After last year’s high point of placing second in the National Schools Chess Finals, Wilson’s Chess has started the year with a bang!

On Friday 15th September, three teams entered the annual Russell Jamboree held at Royal Grammar School, Guildford. The A team obliterated the field to win the Championship with 10 points out of 12. Our strongest competition was Hampton, who were the team that defeated us at the National Final earlier in the year: they placed second with 7 points. In fact, we only lost a single match, drawing two, and it was our board 1, Ruhul. As Ruhul’s opponent was a Fide Master and easily the strongest player there, this is more than understandable.

The newest member of the team, Akshay in Year 8, won his first game, making the occasion all the more special. The B team also won the Major category in a tighter race, and the C team came third in the Minors, which was won by Tiffin’s B team.

Congratulations to all our players and well done for representing the school so impressively in the first Chess fixture of 2023.

In other Chess news, the Year 7 tournament took place this Tuesday and we had over 100 students enter. This really could not have happened were it not for the help of senior players, who volunteered to help late into the evening, moving boxes of pieces, setting clocks, helping Year 7s to their correct boards and occasionally having to explain why you can’t actually take the king! Mr Stobie-Jones is truly grateful for their support for grassroots Chess in the school.

Congratulations to those Year 7s who won all their games: Achyu, Boya, Anvith, Nebey and Tanish. We look forward to seeing you in a school team soon.