Would you like to run / coach 'Ojays' - Oxfordshire's Junior Squad?

Oxfordshire Junior Chess would like to invite expressions of interest to 
run and coach 'Ojays', taking over from Andrew Varney as he stands down 
after many years hard work.

Ideally, this would involve regular (weekly? fortnightly?) in-person 
group coaching sessions suitable for children who are keen at chess and 
are county-level players, including at U9 or U11 level but also older 
players. Such players regularly emerge from the Oxon Junior Championship 
/ the London Junior qualifier and school chess clubs. Parents (and 
children) are keen for there to be a place where such children can 
continue to develop their chess, at a level which is higher and more 
competitive than school chess clubs, and we (Oxon Junior Chess) would 
like there to be a county-level coaching structure to which we can point 
parents so that their children can develop their love for chess and, if 
they have the desire and ability, become national-level players.

The precise structure of the coaching, and the venue/fees charged, would 
be largely up to the coach; such group coaching may also provide a 
natural conduit into private coaching of some of these county-level 
juniors, as they further progress and seek out more bespoke coaching.

Coaches should be able to inspire young players in the love of the game, 
should be strong enough as players to be able to provide effective 
coaching to county-level U9 and U11 players (the strongest U11s are ~ 
1800 ECF), and should hold an enhanced DBS check.

Expressions of interest to [email protected] by 31st August 
2024.
				

Oxford FIDE Rapidplay Sun 28th April 2024

After an overwhelming response to the inaugural Oxford FIDE RapidPlay (96 players participated), Psyon Chess is running the 2nd edition of its 5- round FIDE & ECF Rated Rapidplay tournament (across 3-sections open to all ages: Open, U1900 & U1600) at Kennington Village Hall, Kennington OX1 5PG on Sunday, the 28th April'24. Details for registration as per the link.

Oxfordshire Junior Chess tournament results - 6/7 Jan 2024

The Oxon Junior Chess Trials and Championships were held at Cumnor 
Primary School on the weekend of 6/7 Jan 2024.  There were over 100 
entries across the four sections: U9, U11, U13, U15/18.  Many of the 
county's strongest juniors participated, and it was a supportive 
introduction to over-the-board chess matches for many others.

Congratulations to our 2023-24 Oxfordshire junior champions:

U9: 1st Emmanuelle Li, 2nd Anna Gray, 3rd Edmond Du
U11: 1st Aden Kennedy, 2nd Gavin Wang, 3rd Noah Bevis
U13: 1st Jan Murawski, 2nd Yue Yue Sui, 3rd Albert Hornsby
U15 and overall U15/18 section winner: Reya Li
U18: Man Chiu Hsin* and Julius Ford Clough
U18G: Shambavi Hariharan* and Taisiia Kovalova

Full cross-tables can be viewed using the link below.

Special thanks to, in alphabetical order: Matt Bevis, Joseph Conlon, 
Julie Gray, Jules Kennedy, Nigel Moyse, Ola Murawska, Dan Schmidt Valle, 
Andrew Varney, Zoe Varney, David Zakarian ... as well as to Tim Greaves 
(for amazing repair skills), families Khoo and Tanuwidjaja (for above 
and beyond clearing up at the end) and Cumnor Primary School (for 
hosting). Without your help, I would not enjoy running this event.

Those children who did well in the U9 and U11 sections will have the 
opportunity to represent Oxfordshire in the forthcoming EPSCA qualifiers 
and finals. The U11G final will be hosted at Cheney School in Oxford on 
Sat 13th April 2024.

				

Oxfordshire Junior Chess county tournament 6/7 Jan 2024

Oxfordshire Junior Chess is excited to announce that we will be holding the annual county junior chess tournament on the weekend of 6th / 7th Jan 2024 at Cumnor Primary School. As in previous years, there will be U9, U11 and U13/15/18 (possibly split if enough entrants) sections. The online entry form link is given below from which full tournament information and rules can be accessed. If you are involved in a chess club with junior members, please help to spread the word. Any queries to [email protected].

Oxon Junior Chess Trials and Championship Results

The Oxon Junior Chess Trials and Championships were held at Cumnor 
Primary School on the weekend of 8/9 Jan 2023.  There were over 100 
entries across the four sections: U9, U11, U13, U15/18.  The tournament 
had a very positive feel to it, lots of enthusiasm from participants and 
organisers alike.

Congratulations to the 2023 champions:

U9: Aden Kennedy 
U11: Aden Kennedy 
U13: Elon Khoo 
U15: Yichen Han (also overall U15/18 section winner)
U18: Ewan Bridson
U18G: Tashika Arora

There will also be chess clock prizes for the top performing schools (to 
be announced soon).

Full cross-tables can be viewed using the link below.

Many thanks to the accommodating staff at Cumnor Primary School, Joe 
Conlon (U9, U11 chief arbiter), Keith Freshwater (U13, U15/18 chief 
arbiter), John Place, David Zakarian, Nigel Moyse (assistant arbiters), 
Andrew Varney (book stall and emergency manual pairer), Jules Kennedy 
(U9 team captain), Julie Gray (U11G team captain) and Hilary Greaves 
(all round help).

Those children who did well in the U9 and U11 sections will have the 
opportunity to represent Oxfordshire in the forthcoming EPSCA qualifiers 
and finals. The U11G final will be hosted at Cheney School in Oxford on 
25th March 2023.