Regional kids’ competition stages revival
AFTER a two-year break due to Covid, the Northumbria MegaFinal junior chess tournament returned to its traditional venue – RGS Newcastle in Jesmond. It attracted a total of 60 entries, mostly from around the North East, but a few from further afield.
The competition, held on Saturday, June 18, was organised by the region’s top arbiter, Lara Barnes, with the able assistance of International Master David Eggleston, the chess tutor at RGS. In the top section, for players aged 11-18, William Robinson (RGS and Gosforth) finished first with 5/6. In equal second place were two newcomers to North East competitions, Emma Salazar Eyre (Forest Hall), and Roul Tushar (Scotland), who both scored 4.5/6. Emma had previously played in New Zealand junior tournaments, but has recently started playing again after moving to the region.
In fourth place on four points was Prachi Arora (RGS & Forest Hall), followed by a group of players on 3.5: Alexander Johnston (Forest Hall), Maximus Pento (Wales), Daniel Tong (Forest Hall) and Pranav Chadda (RGS).
The Under 10 section was won by Samiksha Yerabati (Leeds) with a perfect 6/6, while Yannick Hannifa (RGS) was second on five. In third on 4.5 was Ethan Ross (Newcastle Preparatory School), followed by a group of three players on four: Aditya Jadhav (RGS), Rio Mandal (Regent Farm) and Alastair Howell (Gosforth).
The Under 8 tournament produced two joint winners: Daniel Sewart (Durham) and Terrence Song (RGS) on 5/6. In joint third place were Iason Farmarkis (RGS) and Kit Stainthorpe (Forest Hall) on 4.5.
Kit’s performance is all the more remarkable because he is just six years old, and started playing competitive chess last summer at Forest Hall Chess Club’s “Chess in the Park” days at the Rising Sun Countryside Park in Benton.
The next major tournament on Tyneside is the South Shields Blitz on Sunday, July 3, which is being held at The Word, the town’s library on Market Square.
The Blitz will have a time control of three minutes, plus two seconds per move, so the action is likely to be fast and furious.
There is a total of £400 in prizes, and entry costs £10. Games begin at 11am and finish at around 4pm, and the event will be internationally rated.
For more info on how to join the event, contact Blitz@southshieldschessclub.co.uk
This week’s puzzles are taken from positions in the current FIDE Candidates tournament in Madrid, where eight top players are battling it out for the right to challenge World Champion Magnus Carlsen.