ECF U19 NATIONAL SCHOOLS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2014-15 Sponsored by Winchester College National School Chess Champions 2014-15, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Ravi Haria, Roman Mitra, Lawrence Lee, Vincent Lee, David Xu and Tarun Malhotra, with Jon Barnes (Teacher i/c chess) The finals of the National School Chess Championships took place at Uppingham School on Thursday 2 nd and Friday 3 rd July 2015. In the semi-finals champions Reading School overwhelmed Nottingham High School, who were missing two of their top players; whilst Haberdashers’ Aske’s (Habs) similarly triumphed against Hampton School. In both cases the final score was 5½ - ½. The final therefore pitted two exceedingly strong school teams, with an average grade in the match of over 175. The match started disasterously for Habs, with their board 5 losing in just 12 moves. When this was followed by another win for Reading on board 6 and a draw on board 2 it looked as if the champions were likely to retain their title. However, Habs then fought back with a win on board 4. When a draw was agreed on board 1 that left Reading 3 - 2 up, but requiring a draw on board 3 to win the match. After almost 4 hours play the game was still in the balance with each player just having a few minutes left on their clock.
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ECF U19 NATIONAL SCHOOLS
CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2014-15
Sponsored by Winchester College
National School Chess Champions 2014-15, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Ravi Haria, Roman Mitra, Lawrence Lee, Vincent Lee, David Xu and Tarun Malhotra,
with Jon Barnes (Teacher i/c chess)
The finals of the National School Chess Championships took place at Uppingham School on Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd July 2015. In the semi-finals champions Reading School overwhelmed Nottingham High School, who were missing two of their top players; whilst Haberdashers’ Aske’s (Habs) similarly triumphed against Hampton School. In both cases the final score was 5½ - ½. The final therefore pitted two exceedingly strong school teams, with an average grade in the match of over 175. The match started disasterously for Habs, with their board 5 losing in just 12 moves. When this was followed by another win for Reading on board 6 and a draw on board 2 it looked as if the champions were likely to retain their title. However, Habs then fought back with a win on board 4. When a draw was agreed on board 1 that left Reading 3 - 2 up, but requiring a draw on board 3 to win the match. After almost 4 hours play the game was still in the balance with each player just having a few minutes left on their clock.
ECF U19 National Schools Chess Championship 2014-15; Sponsored by Winchester College
The Habs player, with the white pieces, managed to force through a central pawn and won on time (in a won position) with a few seconds left on his clock. Thus Haberdashers’ Aske’s won the National School Chess Championships for the first time, having previously been losing finalists on three occasions.
ECF U19 National Schools Chess Championship 2014-15; Sponsored by Winchester College
The third place playoff match between Nottingham High School and Hampton was even closer. In this case the 3 -3 draw also had equal board count, which was resolved in Nottingham’s favour by bottom board elimination. Hampton School 3.7.15 Nottingham High School
1 2 3 4 5 6
Jake Liang 199 (W) Koby Kalavannan 186 Max Wood-Robinson 156 Theo Dias 148 Alfie Onslow 152 Max Elliott 138
½ ½ 1 0 0 1
½ ½ 0 1 1 0
3 3
Harry Croasdale 156 Hari Solomonides 160 Taylor Pearson 153 Karam Sangha 139 Saaran Mehan 125 Russell O'Brien 123
Nottingham High School win on bottom board elimination
Board 3 of this match featured exciting sacrificial attacks by both players, with black’s being the more devastating: White: Max Wood-Robinson 156 Black: Taylor Pearson 153 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. Qd2 Nc6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Bd3 Kg8 10. f4 Qb6 11. Rb1 c5 12 Bxf6 exf6 13 Nd5 Qb7 14. c4 Be6 15 Ne3 Rfe8 16. Kg1 Bh6 17. Rf3 Bd7 18. Nd5 Bg7 19. f5 gxf5 20. Rg3 Kh8 21. exf5 Re5
ECF U19 National Schools Chess Championship 2014-15; Sponsored by Winchester College
Semi-final: Reading School vs Nottingham High School In the plate competition the final was between two schools who had not previously appeared at the finals, Eltham College and The King’s School, Chester. Eltham were victorious 4 - 2 to win the plate.
Eltham College 3.7.15 The King’s School, Chester 1 2 3 4 5 6
Conor Murphy 202 (W) Arul Gupta 194 Gautham Reddiar 158 Alexander Selway 134 Tom Morton 85 Arrien Gajdamowicz 47r
1 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 0
½ ½ 0 1
4 2
Daniel Savidge 162 Rohan Yesudian 144 Riyaan Yesudian 142 Arjun Balasubramian 100 Danny Rajapandian 92 Abhijay Chawda 81