Glorney/Gilbert Cup 2017
Park Inn, Cardiff from 23rd – 27th July 2017
Organizer – Welsh Chess Union Website – http://www.glorneycupchess.org/

Ranesh Ratnesan

Shahjahon Saidmurodov Shahjahon Saidmurodov is currently a Year 6 student at Sandringham Primary, and began to show interest in chess at the age of 8 after he was introduced to the game at a chess club in Stratford. Currently he plays for Chess in Schools and Communities J4NCL team Division 1 on Board 1, the London Chess League and the EPSCA U11 Zonal Newham Team. Shahjahon would like to thank FM Jerzy Dybowski, Alan Bright, Richard Harding, John Illingworth, Malcom Pein, GM Timur Gareyev, and his current chess coach GM Tahir Vahidov. Special thanks to his family and friends and his mum for their continuous support. Apart from chess, Shahjahon loves piano, guitar, football, science, maths, history and karate. Shahjahon is very much looking forward to playing chess at Glorney Gilbert Cup.

Niamh Bridgeman Niamh started playing chess just after her 8th birthday, whilst living near Adelaide, South Australia. In 2015 she was 3rd in the Under 10 Girls Championship at the Australian Junior Championship. After living in Australia for 5 years, Niamh returned to the UK in 2015. She has since won the Under 10 Girls British Championship in 2016. She would like to thank Australian chess guru, Alan Goldsmith for all his help and good humour in those Aussie days, and also Simon Rogers, FM Glenn House and all those at Morecambe Chess Club for helping develop Niamh’s chess.

Lauren Weaver I started playing chess aged 7 at Wimbledon High School chess club and was inspired by Susan Lalic who teaches there. I began playing for the Wey Valley teams and tournaments organised by Mike Basman and continue to play for Surrey and Wimbledon teams and for CSC in the 4NCL. I enjoyed playing in EU Youth in Austria 2012, WSCC in Brazil 2014, WYCC in Greece 2015 and EYCC in Prague last year. I look forward to playing in the Glorney Cup!

Charlie Metcalfe

Cassie Graham

Jacob Yoon I am very happy to have the opportunity to be representing England.

Samuel Gilmore Samuel learned to play chess when he was 5 years old and has never looked back. His first big achievement was a 5/6 score at the EPSCA national semis in Pontins when he was only 6. Samuel has won many county tournaments in Hertfordshire and has featured in the top 5 of the junior grand prix and in national tournaments. Samuel will make his debut for England at the European Schools in Montenegro in June 2017. Samuel also loves football and table tennis. Samuel would like to thank his parents, Ravi Kumar, Lorin d’Costa, Rob Willmoth and Charlie Storey for their support.

Emily Green

Nadia Jaufarally Nadia is thrilled to be earning her 3rd badge for England. She would like to thank Traci Whitfield for her ongoing support for the juniors in England. Playing chess internationally is an amazing experience which Nadia would like to continue in the coming years, and she is thankful to her parents and friends for their support.

Dominic Miller

Oliver Howell Oli has been playing for England since he was 7 and is very proud to have previously been part of 2 winning Stokes Cup teams. He has won many National Team events as a member of Sussex Juniors and has won several individual titles this year, winning prizes at the British Championships, Gibraltar Junior, London Classic and Hastings Masters, where his 50% score qualified him for the British Championships at the age of 13. He is currently on a chess scholarship at Millfield School in Somerset, and recently became West-of-England U16 champion. He would like to thank Matthew Turner at Millfield; Neil McDonald, Chris Baker and Charlie Storey at Redhill Chess Club, and everyone at Sussex Junior Chess and the England Academy for their help through this and previous years.

Lavanya Maladkar Lavanya was born in India and now lives in Nottingham, a vibrant chess playing county. Lavanya attend Bramcote Primary School which she absolutely adores for giving her a chance to play. Lavanya became interested in chess at the age of 6, inspired by her elder sister who still continues to play chess (at the age of 14). During her early chess days, Lavanya was helped greatly by her county coaches and before coming to the UK, Lavanya represented Maharashtra State U7. Presently, Lavanya’s major achievements include — English Closed Championship 2017 title (U11 Squad), Leeds Rapid Play title 2017 (U11 Squad Matched), U8/U9/U10 Suprema and playing in the Terafinal Challengers. Lavanya’s aim is to keep on playing and enjoying her chess and represent the UK. She also aspires to play in International Championships.

Alex Leslie

Omeet Atara I’ve been playing chess since the age of 7 and have loved to play ever since. I have represented England previously and have always enjoyed it. I came 2nd in the British Championships at U10 level and won the West of England at U12 level. I also love to play hockey and cricket. I would like to thanks my incredibly committed parents, my coach Andrew Martin, my school- RGS Guildford and Guildford chess club for their support.

Tristian See Tristian started to play chess at the age of 5, after asking his dad to show him some moves. After 3 months he went on to play competitively. Tristian represented England at World Schools 2013 in Greece and at the European Youth 2015 in Croatia. He enjoys sports and piano. Tristian would like to thank his family and Mr Rusev for their support and encouragement. Tristian attends Waterbeach Community Primary School in Cambridge.

Callum Brewer I’m in Year 11 at Dorothy Stringer Second School, and will start going to BHASVIC in September. I’ve been playing chess since I was 9 and have been lucky enough to visit a variety of different countries to compete for my country, including Greece, Brazil and Russia, as well as other countries across Europe. I’d like to thank my parents for driving me around the country taking me to lots of different events, and I’d also like to thank my grandparents who are my unofficial sponsors and the reason I have been lucky enough to travel around the world to compete in events.

Daniel Gallagher Daniel was U15 British Champion 2015 having been Runner-Up in the U14 British Championships 2013 and 3rd in the U13 British Championships 2013. He represented England in the European Schools Championships in 2013 and 2014 and in the European Youth Championships in Prague in 2016. He has also twice previously played in the Glorney Cup and cannot wait to represent England again in this tournament this summer. Daniel would like to thank his parents for travelling with him to tournaments both domestically and internationally, his wider family and friends for their encouragement, his school, King Edward VI Grammar in Chelmsford for their support, all associated with Essex Chess and Maldon Chess Club, and, last but not least, GM Nick Pert. Apart from chess, Daniel also enjoys playing badminton.

Elliot Cocks At the age of 10, I started playing chess at my school club and Trevor Dickerson encouraged me to participate in my first tournament. I then joined and continue to play for Chelmsford, Writtle, Essex and the Anglian Avengers 4NCL team. I hold the British U16 title and will be proud to represent my country in the Glorney Cup. I would like to thank everyone at Essex Chess, the David Wood Memorial Trust, and my family for their continual support and encouragement.

Calum Salmons Calum Salmons started playing chess aged six because his grandad was a strong club player and got his dad into the game. Calum’s dad taught him the basics and he soon won his first primary school tournament. He quickly moved on to county chess and won many individual Sussex Junior Chess titles, as well as regional tournaments, and – with SJC teams – a number of national competitions across a range of age groups. Calum was selected for the National Chess Junior Squad age 11, playing his first international events in Wales and Poland. At 12 years old, Calum won his first adult chess tournament, taking the major section at the Fifth Winchester Congress. In the same year he came equal third in the Delancey UK School Chess Challenge, from an initial entry of more than 48,000 chess players from across the UK. Calum would like to thank his family and his school, Hove Park, for supporting him, and his trainers – Dave Graham and Brian Denman – for sharing their expertise, and all at Sussex Junior Chess.

Ezra Brass Ezra discovered he loved chess when he was 5, mastering the basics from his dad, grandpa and school chess club. He plays for Barnet County, Barnet Knights and his school team. In the past he has won the U10 West of England, U9 South of England and U9 Southern Gigafinal, and played for England before at at the European Youth in Prague and European Schools in Turkey. Ezra is proud and excited to represent England again and is grateful to Lorin D’Costa, John Fleetwood, Barnet Junior Chess and Barnet Knights for their inspirational support. He attends Kerem School and loves playing football and piano.

Thivyaa Rahulan I am Thivyaa Rahulan. I’m twelve years old and I go to Newcastle-under-Lyme School. I started playing chess when I was 7. From there I have continued to enjoy it. I’d like to thanks my parents and all the coaches who helped me.

Nishchal Thatte

Matthew Forster Since learning chess at school, Matthew has been a regular at both Horsham Chess Club and Sussex Junior Chess events, and would like to thank both for the lessons and the fun times as well as the chance to play for their teams and enjoy some very memorable events! As well as chess, Matthew is a regular competitor in basketball and football and – and is grateful for the support of his friends at Sussex Bears and Heron Way Olympic. Matthew would like to thank his school for their support. Matthew attends The Forest School in West Sussex.

Mikey Watson

Thomas Ng I am in Year 6 at Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School. I started playing chess competitively at the age of 8 and I came joint 3rd in the 2015 British Junior Rapidplay. I play for my school team and last year we became the NPSCC U11 runner up. I also played in the Gibraltar Junior Chess Festival where I met many new friends and had the opportunity to play against some top international players. For the last two years I was selected to be in the ECF Chess Academy International Program where I have learnt a lot and have had so much fun. I would like to thank all of my coaches especially IM Lorin D’Costa, IM Gyula Mészáros and GM Nick Pert and also my family for allowing me to enjoy this experience. I also enjoy maths, gymnastics and playing the piano and the violin.

Coaches – Andrew Martin, Lawrence Cooper and Charlie Storey