7 players from St Thomas’ and St James’ this weekend at the climax to our chess season, the Northern Gigafinal. This year total qualifiers was the highest number we have ever achieved and around 600 players (down to the last 7% from those that started in January) competed at Wright Robinson College across the two days. Remember to get to this stage they had to win through from the qualifiers in March and then via the Megafinal in April.
The highest score any of our players have scored in previous years at this event is 3 out of 6.
Saturday
Lawrence Moustafa – what an absolute star. Scored 4 out of 6, our highest score ever – qualified for the Challengers (top 20 in the country qualify for the grand final in Sept (the Terafinal) and then those who finish 21st to 50th in the country the Challengers). He was on 4 out of 4, the 4th win beating a lad called Ethan Gardner, the top seed in the competition, an England International and 6th best for his age in the country. It caused quite a stir as you can imagine!!! Unfortunately the final two rounds the pressure got the better of him. He defeated players from Scotland, Somerset, North Yorkshire and Cheshire East.
Austin Butterworth – a magnificent 3 out of 6, beating a graded player from Norfolk and another graded players from Cheshire East, plus an ungraded one from Staffordshire.
James Cooper – our first year 3 ever to qualify scored a fab 3 out of 6 beating players from Staffordshire, Scotland and North Wales. Very proud of him! A future star.
Patrick Shaw – another to score 3 out of 6, beating players from Scotland.
Dylan Crothers – scored a very creditable 2 out of 6 beating players from Scotland and Staffordshire.
Sunday
Lucy Lowe – an excellent 6th placed finish with an amazing 3.5 out of 6 beating players from Teesside, Cumbria, Cheshire and draw against someone from North Wales.
Ethan Lancaster – 2.5 out of 6, the most competitive of all the competitions, beating a player from Teesside, Scotland and a draw from North Yorkshire. The best under 11 in the country played in this competition.
It’s been a long 18 hours across the two days and it’s been difficult for parents/grandparents trying to pass 9 hours! Some of the parents are now becoming quite proficient at chess – they absolutely love it!
I am absolutely exhausted!