Junior News Archive

Junior news in 2011-12 season

Most recent news at the top

Brandon Clarke wins UK Chess Challenge

18-19 Aug 2012. Brandon (Littlethorpe, Leics) picked up the Strat title winning a play-off game against Jean-Luc Weller. Both players finished on 5½ after six rounds at Loughborough Grammar School. Andrew Horton (Didsbury Dynamos, GMC) scored 5 points and Andrew Weaving (Solihull Checkmates, Warks) 4½. Best Midlands girl was Amy Milson (Louth, Lincs) on 4 points.

Leo Tsoi represents England at Prague

16-25 Aug. Young Leo Tsoi of Boldmere St Michaels, Warks, represents England in Boys under-14 European Championships in Prague.

Henry Broadley (Chorley, GMC) shares under-16 British title

15 Aug. Henry scored 5 points in the 7-rounder at North Shields sharing his first place with Adam Taylor (Colchester) and Oskar Hackner (Rotherham). Highest placed Midlander in the under-14 was Andrew Horton (Three Cs, Oldham) on 5½ and he was followed Midlanders Daniel Abbas (Three Cs, Oldham) and Harry Croasdale (Nottingham). Four Midland juniors were just out of the prize list in the under-13 competition: Owen Robinson, and Sam Herring (both Northampton), Jason Lau (Three Cs, Oldham, GMC) and Matthew Fergusson (Birmingham Checkmates) all on 4 points from their 7 games. In the under-12s, Aloysius Lip (S Birmingham) Aswin Kalyana (K Edward VI Sch, Birmingham), and Eva Russell (Northamton Chessmates) scored 4 points from their 7 games but were out of the medals. In the under-10 tournament, John Croasdale (West Bridgeford, Notts) was highest Midlander with 5 points. Mahima Raghavedra (Bolton, GMC) shared fourth place in the under-9 championships

Jacob Boswell (Staffs) and Taylor Pearson (Notts) share third in British Under-11

28 Jul. Jacob Boswell ( Cheddleton & Leek, Staffs) and Taylor Pearson (West Nottingham) scored 5 points out of 7 games to tie for third place. Overall winner was Anil Gupta (Kent) with 6/7. Other Midlands players were: Will Atiomo and Ishaan Bedi (both Notts Juniors) scored 3 points, Kaam Sangha (West Nottingham) 2½ points and Andrew Fergusson (Birmingham Checkmates) 2 points.

Midlands juniors at the British in North Shields

26 Jul. Craig Whitfield (Staffs) is playing in the Bristish Championship and Worcestershire brothers James and Joseph Friar play in one of the weekend tournaments with adults. In the junior-only events, Nottinghamshire players are most numerous with 12 entries led by Michael Fletcher and Harry Croasdale (both U13). Warwickshire have six players led by Ashwin Kalyana and Alysius Lip (both U12). Northamptonshire and Greater Manchester each have five entries.

Bloxwich junior honours

25 Jul. Raymond Dolan reports from the second birthday event of the club. Karthik Selvan has represented Staffordshire in senior team matches and Dominic Holmes has retained his under-7 county title and captained the club team in the Generation Game. You can see a picture of the Staffordshire under-9 team on the Staffordshire Junior web page.

Midlands winners at Northern Gigafinal, Derby

6, 7 Jul. Nearly 700 young players, all of whom have qualified from county finals competed at Derby in the first of two UK Chess Challenge Gigafinals. Greater Manchester (GMC) chalked up the largest number of winners and Nottinghamshire players also did well in the youngest age groups. Girls' Ultima titles were won by: Carmel Barwick (u11, GMC), (Phoebe Price (u15, GMC), and Amy Milsom (u15, Lincs). The following boys won Ultimo titles in their tournaments: Kevin Ye (u7, GMC), Adam Bennett (u8, Notts), Jonah Willows (u9, Notts), John Croasdale ( u10, Notts), Hari Solomonides (u11, Notts), Karam Sangha (u11, Notts), Daniel Abbas (u12, GMC), Jason Lau (u13 GMC), Andrew Horton (u14, GMC), Brandon Clarke (u16, Leics), Richard Weaving (u18, Warks). Just missing out on tie breaks for titles and placed first equal in their tournaments were: Kim Enkn-Mergen (u7 Notts), Sam Hayman (u11, GMC), Aloysius Lip (u12, Warks), Joseph McPhillips (u14, GMC), James Friar (u15, Worcs), and Daniel Lea (u15, GMC). Full results are on the Delancey UK Chess Challenge website.

Manchester Grammar win National Schools Championship

6 Jul. The Yately Manor sponsored schools competition at Uppingham, Rutland, was won by Manchester GS on age handicap from Wellington College 2-4. On their way to the title, Manchester GS beat Bolton GS, James Gillespies HS, and Haberdasher's Aske's.

Midlands juniors at under-11 team championship

12 May, David Levens reports. Nottinghamshire, Manchester and Oldham were the Midlands counties represented at this event held at Malcolm Arnold Academy, Northampton. Notts were placed 4-5th with 37 points. Manchester scored 19 points and Oldham 17½. The championship was won by Barnet on 49½ points.

Junior stars in Romania

7 May 2012. In the World Schools Championship in Iasi Under-15 Open, Joseph Friar (Hagley, Worcs) was placed 27-31st on 4 points from 9 games. After an unrewarding start, he showed true grit to win two games in succession and finished mid-table. Jennifer Neil (Chorley, Gtr Manchester) in the Under-15 Girls tournament also finished mid-table in her tournament with 4 points and was placed 18-25th. Phoebe Price (Three Cs, Oldham, Gtr Manchester) scored 2½ points in the girls' under-17 tournament. The England coaches included Midlands players Loz Cooper (Staffs) and Jim Friar (Worcs).

Nottingham juniors win again

28 Apr, David Levens reports. In the EPSCA U11 England trials three Nottingham HS boys Taylor Pearson, Hari Solominides and John Croasdale qualified for the England U11 squad. Following on from that event, Helena Constantinou of Bramcote Hills Primary School (Notts) played for England girls against the South East and won both her matches on Board 3.

Nottingham High School chess triumph

10 Apr, David Levens Reports. Nottingham High School boys won both the U11 team championship and the U11 individual at Yately Manor. Taylor Pearson, Karam Sangha, Donald Flynn, Ishaan Bedi and Sahrin Ahluwalia played for the winning team. Karam and Taylor shared first in the individual event.

Midlands juniors selected to play in Romania

2 Apr. Phoebe Price (3Cs, Oldham, GMC), Jennifer Neil (Chorley, Bolton, GMC), and Joseph Friar (Hagley, Worcs), represent England in the World Schools Individual Chess Championship at Lasi, Romania 28 April to 6 May in the girls' under-17, girls' under15 and open under-15 tournaments. See their biographies on English Chess Parents' Guild web site.

Nottinghamshire u11 Girls team third

24 Mar 2012. In the ESCPCA Inter-association team championships, Notts girls were third and Manchester were placed 6-7th. Eleven teams took part in the event held at The Trnity School, Nottingham.

Greater Manchester Juniors are Champs

6 Nov 2011. Greater Manchester were first with 17½/24 in the under-16 competition. The winning Manchester side comprised: Jamie Horton, Daniel Lea, Nathan taylor, Andrew Horton, Jacob Manton, Tim Chays, Jennifer Neil, Phoebe Price, Jack Virgin, and Jason Lau and was managed by Phil Adams. In the same competition Staffordshire were 7th on 8½. In the under-12 event, Greater Manchester were 3rd, Warwickshire 4th, and Staffordshire 6th equal. The event was organised by NYCA (National Youth Chess Association) at Abraham Derby Academy, Madeley, Shropshire.

Joseph Friar wins Minor at Birmingham Rapidplay

24 Oct. Talented Hagley junior Joseph confirmed his progress with 5½/6 and sole first place out of a field of 46 in the under-125 section.

Midlands Juniors at the under-11 England Trial Nottingham

Oct. Taylor Pearson(3½), Hari Solomonides(3), Sahrin Ahluwalia(3), Karam Sangha(3), Donald Flynn(3), James Webster(3), Ben Rendell(3) were best scoring of Midlands entrants.

Karhik Selvan's debut for Staffordshire

16 Oct. Karhik Selvan from Bloxwich Juniors won his debut game for Terriers Staffs in the MCCU under-120 counties competition.

Joseph Friar wins Leamington Rapidplay under-120

11 Sep 2011. Joseph Friar (Hagley, Worcs) won the Minor Tournament (under-120) with 5½/6. Full results are available from the Leamington & District Chess League website.

For 2010-11 season junior news click here