Hi Everyone,

The January blog is a list of special chess themed events for educators of all subjects and chess fans.

1/ First up is the Recreational Maths Colloquium in Lisbon. Running from the 26th to 29th January. LogiqBoard’s very own co-creator and Fide Education Secretary Rita Atkins will be presenting Mathematical Games on the Chessboard!

John Foley from ChessPlus Limited will be presenting ‘Teaching Games in Primary School, a new approach’. Straight after John’s session is Rob Eastaway’s Shakespearean Games.

I had the pleasure of seeing them both reunite at the UK Joint Maths Conference last year, where John and I presented. A captured moment of old friends talking chess, maths and Shakespeare whilst playing a game of ‘Sliding Rooks’. ♜♜

This is a stand out conference for me, an amazing line up of mathematical minds all coming together. For more info click: https://ludicum.org/rmc-viii-2025/

No. 2/ A Ball For All, with Elias Mastoras

Check out the newly released documentary A Ball for All. A short and inspiring film showing the journey of Elias Mastoras and his work with his Ball for All campaign. Elias has fought tirelessly to bring football to blind and visually impaired children. If you’re an educator who is passionate about sports and inclusion this is a must see piece of film. Watch part or all of it in a school assembly, PSHE or sports lesson.

The Ball for All documentary will inspire and teach children about inclusion, passion, hard work, community and human connection. Glimpses of top footballers and the real stories of Loukia and Leandros will move you. Showing us the power of sports and how it can change lives.

I had the pleasure of meeting Elias this Summer, weeks before the Paralympic football in Paris! As the then chairman of the Paralympics Blind football, he shared his plans that would take place, his vision, new i-pad technology, the tech inside the football, blind football rules and the community activities he planned to make this an event like no other.

Do read my previous blog where I also share his impressive chess background, his chess academy and his chess projects for the blind and visually impaired. The photos of the stadium beneath the Eiffel Tower are stunning.

Elias is a special human indeed.

Oh and a final reason to adore this man…. blind women’s football will now be at the next Paralympics! (A secret I can now share.)

Watch this superb documentary here: https://youtu.be/5AedEvl5Rrw

No. 3/ Strategy Game course this weekend!

There’s still time to book onto my favourite course, Strategy Games in the Classroom. Led by the fabulous duo, Brigitta Peszleg and John Foley you will love every second. Spend a Saturday playing games. A course you can take straight back to the classroom, run a games club in your school or community or just come along for fun. You’ll be playing on my favourite platform…LogiqBoard of course!

To book a place, click here: https://chessplus.net/upcoming-ecu-training-courses/

No.4/ ‘Know time Podcast’ with Maurice Ashley

Next up is a brilliant podcast with Maurice Ashley, the author of my favourite children’s book, The Life Changing Magic of Chess. I dare you to watch five minutes of the Know time podcast and not be hooked. Maurice talks chess, AI, world champions, hustling, chess psychology, life and the art of chess.

We met in Budapest this year and had so much to share about the transformative power of chess. The greatest gain on the chessboard is the way it can be used to shape behaviour and emotions. Maths comes second 🤫

Do checkout my book blog too. Maurice’s journey into chess is inspiring, for the podcast click:

https://youtu.be/-iZVpgTMuMA?si=sLBKcMYkNals1pPh

Maurice, if you’re reading this don’t forget the little pawn you said you’d meet before Singapore… ♟️

5/ ECU monthly discussion group.

My fifth event is the online monthly ECU discussion meeting on Wednesday 29th January. I’m a guest speaker and oh so excited!🎙

Join host, Brigitta Peszleg and myself, as I’ll be presenting a session on Talk tasks in the chess classroom and chess club. You’ll leave with a whole range of talk tasks to take back to your students. We’ll be talking communication skills, silent chess, critical thinking and more! To join the discussion click: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/chessplus/1541858

6/ Chess and autism

My final share has already happened and I missed it. A special talk about Chess and Autism. To find out more check out: https://infinitechess.fide.com/program/

As you can see a jam-packed January!

What will you put in you diary? 😉🗣🗯🗨

Hari x