HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL SQUAD MEMBERS AND FAMILIES
Under 12 Training Weekend
This annual event moved to a new venue this year, Suites Hotel in Knowsley. It proved a successful change with good playing facilities, a decent pool, all bedrooms being suites and a decent menu. 50 players attended, and were treated to a varied coaching programme from chief coach Andrew Martin, GM Nigel Davies and IM Graeme Buckley. Some coaching on the Laws of Chess and a swimming session were provided by Peter Purland and the whole event was organised by Glynis Purland. The four coaching sessions took up the full day on Saturday and, after evening meal, a two hour plus session of crazy lightning was enjoyed by just over half the players and a few parents. Unusually the top places were gained by established England players, Aloysius Lip, Joshua Higgs and Billy Twigge-Molecey showing that, not only are they good players but they are lucky as well! On the Sunday the three chess coaches divided the morning up and had three hours of coaching before we sat down for a roast lunch. After lunch we had a themed tournament where the players were given openings then had a blitz game afterwards. This session was won jointly by Aloysius and Joshua. We then had the closing ceremony where the duty manager asked to say something and said that of all the junior parties who have stayed at the hotel this was the politest and best behaved. This is a great credit to our players who had put a lot of effort in to the weekend, enjoyed themselves and created an excellent impression of young chess players. Well done!
London Junior Chess Championships
Congatulations to the following squad members who were champions (or joint champions) in this prestigious event. U18\21 Joseph McPhillips (aged 14), U16 Peter Batchelor, Henry Broadley, U14 Patrick Smith, U12 Matthew Wadsworth. Very well done to all these players.
Quadrangular North, Midlands, Scotland, Wales.
A report on this event will be found on the Squad Trips page. The results are below!
| | Under 16 | | | | | | |
| Letter | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Posn |
| 1 | Scotland | xxxxxxxx | 3 | 3 | 2½ | 8½ | 2nd |
| 2 | Midlands | 3 | xxxxxxxx | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4th |
| 3 | Wales | 3 | 4 | xxxxxxxx | ½ | 7½ | 3rd |
| 4 | North | 3½ | 5 | 5½ | xxxxxxxx | 14 | 1st |
| | | | | | | |
| | Under 14 | | | | | | |
| Letter | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Posn |
| 1 | Scotland | xxxxxxxx | 5½ | 9½ | 2 | 17 | 2nd |
| 2 | Midlands | 4½ | xxxxxxxx | 8 | 3 | 15½ | 3rd |
| 3 | Wales | ½ | 2 | xxxxxxxx | ½ | 3 | 4th |
| 4 | North | 8 | 7 | 9½ | xxxxxxxx | 24½ | 1st |
| | | | | | | |
| | Under 12 | | | | | | |
| Letter | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Posn |
| 1 | Scotland | xxxxxxxx | 4½ | 7½ | 7 | 19 | 2nd |
| 2 | Midlands | 5½ | xxxxxxxx | 8½ | 8½ | 22½ | 1st |
| 3 | Wales | 2½ | 1½ | xxxxxxxx | 6 | 10 | 3rd |
| 4 | North | 3 | 1½ | 4 | xxxxxxxx | 8½ | 4th |
Congratulations to squad members James Bowler, Matthew Fanning, Matthew Walsh, Andrew Horton, Judd Bennett, Daniel Abbas, Stephen Whatley and Ashwin Kalyana who scored 3\3. We should also congratulate Alex Jarvis, Seth Tsang and Thomas Kelly who also got 3\3. Perhaps we have three potential members here!
World Championships
Eight squad members, Yang Fan Zhou, Brandon Clarke, Jennifer Ehr, William Foo, Katharine Shepherd, Ravi Haria, Cosima Keen and Akshaya Kalaiyalahan took part along with Anthony Zhang who we hope will qualify fir the squad shortly.All nine played well and were a credit to their country. Special congratulations go to Yang Fan and Ravi who were each placed sixth in their sections.
New members
Congratulations to Paul Calderon and Charlie Keen who gained their second norms at the Leeds Rapidplay and are now fully fledged members of the Junior Squad.