UK Chess Challenge Southern Gigafinal

Under 11 EPSCA Final

UK Chess Challenge Berkshire Megafinal

Under 9 EPSCA Final

St. Michael's SAE and UKCC Qualifier

SAE - Radstock

Under 11 EPSCA Zone

Under 9 EPSCA Zone

EPSCA Primary School Championships Qualifier

Under 11 EPSCA Girls

It was another sunny event this year at Wellington College, apart from a couple of showers on Saturday, and a weekend of records for Berkshire...

A record 71 Berkshire players competed over the two days of the UK Chess Challenge Southern Gigafinal, with an unprecedented 14 of those qualifying for the Terafinal in the main or Challengers sections. 46 of our players (a record 65%) scored 3 points or more.

Of the 14 Terafinal qualifiers, a record 5 won 1st place to become Ultimo or Ultima in their section: Felix Ynojosa and William Foo topped their sections with a perfect 6/6, both qualifying as Ultimos (or is that Ultimi??) for the second year running. Matthew Wadsworth won his section for the first time this year after two previous very close shaves, to make the Terafinal event for the third year running. Rachel Davey also qualified as Ultima for the first time in a tough combined U12/13 Girls section, having been to the Terafinal last year as a Challenger. Alex Galliano, on home territory at Wellington College, completes the list of Ultimos.

In other results of note, George Tunstall has now qualified for the Terafinal event four times in the last 5 years. Special mention should also be made of Jonathan Matthews, who qualified for the Challengers event this year on his fourth attempt. Year on year he has come back to the Gigafinal and improved on his points result, from the 1/6 scored in his first year. Between rounds he remained very focussed on the chess, analysing each game he played, and his qualification this year was well-deserved.

Well done to all the Berkshire players at the event for reaching the national stage of this popular competition involving almost 80,000 school chess players.