UK Chess Challenge

Enter now for this year's UK Chess Challenge. This fantastic tournament involves more than 65,000 children each year and claims to be the largest chess tournament in the world. The first stage begins in the spring term held in schools or local junior clubs.

We will be running a qualifying event at the Junior Chess Academy in February/March 2012, but schools can get involved directly by holding their own events. There are lots of fun prizes supplied as part of the entry pack and children can qualify for a Regional Megafinal and National Gigafinal and Terrafinal where there are some serious csh prizes!

For more information see the new UK Chess Challenge website - http://www.delanceyukschoolschesschallenge.com.

If your school in Shropshire needs any assistance with equipment, or advice from local chess coaches please get in contact us on 01694 723724.

Junior chess club gets underway

The first junior chess club session of the season starts on Saturday 17 September - 10am -12.00pm at Trinity School, Butts Lane, Ford.

All abilities welcome for some fun games, puzzles and 'light' chess coaching.

Cost £3, just turn up and pay on the day.

further dates for the autumn term -
Sat 5 November
Sat 3 December

See you there ...

Four trophies at Megafinal!

A trip down the A49 to the Megafinal in Hereford saw Shropshire juniors return with four trophies and a number of qualifiers for the next stage of the UK Chess Challenge.

Six Shropshire juniors won their sections to be declared Supremos and qualify for the Northern Gigafinal that takes place in July. Two Shropshire junior academy members - Heath Pearson and Francis Rooney - won all their games at the Megafinal. Ten-year old Heath swept aside all opposition in his section to take the Supremo slot, and Francis Rooney won all six of his games in the tough combined section for 14-18 year-olds and was under 16 Supremo.

Photo - back L-R: James Sloan, U17B Supremo; Matthew Best, U15B Supremo; Francis Rooney, U16B Supremo; and front: Heath Pearson, U10B Supremo.

Shropshire winners at 2011 Megafinal:

Under 7 boys supremo Billy Hudson, Castle House School

Under 9 boys runner-up Luca Ebola, St George's School

Under 10 Supremo - Heath Pearson, Oxon School who scored 6/6

Under 10 girls runner-up Rhiannon Wilson, Radbrook School

Under 13 boys runner up Morgan Warcroft, Abraham Darby

Under 15 Supremo - Matthew Best, Mary Webb School - 4/6 Under 15 boys runner-up Ben Spicer, Bridgnorth Endowed

Under 16 Supremo - Francis Rooney, Church Stretton School - 6/6

Under 17 Supremo - James Sloan, Idsall School - 5/6

Under 18 girls Supremo - Jade Bonner, Abraham Darby School

Under 18 boys Supremo - Ben Treadwell, Abraham Darby School

Winners of rosettes for those who scored at least 3.5 points from their 6 matches were: Ella Mates, St Lawrences U11G; Alfie Deal and Ben Sutton, Castle House U10B; Oscar Stone and Duncan Parry, St Georges U11B; Darren Ward, Abraham Darby U12B; Matthew Taylor, Idsall School U13B.

Shropshire schools represented at the Megafinal were: Abraham Darby, Bridgnorth Endowed, Castle House, Church Stretton, Idsall, Mary Webb, Radbrook, St George's, St Lawrences.

(Apologies if I have missed any of the Shropshire juniors from the results or got any names wrong, just leave a comment with corrections and I'll edit.)

Megafinal this Saturday

Just a reminder that the UK Chess Challenge megafinal takes place this Saturday 7 May. As a result we have cancelled our normal monthly session and will meet again in June. Results from the megafinal will be posted when available.

Shropshire juniors to take part in Megafinal

The Megafinal stage of the UK Chess Challenge takes place on Sat 7 May at Thruxtone School, Hereford. those that have qualified for this stage of the event should have received entry forms, if you haven't sent yours in, then do so without delay! Look forward to seeing lots of you there!

UK Chess Challenge 2011

It's UK Chess Challenge time once again!

Shropshire juniors have a chance to compete once again in this fantastic UK-wide competition that involves around 70,000 children from 5-18.

The UK Chess Challenge gives everyone a chance to win a prize and the chance to qualify for regional and even national levels of the competition as it progresses towards identifying the best UK junior chess players of each age group.

The Shropshire qualifying event is open to chess players of all abilities and takes place at Trinity School, Butts Lane, Ford, nr Shrewsbury on Sat 5 Feb from 9.30am - 1.30pm. There are lots of prizes and no-one goes away empty-handed!

The entry fee is £3, payable on the day. For more information call Steve Rooney on 01694 723724 or Francis Best on 01743 821220.

Wrekin congress success

Four Shropshire juniors took part in the Wrekin Chess Congress last weekend in Telford and all four ended on the same points and shared the junior prize for the tournament.

Heath Pearson (9) was the youngest competitor in the tournament and following a win in his very first competitive game he finished on 2.5 points along with Matthew Best, Peter Mellor and Francis Rooney.

Congratulations to all of them. Heath's first win is shown below.

The diagram above shoes the final position after 24 ...Kxf7.

Graham Toone (109) - Heath Pearson [ug] Wrekin Minor, 08.01.2011 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 Heath has learnt the Scandanavian Defence ... 5.Nf3 Qc7 6.Be2 Nf6 7.Bg5 Bf5 8.Ne5 e6 9.g4 h6 An aggressive response, but that's the way he likes to play! 10.Bh4 g5 11.Bg3 Qb6 A little too aggressive, leaves the Bishop on f5 en prise. 12.Nc4 Qd8 13.gxf5 exf5 14.Be5 Bb4 15.Qd3 f4 16.Qf5 Nbd7 17.Nd6+ It's looking a bit tough for black here, but don't panic ... 17...Kf8 18.Bh5 Qa5 19.0-0 Bxd6 20.Bxd6+ Kg7 21.Rfe1 Both players have missed the unprotected queens, so ... 21...Qxf5 ... and now white has lost the leader of his attack. 22.Re7 Rae8 23.Rxf7+ Kg8 24.Be2 The final error, the bishop is heading for c4 where for a discovered check, but white has forgotten that the rook on f7 is now unprotected. 24...Kxf7 Heath gets a win against a 109-graded player in his first competitive game! 0-1

Left to right: Francis Rooney, Heath Pearson and Matthew Best (Peter Mellor had to leave before the prizegiving.)