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Junior Champions 2008 |
ECF U18 and U13 County Championships, Heanor, Saturday May 10th 2008
Under 18s
| Result | R1 | R2 | Total |
| Kent | 9.5 | 9.5 | 19 |
| Yorkshire | 8 | 9 | 17 |
| Sussex | 6.5 | 6 | 12.5 |
| Northants | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Lincs | 3 | 2.5 | 5.5 |
| R1 | R2 | Total | ||
| 1 | Yang Guo | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Aref Vasli | 1 | 1/2 | 1 1/2 |
| 3 | Tom Whitaker | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | Greg Eagleton | 1/2 | 1 | 1 1/2 |
| 5 | Tom Pitcher | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Ashley Littlewood | 1 | 1/2 | 1 1/2 |
| 7 | James Gratrex | 1/2 | 1 | 1 1/2 |
| 8 | Amanda Hipshon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | Matthew Wedge Roberts | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | James Roberts | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Louis Brijmohun | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | David Coupe | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 8 | 9 | 17 |
In the Under 18 Major Yorkshire were battling all day and at the end of Round 1 the last six games to finish all involved Yorkshire players with Aref Vasli defeating Lincs board 2 in the very last game. At the break Yorkshire trailed defending champions Kent by 1½ points with Sussex a distant third.
Round 2 started perfectly with the first six results all being Yorkshire wins and three head to heads with Kent ongoing. A very nervous Kent manager commented on Yorkshire players all liking long matches and the team were indeed battling to the finish. Tom Whitaker, Tom Pitcher, Matthew Wedge Roberts and David Coupe all won 2/2, with Aref Vasli, Greg Eagleton, Ashley Littlewood and James Gratrex on 1½ but in the end the head to heads resulted in two draws from Aref and Ashley and a loss by James Roberts and Kent got home to retain the title by 2 points, with our team Runners Up. Other team Members were Yang Guo who played board 1 but unfortunately lost both games, Amanda Hipshon, and Louis Brijmohun who both scored 1.
Under 13s
| Result | R1 | R2 | Total |
| Sussex | 4.5 | 6 | 10.5 |
| Yorkshire | 5.5 | 4 | 9.5 |
| Nottinghamshire A | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| Cheshire | 3 | 3.5 | 6.5 |
| Nottinghamshire B | 3 | 1.5 | 4.5 |
| Norfolk | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Northants | 1.5 | 1 | 2.5 |
| Derbyshire | 0 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| R1 | R2 | Total | ||
| 1 | Jean Luc Weller | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Robert Murray | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Pierre Weller | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | Michael Littlewood | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | Evie Hollingsworth | 0.5 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 6 | Robert Bowler | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 5.5 | 4 | 9.5 |
Under 13s
In the Under 13s Yorkshire's 'Golden Generation' team consisted of the six players who won through to the 2006 England trials. The team have all had great team and individual success, and international experience over the last three years and were in competition with eight other county teams.
A great start by Yorkshire who took Round 1 with 5½/6 with Sussex and Nottinghamshire slightly behind. All the boys won their games with Michael Littlewood inflicting the only loss of the day on Sussex with a win on Board 4 and Evie Hollingworth having to concede a draw with Nottinghamshire's Board 5.
Round 2 saw tough games on the top two boards with Jean Luc Weller up against Leicestershire's Brandon Clark playing for Notts (apparently that's allowed) and Robert Murray against Cheshire's Board 2 both suffering losses. The draw was not kind to Yorkshire as there were no second round head to heads with Sussex which allowed them to score 6 out of 6 and despite Pierre Weller and Robert Bowler making short work of Cheshire's board 3 and Northants board 6, along with victories for Michael and Evie. Sussex beat us by 1 point with Nottinghamshire 3rd.
Under 13 Girls
The Yorkshire under 13 girls team were also in action and thrashed a much older looking Norfolk team for the Under 13 girls title winning 10 - 2 in a head to head confrontation.
John Littlewood
Junior Chess Under Review
Junior chess in the S&DCA area is currently under review. If you know a junior interested in playing contact John Fryer on 0114 230 1697. This lot seem to be doing a good job. We might nick some of their ideas...
Leeds Junior Chess Association
Page last updated Monday May 19, 2008