Junior Team Chess Challenge is for at Year 7 and Year 8 pupils. Teams will consist of four players (reserves are allowed) and all players must be in year 7 or year 8. Junior Team Chess Challenge has been developed as a chess tournament which ALL secondary, middle and preparatory schools might like to enter.

The structure of Junior Team Chess Challenge is that regional events will be held on afternoons during Autumn Term 2024 and Spring Term 2025. The winning school at each regional event will qualify for the one day National Final. The host school will decide the details of the regional event. Typically at each regional event, between eight and sixteen teams will participate. All schools can enter two teams, with the host team having the option of a third team in order to have an even number of teams. Schools can enter more than one regional event but players in a winning team cannot play in a subsequent regional event that season. 

The regional event is normally organised as an afternoon tournament lasting about two hours. The typical rate of play is 10 minutes plus 2 seconds per move. Most event will have four rounds with each round lasting about half an hour. Swiss pairings will be used so that in the later rounds, the leading teams play against each other, and similarly the weaker teams play each other. Every point scored will count towards the team total, so a team winning 3-1 would score three points, and the losing team would score one point. The winning team is the one that scores the most points (out of 16 in a four round event). The host school can decide the starting time of their regional event, which may be during afternoon school or after school has finished. The principal aim of the regional final is that large numbers of school teams enjoy playing chess. The production of a winner to play at the National Final is an important subsidiary to this main aim. Sometimes schools who are runners-up at a regional event are also invited to the national final.

There is no entry fee for the tournament, but the host school may make a small charge for the provision of the refreshments, and possibly trophies, at the regional events. Games are not graded unless the local organiser wishes to do so, and there is no requirement for your team players to be members of any chess organisation.

If you have any questions about Junior Team Chess Challenge then please contact the national organiser Neill Cooper
Email: manager.secondary@englishchess.org.uk

Regional Qualifiers with confirmed dates

St. Thomas More High School, Southend
Tuesday  5th November, 2024 4.15 – 6.30pm
Contact: Jason Vitone Email: jvitone@st-thomasmore.southend.sch.uk

Brentwood School 
Thursday 21st November, 4.00 – 6.15pm
Contact: Robin Slade Email: slader@brentwood.essex.sch.uk

St Albans School
Monday 2nd December
Contact: Andrew Dexter Email: ardexter@st-albans.herts.sch.uk

West Midlands Qualifier at King Edward VI Five Ways School
Friday 7th March
Contact: Alex Holowczak Email: alexholowczak@gmail.com

Bristol Grammar School
Monday 10th March, 4.00 – 6.30pm
Contact Graham Iwi Email: giwi@bgs.bristol.sch.uk

Regional Qualifiers with dates not yet confirmed

Ashington Academy, Northumberland
Contact Jonathan Rooney Email: jonathan.rooney@ashingtonacademy.co.uk

Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury
Contact Joe Eagle Email: jeagle@thelangton.kent.sch.uk

Torquay Boys Grammar School
Contact: Tim Onions Email: tim.onions@yahoo.co.uk

King’s School, Macclesfield
Contact: Gemma Cunliffe Email: Gemma.Cunliffe@kingsmac.co.uk

To enter please email the contact name for the event you wish to play at. If there is no qualifier near you please let me know if you would be willing to host a Regional Qualifier.

If you have any questions about Junior Team Chess Challenge then please contact the national organiser Neill Cooper Email: manager.secondary@englishchess.org.uk