London System, Double King-Pawn Opening, Semi-Open Games, Queen's Gambit, Unusual Openings
• Blunders, Tactics exercises, Strategy Advice
• Endgames: win when you're winning, Endgame theory