Knights & Bytes
Chess Tuition - Database Solutions - Good Move!
Hindmarsh 5007
Mob: 0401 672 481
Fax: 08 8353 4008
About Us
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Shop Hours 136 Port Rd Hindmarsh 5007
Very sorry but school commitments mean that the shop will only be open: Saturdays: 9am-12 noon this term Other times by appointment but we are now planning to make much greater use of the Shop in 2016 - they have built a tram to it, for Heaven's sake! :) Free Downloads Download 10 day trial trial version of Good Move! GoodMove for Macintosh (31Mb) GoodMove for Windows (30Mb) You need Quicktime on your machine - it is supplied with Macs but if you need it for Windows, please click here and download version 7 in about a minute - simply run the Installer - and then all the movies will run.
Good Move! Check out the sample screens and movies - you will love them! School Chess Coaching Knights & Bytes has been teaching chess in schools locally for many years. We have taught thousands of students and many have gone on to become champions. Chess offers students and schools many benefits - click here for a list of benefits that our students have received. Email us at alang@knightsandbytes.com.au for more information regarding School Coaching We taught chess at the following schools in 2015:
and many others .. Sales
Chess Gifts We have gifts that all chess players will love, from the superb Kasparov books through to classic wooden Staunton sets and boards. We have the latest Fritz 12 and Digital clocks. We also have the beautiful Giant Garden sets @ $450 as well as fancy sets like: The Crusaders, Waterloo, American Civil War and The Eygptians |
Other Links associated with
Knights & Bytes
(Western Adelaide Coastal Residents' Association Inc)
Sports Day Databases
Knights & Bytes is a special business set up in South Australia by Alan Goldsmith to promote chess to schools, groups and individuals and to develop a wide range of elegant databases, suited to your business. We also provide chess equipment and books. Alan has been writing the Sunday Mail chess column for years, played a Brilliancy in an Australian Championship that is rated amongst the best games ever played in Australia and is President of the SA Junior Chess League.
Last updated 11th February 2016
Exciting NEWS
The Knights & Bytes Chess Shop will now also be open on Mondays and Fridays from 3.30pm-5pm -ish for after-school coaching and games with Kevin Sheldrick, the current SA State Champion. The cost is just $15 per session and this is a wonderful opportunity to learn the real tricks of the trade with one of SA's most wily and entertaining players. Kevin has won the State title 3-times and has a fabulous way of explaining the game to kids - they will learn lots of tricks quickly - and gain an understanding of tctics and strategy.
MASSIVE SAVINGS ON GIANT SETS - NOW REDUCED TO JUST $450 for the large 64cm pieces
Our half-size giant sets are $150 and mats for these are $40. We have lots of wonderful sets in - great for schools - just $15 for competition set in tote bag or $20 for superb weighted set or $25 for the delux weighted set and mats from $5- see here or give me a ring on 0401 67 2481 or send an email
2016 Holiday Chess Classes
Gentle learning and lots of wonderful tricks!
Half-day/Full day classes
| Term 1 | Thursday 21st April and/or Friday 22nd April 2016 |
The morning class starts at around 9.15am and finishes at12.15pm. The Afternoon class starts at 12.30pm and finishes around 3.30pm. |
| Term 2 | Thursday 14th July and/or Friday 15th July 2016 |
The morning class starts at around 9.15am and finishes at12.15pm. The Afternoon class starts at 12.30pm and finishes around 3.30pm. |
| Term 4 | Thursday 6th October and/or Friday 7th October 2016 |
The morning class starts at around 9.15am and finishes at12.15pm. The Afternoon class starts at 12.30pm and finishes around 3.30pm. |
| Term 4 | Thursday 22nd December 2016 | The morning class starts at around 9.15am and finishes at12.15pm. The Afternoon class starts at 12.30pm and finishes around 3.30pm. |
The Coaching Classes are suitable for youngsters of all levels and ages (6+) - from beginner (but a knowledge of how the pieces move will be assumed) to advanced. The classes will cover many key ideas and consist of many short lessons and games, all designed to help students discover the real joy of chess. Girls in particular are taught to counter-attack! Advanced students will discover 'Savage chess'!
All the students play each other in a friendly, social atmosphere.
We have deliberately introduced the new format of having a morning or afternoon class to make the day more suitable for very young children - youngsters older than 8 should have no problems coping with a fullday.
Fees: The cost for either the morning or afternoon class is $25 for the first child and $15 for each additional child of the same family. The cost for the FULL day is $35 per day and $20 per additional child..
Pizzas can be ordered for lunch - $5 per person - and will be ordered for 12.15pm.
Venue: The Chess Centre, 10 Ranelagh St. Adelaide - just off Waymouth St, west of Light Square. The Chess Centre will be open from 8.30am - 4.00pm for early arrivals and late leavers.
NEW - Register online - Please register soon but pay on the day
Chess Classes for Adults - Board Meetings - date to be announced
You are guaranteed to learn some new and important ideas each time. The cost per session is $15 and the classes will be held at the shop on 136 Port Rd Hindmarsh.
Cost: Just $90 for 6 evenings - 6pm-7.30pm or $15 per evening
The classes will cover all the key strategic ideas needed to play good chess. They will show you how to make an attack work or repel one that's unsound. You will also be armed with some stunning openings that you’ll love springing on an opponent.
To quote highly-respected British author Gary Lane, writing about one of Alan’s wins: Suitable for new players or those returning to chess after an absence. For more information and to register, please either ring Alan on 0401 67 2481 or send an email to alang@knightsandbytes.com.au or click here If you would like to hear about the current state of Australian chess - it's very exciting! - and to listen to some ideas on chess by Alan, please check out this great podcast http://www.facebook.com/chesscrazytalk - episode 24 - Pete and Kev are just brilliant.
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THE ROOKIES CLUB - Sunday afternoons - once a month
The Rookies Club was an Adelaide institution for over 15 years and resumed in 2012. Tournaments will be held roughly once a month, near the start of the month where practical, from 2pm - 4pm.
Sunday 28th February 2016
Sunday 6th March 2016
Sunday 3rd April 2016
Sunday 8th May 2016
Sunday 5th June 2016
Sunday 3rd July 2016
Sunday 7th August 2016
Sunday 4th September 2016
Sunday 30th October 2016
Sunday 27th November 2016
Venue: The Chess Centre, 10 Ranelagh St Adelaide 5000
Cost: $10 per afternoon.
Format: There will be a general tournament each week with prizes, along with friendly games and short lessons for novices and youngsters not keen on competitions yet.
Suitable: for ALL juniors aged 5 and above - beginners to advanced
Juniors do not need to turn up for all these events - they can simply turn up on any of the days.
2016
Chess Coaching at the shop
If you would like to learn chess, there are many options:
Saturday Mornings - small groups!
| 8:30 am - 12 noon | Juniors | $15 per hour session - you pick the hour!!! |
These sessions on a Saturday morning are a delight! Held at our shop in Hindmarsh, they consist of small groups of juniors who are given lessons and play others who turn up.
If you have a child who would like to tke part, please give Alan a ring. Generally students turn up at a time that suits them and stay for about an hour - they soon make friends with any other students there at that time and can learn an enormous amount from each other.
Students will learn the essence of the game - the importance of development and how the pieces interact - and discover some wonderful opening ideas to pep up their game. They might like to learn about the Scotch Gambit or some of the latest theory on a pet line in the Sicilian. Or perhaps how they could have crashed through an opponent's defence or perhaps have saved the game - whatever they think they need, we can help - I hope! :)
Private lessons
These cost $35 - $50 and can be conducted at the shop or your home, depending on your location. This option is very popular - sometimes it is individual students or small groups - but please book early - there are only limited times available.
Good Move!
Our key chess product is Good Move! and to see some sample movies, please click here
You can also download a free 10 day trial copy of Good Move! If you like it, please let us know - we are sure you will discover many wonderful ideas - and we will send you a new registration key - it will only cost $20 including GST if you purchase and pay through paypal - and you will be eligible for the next upgrade free!
Payments:
You can pay via bank transfer - our bank details are: Bendigo Bank. BSB: 633-000. Account Number: 148503279
PayPal
We also accept PayPal payments. Here are the instructions for using PayPal.
Go to the PayPal site at www.paypal.com and login
Click on Send Money on the top menu
Pay the amount to alang@knightsandbytes.com.au
The cost for an individual copy on disk is just $27.50 (includes GST) or $165 for a school Licence - see more details.
We are also very proud to have produced Good Move! Chess for Schools and Life - a CD-ROM to teach chess to students of all ages.
"I want to congratulate you for
your CD Good Move. I find it brilliant it certainly helps me in my attempts
to improve my game and make sense of the complexities of Chess. Fantastic
stuff! Thank you!"
Fred Roberg - September 2004
"A really fantastic program!
I have thoroughly enjoyed using it. It is well designed and very informative.
Perfect for school chess programs. I have longed for a program like this
for years. Thanks for producing it. It makes teaching the game of chess
so much easier."
Michael McKenna - Mooroolbark East Primary School
- View
More Reviews
School Coaching
If you would like
your students to be involved with chess, Knights & Bytes
can provide a coaching service for your school - before or
after-school, lunchtimes and in lesson times. We are able to
coach small groups or whole classes and either the school
pays about $50 per session (depending where the school is) or if the parents wish to pay, then it
ranges from $3 - $5 per student, with a minimum of 8
students. If you would like to have classes during school
time, our rate is $55 per class. All prices include GST.
If you would like a free demonstration at your school at
any time, please give Alan a ring on 0401 67
2481 (if he is not in his shop) and schedule an hour or two
and he will come and take on any number of students
simultaneously - he finished equal 4th in Australia years
ago and has has been SA State Champion three times and just
loves a challenge. Students who can beat him will win a
prize!
Country Schools
If your school would like a day visit by Alan Goldsmith, please give us a ring - our rates are sensible (around the $330 mark dependng on where the school is) and we guarantee your students will enjoy it.
Interschool Competition - calendar
Schools who are taking part in this year's interschool competition should check the SAJCL website for details - www.sajuniorchess.org. Other invaluable websites are those for the SA Chess Association and the Australian Chess Federation.
Chess Tempo
To improve at chess
- The Internet
Possibly the fastest way to learn at chess is to use the wonderful www.chesstempo.com website - it is free, absolutely safe and very clever!!
Log on to www.chesstempo.com and try doing a few problems to improve your tactics. It's a free website but you simply:
1 register a name
2 logon using that name
You will be given a rating of 1500 which is pretty high but that will change shortly :)
3 click on the training button near the top left hand corner and start doing the problems.
You may get the first 5 or 6 problems wrong but DON'T PANIC :) - by the 7th your rating should reflect your strength and you will start getting problems you can solve.
And as you get more right, your rating goes up and the problems get harder. It's a brilliant way to learn and the problems are all from real games. I get hundreds of students using it each year.
We also recommend the Internet Chess Club as a great safe place to play chess on the Internet. It's easy to use, the players range from beginners to super-grandmasters and you can pick a game format that suits you. I usually just logon and play 5 minute games - I just choose the 5 option and then I am paired against someone near my own rating. And if I win the game, my rating goes up usually about 10 points while if I lose, it drops by something similar. You can choose to play hour long games if you wish or ask for a game at a time rate that suits you. Go to the website and discover why thousands of players choose to play chess on ICC - it does cost money however - around $USD60 for an adult or $USD30 for juniors but the value is superb - unlimited time to play opponents who love the game. Another good alternative is the free Internet Chess Club - FICS or www.chess.com.