All juniors in school years two to 13 inclusive from across Dorset are invited to take part in Merley’s first-ever Junior Chess Festival, whether they are a complete novice or an experienced player.

As well as a chess tournament there will be an introduction to chess for beginners, bitesize coaching sessions, a simultaneous chess display, a raffle and chess puzzles.

Tournament sections will be based on experience, so everyone has a chance to win a medal whatever their level.

It’s not a knockout, so all players will be able to play six rounds of chess.

The tournament will commence at 12.30pm and is expected to finish around 3.30pm.

Entry to the festival is free.

There will be free tea, coffee, squash and biscuits available throughout and snacks at a notional cost.

Parents are invited too. Free WiFi is available. There may be chess books for sale and a chess club stall.

Anyone who would like to attend or wishes to play in the tournament should confirm their attendance on the Dorset Chess website https://www.dorsetchess.co.uk/djcf-2022/ or by emailing Nikki Forster, the Dorset Junior Chess coordinator at nikkiforster2015@gmail.com.