ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

National developments, strategies and ideas.
Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:36 pm

Picking up from previous discussions on this forum, and existing events in Birmingham and Cumbria, my first event as ECF Manager of Secondary School Chess will be an fternoon event at Wilson's School - see http://englishchess.org.uk/Juniors/ecf- ... tournament.

The idea is to encourage schools who do not play inter-school chess to take part along with those who do. Some of the problems with after-school fixtures are:
1) finding teachers willing to give up the time
2) finding pupils willing to give up the time
3) everyone from your school losing
By starting early on a Wednesday and finishing by 5pm I hope to have less problems with 1 and 2. By running a Swiss tournament I also hope to avoid the fear of 3.

This is a local event, and I plan to be contact all local secondary schools. Depending on numbers there may be space for schools from further afield, but other events that I will be running are more appropriate for them.

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Thu May 17, 2012 8:02 am

Already 3 entries from schools who have never played inter-school chess matches before.

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Thu May 31, 2012 7:29 pm

Some local secondary schools are now forming chess clubs so they can enter this event!
It looks like at least 5 schools who have not played inter-school chess before will be playing.

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Thu Jun 28, 2012 5:50 pm

Despite 2 late withdrawals, this event was a great success. 8 schools took part fielding a total of 16 teams with 4 players in each team. Whilst Wilson’s, Sutton GS, Wallington and Emanuel play each year in the Briant Poulter (Surrey Secondary School) League, there were 4 other schools taking part who do not regularly play inter-school chess (Warlingham School, St Peter’s Guildford, Ewell Castle and Nonsuch).

The Main tournament of 12 teams included many players who had not played chess for their school before. The Elite tournament consisted of just 4 teams, two from hosts Wilson’s and two from nearby Sutton GS.

I will be posting a full report, including feedback about the event, soon. In the meantime the scores were:


Main Event
Place Name Score
1st= Wilson's Southwark 10.5
1st= Wallington 10.5
3rd= Wilson's Mix 9.5
3rd= Emanuel B 9.5
3rd= Emanuel A 9.5
6th Wilson's Brecon 9
7th= Wilson's Camberwell 8
7th= Warlingham 8
9th St Peter's A 7.5
10th Ewell Castle 6.5
11th Nonsuch 4
12th St Peter's B 3.5



Elite Event
Place Name Score
1st Sutton GS A 10.5
2nd Wilson’s B 9.5
3rd Wilson's A 8
4th Sutton B 4

Sean Hewitt
Posts: 2193
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 8:18 pm

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Sean Hewitt » Thu Jun 28, 2012 6:26 pm

Great to see such a worthwhile initiative succeed Neill. Congratulations!

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Thu Jun 28, 2012 6:49 pm

Sean Hewitt wrote:Great to see such a worthwhile initiative succeed Neill. Congratulations!
Thanks Sean. People enjoy playing chess if you provide them with a good environment, as you have shown.
For teenagers that 'environment' is somewhere you do not lose all your games, so for them a multi-game event is often better than a single match.

James Coleman
Posts: 382
Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:11 pm

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by James Coleman » Thu Jun 28, 2012 8:09 pm

My son really enjoyed the event Neill. Thanks for all your hard work in organising this.

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:01 am

Here is my report of the event.

The inaugural ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament was a great success. 8 schools took part fielding a total of 16 teams with 4 players in each team. The Main tournament of 12 teams included many players who had not played chess for their school before. The Elite tournament consisted of just 4 teams, two from hosts Wilson’s and two from nearby Sutton GS.

The Main tournament was very close throughout. It was run on a game score (rather than match score) so all 16 games counted. Going in to the last round 1 point covered the top 6 teams. In the end the joint winners were Wallington County Grammar School and Wilson’s Southwark House team with 10.5 out of 16. Equal third were the two Emanuel School teams and another Wilson’s team.

Whilst Wilson’s, Sutton, Wallington and Emanuel play each year in the Briant Poulter (Surrey Secondary School) League, there were 4 other schools taking part who do not regularly play inter-school chess. Of these the top school was Warlingham School who scored 8 points, half a point ahead of St Peter’s A with Ewell Castle team third and Nonsuch fourth. Just one of the 48 players in this section won all their games, Daniel Coleman of Wallington. Wilson’s Camberwell House team draw all four matches 2 – 2.

The Elite section was played as 2 paired matches between the Wilson’s and Sutton GS teams. Some of the players had problems adjusting to a Fischer time limit of 10 mins + 2 secs per move. After the first two matches Wilson’s A were in the lead with 6 point with Sutton A second on 4.5.The final result saw a turnaround with Sutton A winning on 10.5/16 followed by Wilson’s B with 9.5 (ahead of Wilson’s A). Two players in this section won all their games – Adam Taylor (Wilson’s B) and Keith Barker (Wilson’s A).

Feedback from the players in the Main section was that the time for the matches, of 25 minutes, was about right, and most felt their opponents were of a suitable ability. Whilst clocks were used sparingly and with agreement from both players, a quarter of players few felt that they should not have been used at all (whilst another quarter thought they should have been used more). Most players would have preferred an earlier start time (and so miss more school!) but it is likely that the next event in November will start later and be run after school. Many thought the Main event could have been longer, and (removing school leavers) 90% are keen to play in the next event. There was much less enthusiasm for a similar event being run at a weekend.

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Wed Nov 21, 2012 10:59 pm

Ran a similar event today.
27 teams with 4 players in each team, from 8 schools, with 114 secondary school students playing.
66 of these players were from the host school, Wilson's.
4 rounds, scoring based on game points

Results: Open - mainly graded players, 10 mins + 2 sec per move
1st Wilson's yr 11 14/16
2nd Wilson's yr 8/9 9
3rd Wilson's yr 7 8.5
4th= Worth 8
4th= Nonsuch A 8
6th= Wilson's sixth form 7.5
6th= Trinity A 7.5
8th= Wilson's Castles 6.5
8th= Wilson's yr 10 6.5
10th Trinity B 4.5

Major: Mainly ungraded players, no clocks, 25 mins per game
1st= Wilson's 7G 12
1st= Wilson's yr 8 12
3rd= Wilson's Sixth Form B 10.5
3rd= Warlingham 10.5
3rd= Glyn 10.5
6th Wilson's Sixth Form C 10
7th Wilson's 7HA 9
8th St Peter's, Guildford 8.5
9th Worth B 7.5
10th= Wilson's 7BA 7
10th= Wilson's 7CA 7
12th= Wilson's 7S 6.5
12th= Ewell Castle 6.5
14th= Nonsuch B 5.5
14th= Nonsuch C 5.5
16th Wilson's 7BB 4.5
17th Wilson's 7HB 4

Andrew Varney
Posts: 89
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:25 pm

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Andrew Varney » Thu Nov 22, 2012 10:32 pm

It may not quite be like being back in the 1980s yet, but it is good to see Glyn back on a list of schools playing competitive chess at some level.

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Thu Nov 22, 2012 11:03 pm

Yes, various really good aspects of the event:
Glyn returning to fielding a chess team;
A girls secondary school (Nonsuch) fielding 3 teams;
Most schools who played last time playing again (2 had clashing school events)
Lots of close matches (15 2-2 draws compared to 10 4 - 0 wins out of 52 matches)
Pupils who had not played chess for their school before enjoying doing so.

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Mon Nov 26, 2012 6:02 pm


Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Wed Jan 29, 2014 8:40 pm

I ran another ECF afternoon school chess event today at Wilson's. 18 teams from six schools took part, each of six players. For one school it was their first ever chess fixture with other schools. All the schools and players thoroughly enjoyed it, with many participants winning at least one game of chess, and most teams winning at least one match.

Results:

1 Wilson's 9 13.5
2 Wallington A 12
3-5 Wilson's 8X 11
Wilson's 8Y 11
Wallington B 11
6 Wilson's Mix 9
7-8 Wallington C 8.5
St Andrews, Leatherhead A 8.5
9 Graveney 8
10 Glyn A 7.5
11-13 Glyn B 7
St Andrews B 7
Quest Academy, Selsdon 7
14 Wilson's 7AD 6.5
15 Wilson's Res 5
16-17 Glyn C 4
Wilson's 7G 4
18 St Andrews C 3.5

John Swain
Posts: 412
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 10:35 pm
Location: Nottingham

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by John Swain » Wed Jan 29, 2014 8:44 pm

Sounds great, Neill.

I see that Glyn played again today. I played against Glyn Grammar (I presume it's the same school) as a sixth former in 1976. They were very strong in those days (Semi-Finals of the Sunday Times).

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: ECF Afternoon School Chess Tournament …

Post by Neill Cooper » Thu Jan 30, 2014 7:18 pm

John Swain wrote:Sounds great, Neill.

I see that Glyn played again today. I played against Glyn Grammar (I presume it's the same school) as a sixth former in 1976. They were very strong in those days (Semi-Finals of the Sunday Times).
For many years Tommy Dunne ran the chess at Glyn Grammar, who often won the Briant Poulter League between 1957 and 1977. A few years ago he told me how they had so many teams that they used coaches for away matches. I was in awe, little realising that a few years later I would be using coaches to take Wilson's chess teams to some away fixtures.

After becoming a comprehensive (I think in the late 1970s) chess had gradually dwindled there until there was no chess club. However when I invited them to an ECF afternoon schools event a couple of years ago I discovered they did have a chess club and have enjoyed playing in such events.