The National Girls U19 Championship: Sponsored once again by St Catherine’s Bramley
Finals
The Final of the English Chess Federation Girls Championship was a fiercely competitive event and one that is attracting more and more girls each year. Numbers have almost doubled since 2014. Girls had travelled from as far as Newcastle to compete in this important and high profile National competition. 9 schools and 48 players took part in the final. This year the standards were raised to an extremely high level as there were 15 players taking part who have represented their country in junior international events.
Traci Whitfield, the ECF Junior Director attended the final said that it was ‘An outstanding event’
Andrew Martin Tournament Director said, ‘I am delighted to see numbers increasing in this event, overall up by about 50% from 2013/14’.
Zoe, part of the Under 11 St Catherine’s team said, ‘It is great to meet up again with girls who I have got to know over the last few years whilst taking part in this important competition. The anticipation and excitement could be felt, yet everyone was so friendly. It really was a memorable day. I was thrilled that our team has improved a lot over the last year which meant that this year we came away with a trophy and individual medals’.
After an extremely tight competition both the under 19s and under 11s winner from 2014 retained the title of Champions. Howell School’s Under 11 team had a truly impressive 100% score – the team were outstanding in every way.
Results
1st – Nonsuch A 23 (14.8 )
2nd – Howell’s Cardiff 20 (12.11)
3rd – Fernwood A 15 ( 12.1)
4th – St Paul’s Girls School 12 ( 13.9)
5th – The Abbey School Reading 11.5 (14.5)
6th – RGS Newcastle 11.5 ( 13.4)
7th – Nonsuch B 8.5 ( 13.7)
8th – Fernwood B 8.5 ( 11.11)
9th – St Edward’s Leek 8 ( 13.2)
(As age-handicapping applied in this event, the first tie break went in favour of the older team, who had been handicapped most over the nine rounds)
Results – Sunday 18th January 2014, Northern Semi-Final
The Fernwood School won a closely-fought tournament to take the Under 19 title of Northern Champions (Under 19). RGS Newcastle and St Edwards School also qualified for the final later in the year.
1st Fernwood 12.5
2nd RGS Newcastle 11.5
3rd St Edwards A 10
All qualifying for the finals
4th St Edwards B 7
5th St Edwards C 6
Results – Sunday 18th January 2014, Southern Semi-Final
1st Howell’s Cardiff 14
2nd Nonsuch A 12.5
3rd = The Abbey A 11
(4th) Millfield 11
(5th) Nonsuch B 11
All qualifying for the finals in April
6th Yateley Manor 11
7th St Paul’s GS 10.5
8th Putney High B 9.5
9th Sevenoaks 9
10th = Caloma Convent A; Sutton High B; The Abbey B 7.5
13th Caloma Convent B 7
14th = St Catherine’s A; Sutton High A; Putney High A 6.5
17th St Catherine’s B 2.5
There were several surprising no-shows from North London: Channing School, St Mary’s Hampstead and Highgate, a total of six entered teams. Hopefully,everything is OK with them.
A successful day with a great atmosphere. Please encourage your school to take part next year.
– Andrew Martin
This year, once again, St Catherine’s School in Bramley, a leading private school and member of the Girls’ Schools Association, is generously sponsoring the English Chess Federation Girls’ Under 19 Championships, which brings together girls’ schools from across the UK in the quest to win the official ECF title of ‘Under 19 Girls’ National Schools Chess Champions’.
As last year, there will be an U11 Championship and an U19 Championship. Matches will be contested over three boards. Age-handicapping will apply in the U19 event. Games will not be graded. There will be two semi-finals and then a final of six teams in each age category.
There is an entry fee of £10.00 per school (to include one team) and then a further £5.00 for each subsequent team. We have been forced to take this measure to avoid frivolous entries and unfortunate withdrawals.
The Southern Semi-final will take place at St Catherine’s School, Bramley on Sunday 18th Jan from 10am to 5pm 2015 – http://www.stcatherines.info/
Controller: Andrew Martin
As last year, St Catherine’s will host the day and provide lunch for all participants at no further cost.
The Northern Semi-final will take place at St Edwards Leek in January 2015 – http://www.st-edwards.staffs.sch.uk/
Controller: Julian Clissold – download the flyer for the Girls’ Semi-Finals here
The final will take place over 11th and 12th April 2015 at St Catherine’s School, Bramley. The timetable has yet to be scheduled, but it is likely that play will commence in the early afternoon of the 11th and finish at around lunchtime next day. Boarding facilities will be available to those who need it, at a cost of £50 plus VAT per person. This will include several meals and full use of leisure facilites, which include a swimming pool and extensive playing fields.
It was extremely encouraging to see so many girls playing and enjoying chess in our tournaments last year. We hope for a bigger and better event this year.
Closing date is 31st December 2014 but early entries are appreciated.
– Andrew Martin Tel: 01252 877558 Email: a.martin2007@yahoo.co.uk