4th Gibraltar Junior International Chess Festival

[John Higgs]

The Gibraltar Junior International Chess Festival takes place in August each year. The venue is the Caleta Hotel and follows the successful pattern of the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, offering competitive chess-playing opportunities with an equally strong social, fun and educational programme: opening reception, two excursions, master classes, blitz, coaching, gala dinner and prize giving.

The confirmed dates are 21st to 26th August. The event welcomes entries in the U16 & U12 categories. There will be 6 rounds of standard play, both FIDE & ECF graded. Total prize fund is £10,000.

The entry form can be found via this link http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/j ... nglish.pdf

Contact: GM Stuart Conquest. Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/junior/

Flights to Gib via BA, easyjet and Monarch.

All welcome

[John Higgs]

Calling Congress organisers: if you would like some event flyers to display at your event please email [email protected] to request some. No charge!

[John Higgs]

If you would like a hard copy entry form for this event please email [email protected]

[John Higgs]

30 entries received to date from Holland, Spain, England and USA.

Entries expected from Latvia, Azerbaijan, Gibraltar, Morocco & Norway.

All juniors from any nation are very welcome for this international festival

[John Higgs]

Decided on your chess holiday after the British?

Currently there are 31 entries in the U16 & 34 entries in the U12. Players from 10 nations have entered.

Why not join them? Details on how to enter - see posts above.

[John Higgs]

Update on entries: 73 players from 11 federations

Parents - this is the chess holiday you have been looking for!

Entry details in posts above or if you are at the British entry forms are on the table in front of the Championship office.

[John Higgs]

The British is just a memory............the Glorney-Gilbert ended in high style for England juniors....

What's next for U16 & U12 chess players that need a break in the sun with a quality tournament?

Entries still welcome - only 12 days to go!

Act now

ps. See posts above for web links

[John Higgs]

The festival starts today with the Blitz at 4.30pm local time.

I will be posting shortcuts to cross tables, photo's etc for both the U16 & U12s during the event.

A big thank you to GM Stuart Conquest for attracting such a strong entry - 87 players from 13 federations.

Shortcut to the festival website:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/junior/

[John Higgs]

The festival started last night with a blitz competition over 9 rounds - 71 players entered.

The crosstable can be seen at:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/j ... e_2014.htm

Well done to Josh Higgs and James Moreby both prize winners, scoring 7/9 & 6.5/9.

Round 1 is now underway.

[John Higgs]

The festival is well underway with two rounds of six complete.

The crosstable for the U12s:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/j ... le_u12.htm

and the U16s:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/j ... le_u16.htm

In the evening the players were treated to a masterclass by the guest GM/IMs in English, Spanish or Russian.

Today is round three and a simul in the evening for the players and parents.

[John Higgs]

The festival is at the half way point with three of the six rounds complete.

The crosstable for the U12s:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/j ... le_u12.htm

and the U16s:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/j ... le_u16.htm

After a trip to the Rock to view the apes, in the evening players and parents took part in a simul hosted by the guest GM/IMs.

Today is round four and round five and a masterclass in the evening.

A photo gallery of the festival has been uploaded courtesy of the organisers:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/junior/photos.htm

[John Higgs]

Today is the last day of the festival with one round to play.

With 37 England juniors here in Gib, seven are in the running for a share of the £10,000 prize pool - we shall see!

The crosstable for the U12s:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/j ... le_u12.htm

and the U16s:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/j ... le_u16.htm

After the last round is over players can relax with a dolphin safari and this evening the gala dinner and prize giving.

An updated gallery of the festival has been uploaded courtesy of the organisers:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/junior/photos.htm

I will post the final cross tables and prize winners tomorrow morning.

[John Higgs]

The festival is now over with the sixth round played yesterday morning.

With 88 junior players from 13 federations, with FIDE grades ranging from 0 to 2266, the event produced some great chess and it was expertly managed throughout by GM Stuart Conquest and IA David Welch.

The final crosstable for the U12s:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/j ... le_u12.htm

and the U16s:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/j ... le_u16.htm

The following England juniors earned a share of the £10,000 prize pool:

U12
1st Anantha Anilkumar 5/6
5th Nikolai Hinterreither 4.5/6
6th Robert Akeya-Price 4/6
best game: James Moreby

U16
7th Michael Green 4/6
8th Joshua Higgs 4/6
9th Jonathan Pein 4/6
10th Stephen Whatley 4/6
best U14 player: Joshua Higgs
best game: shared by Jake Holton & Cosima Keen

An excellent photo gallery of the festival has been uploaded courtesy of the organisers:

http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/junior/photos.htm

Thank you to the owner and staff of the Caleta Hotel for their kind hospitality to all players and parents throughout the event.

This is the last post.