Young Grandmasters go head-to-head in chess challenge (From This Is Local London)

Young Grandmasters go head-to-head in chess challenge

6:56pm Sunday 9th May 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

IT may be stalemate in Parliament at the moment, but Wycombe's new MP didn't let that stop him handing out prizes to future chess Grandmasters at a tournament today.

Newly-elected Conservative Steve Baker gave out trophies to the winners at the Buckinghamshire Chess Megafinal at Wycombe High School today – some of whom are tipped to achieve national success.

Among the contenders at the chess challenge were the current national champion for the under-ten category, William Claridge-Hansen from Chartridge, and Welsh under-11 international Oscar Needham.

They were just two of the 148 youngsters taking part in the event – an increase of 25 per cent compared to last year.

Organiser Paul Basham said: “It's growing, and a lot of that is down to the work being done by the primary schools in the area.”

He singled out Holmer Green, Hamilton and Gayhurst schools as having some very promising players: “Hamilton are going to do well – they've got quality and quantity,” he said.

“Hamilton Primary School and Wycombe High School do the most to help us. We also couldn't do it without the parental help you see around you.”

Around 66,000 youngsters start out nationally in county Megafinals, with about 2,400 of those going through to the next stage, the Gigafinal. Of those, 50 will go through to the national final.

And Mr Basham said he expected some of those to come from Bucks.

“Buckinghamshire are quite well represented – we've got high quality players,” he said. “Many of them have played for England.

“In the younger age groups there are several people who are good prospects for the future. If they go to tournaments like this and go to other championships they will get the experience and will improve to the level whereby the England selectors look at them.”

Referring to the fact Steve Baker was giving out the prizes at only his fourth-ever public engagement, Mr Basham said: “That really is a coup for us. We are ever so fortunate this year to have interested the new MP into giving out our trophies.”

See below for links to the scores and the Bucks Young Chess Association website.