After our opening fixture was postponed, we had a later than normal start to the 2019/20 school chess season where we compete in the Briant Poulter School Chess League.
This competition features a wide range of mostly south London independent, prep, and grammar schools. Our first match was against old foes Whitgift B in which we won a very tight match 6.5 to 5.5. In this division each team has six players who both play two one hour matches – so if you lose your first, there is always a chance of redemption in the second! Emanuel were leading 4-2 at half-time and Whitgift rallied in the second fixtures, closing the gap, before Charlie Robb won it for Emanuel in the final of the 12 matches.
Although there are many ‘casual’ chess players at the school we are struggling to get boys and girls to commit to the school team or compete to get into the top six. If you have a child who enjoys chess, it is played in the school library at any break or lunchtime. The official club time is Monday afternoon in the library and Thursday afternoon with Dr Dancy in the Physics department. Pupils of all abilities are very welcome to both clubs.
In the Whitgift match we had two boys making their debut: Joe from the Lower Sixth and Karan from Year 7, who joined Zeeshan, MacKenzie, Sophie and Charlie who made up our team of six. It was a real team effort with MacKenzie and Zeeshan excelling by winning both their match and with Charlie winning his first and drawing his second.
The next match is on Friday 8th November against Langley Park.
Tony Jones (Senior Librarian and Archivist)