National Junior Chess Squad Championships: 1st - 3rd April 2005

The NJCS Championships is the annual event for members of the England squad and other invited participants. Players play 7 longplay rounds (6 for U16s) over 3 days. As usual, SJC was well represented with 16 players entered for the tournament.

In the U12 championships, the 12 entrants all performed well over the three days. The final round on day 3 saw 3 players leading the field on 5 out of 6 points, but two Sussex players, Farris Ziyada and Rhys Cumming in the chasing pack on 4.5 points, with a chance of a place in the top 3 and, for Rhys, the possibility of the top U11 prize. Farris was drawn against David Groves and Rhys against George Cloake, who had last met in the same tournament last year. As the games progressed, the two players on the top board, Anthony Gregory and Rahil Davda, drew their match, and the other player on 5 points, Samual Franklyn also drew, leaving the chasing pack with a chance of sharing first place. Farris eventually lost his game after a tough battle to finish on 4.5, but Rhys defeated his opponent to take a share of both first place and the top U11 prize.

George Salimbeni entered the final day needing 1.5 points out of the last two games to secure his place in the England squad. He managed to beat his first opponent, and then managed a draw against Scott Waring from Cheshire to secure his place.

Andrew Turner finished on an excellent 4.5 overall after his opponent defaulted the last game. The other competitors in the U12 event were Elliot Aukland, who finished on 4 points after being drawn against Oskar Schortz in the last round, Ben Blundell, Chris Linnett, Nick Fraser and Jude Lenier, all on 3.5 and Alex Galliano, Joe Quinn and Oskar Schortz all on a creditable 3 points.

In the U16 event, Joe Fraser finished on 3.5 out of 6, and Andrew Tucker on 2.5. Joe Richardson was on 2.5 going into the last game, but I am still waiting for a result. In the U10 event, George Galliano scored 3 points.