Stafford Library Junior Chess Club

Welcome to Stafford Library Junior Chess Club, which has been running since 2017. We are an excellent resource for the younger chess players in Stafford to learn and improve their game with guidance from a highly skilled and experienced coach, and also as a springboard to progress on to the more senior chess scene at Stafford Chess Club.

Session times: Alan offers various session times depending on popularity. He also offers lessons and classes for absolute beginners.

Board Fee: £2.00 per session (Limited places per session, so book early!)

Enquiries to: aa.chess@sky.com (Alan Ruffle - Head coach)

Please note this is a serious junior chess club. All children must be are accompanied by parent / appropriate adult.

View the Juniors Coaching Syllabus

Meet the Coach

Hello, my name is Alan Ruffle and I am a very keen chess player. In 1957 as an eleven-year-old schoolboy I learned to play chess. I played in the school team in matches with other local schools. I have played and loved the game of chess ever since.

I tell people that it takes seven and a half minutes for me to teach a person how to play chess, and then if they are like me they will spend the next sixty years of playing and studying the game to become a reasonably competent player.

I now prefer to put more effort into organising junior chess and arbiting. I am a regular arbiter with the Four Nations Chess League, probably the best chess league in the world.

I am a qualified ECF Arbiter, former director of Junior chess and education, sitting on the Board of the English Chess Federation and I hold an Enhanced DBS certificate.

Welcome to Stafford Library Junior Chess Club.

Alan Ruffle
English Chess Federation Arbiter / Coach.