The annual Aberdeen Chess Academy Doubles Championship takes place at Northfield Academy on Saturday 28^th October, starting at 10.30am.

Despite the huge popularity of Doubles in junior circles, this is the ONLY ANNUAL DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP IN SCOTLAND!

Doubles rules are simple. It involves two pairs of players working as teams, one playing the white pieces, the other the black pieces. Captured Chessmen are passed to partners, who have the option of placing these new pieces on their board at any time it is their turn to move, and skipping a turn. The game is won when the first checkmate occurs.

Teams competing in the Aberdeen Chess Academy Doubles Championship 2006 may have a maximum total grade of 1500. Most partnerships are arranged prior to the tournament, although anyone interested in playing, but does not have a partner, should still come along and pair up with someone on the day.

In addition to the fun element of Doubles play, all teams choose a name for their partnerships. There is a prize for the pair choosing the most interesting or novel team name. Last years most interesting name was judged to be ‘The Optimists’.

The Doubles Championship is being run as a knock-out style event. Pair that are eliminated will then play graded games in the BG Group sponsored Aberdeen Schools Chess League. There are still places available for any player wishing to compete in the league, which has 4 divisions, 3 based on published Scottish rankings, the fourth is for beginners or unranked players.

Two week later, on Saturday November 11, heats of the BG Group sponsored Scottish Junior Chess Primary Novice Championships. Running simultaneously there are heats of the BG Scottish 600 Cup, also sponsored by BG Group, which is restricted to Secondary or P7 students having a Scottish ELO ranking of up to 600.