Chess

Chess is very popular in the school, and highly competitive. There are three separate Clubs - Junior Chess Club for Years 2-3 on Thursdays, and Senior Chess Clubs for Years 4-11 on Mondays and Fridays.  Each of these sessions are attended by at least one of our two external chess coaches, who are responsible for the technical aspects of the game.  Timothy Kett, who plays for the Welsh Chess Team, is also available. Over 80 pupils attended one or more of these clubs during the past Academic Year.

Junior Chess Club (Years 2-3) members included the outright Runner-Up in the Welsh U8 Grand Prix, along with two boys who came joint third. One member was the Cardiff and Vale Junior Championship U8 Runner-Up, and a further four were the Welsh Chess Championship U8 Joint Runners-Up, and also represented their counties and the South Wales region in U9 events.  These pupils formed a team and entered the Junior Section of the Welsh Schools Championships. 

The Senior Chess Club (Years 4-11) was visited by John Trevelyan who has been a regular member of the Welsh Chess Team since the 1970s and gave a couple of master classes on endgames. 

We entered a team in the newly formed East Glamorgan Minor League. In order to give as many pupils an introduction to competition and team chess we did not keep to a regular team of four but instead used 16 pupils during the course of the 6 matches.  We were beaten into third place by the narrowest of margins! 

We also entered a team in the Senior Section of the Welsh Schools Championships.  The team were the Runners-Up beating many teams comprising Sixth Formers. Two boys who played for their county and for their region in U11 events. 

However, by far the most significant achievement for this year was by Alex Freeland who is the Welsh U13 Champion for 2008 and now a regular member of the Welsh U14 squad.  During this year he played for Wales in Manchester and the Ukraine.  He also retained his U12 title in the Bridgend Junior Rapidplay Tournament.

The school is ever grateful to Sarah Kett for her excellent organisation and inspiration in Chess.