Suffolk Chess

Three Bury St Edmunds youngsters travelled to Nottingham last weekend to play in the English Under 11 Closed Championships.   Good performances at this and similar events throughout the year can result in 'norms' or 'half-norms', depending on the score.   Two half-norms (or a full norm) are required to qualify for the Team Trial, which takes place next April.

The three were Tom Roy and Jaden Jermy (both Under 11) and Adam John (Under 10).

Needing three points for a half-norm, Adam came closest, scoring 2½ points out of five.   He has another year at this level, so this weekend will have been a great experience for him.   Next year, many of his competitors will have 'aged out'!

Jaden scored 1½ and Tom one point.

The next opportunity for these young players to obtain a norm is the London Junior u12 Championships, held just after Christmas.

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For the past three years, Suffolk has sent a 20-board team to the EPSCA Under 11 Inter-Association Championships.   Norfolk has provided a few players, so it's really a joint team.   We need to decide by the end of this month whether or not to enter a team this season for the Zonals, which will be held in March 2016.   It can be a problem finding enough players of sufficient standard, especially as junior chess in both counties is currently at a low ebb.   Bury Knights can probably provide eight or nine players, and Norfolk may be able to find four or five.   But we will still need several others, possibly from Woodbridge School and other primary schools where chess is being played.

If you know of any likely candidates, please as soon as possible.