This term’s chess tournament was an absolute hit. The 41 participants enjoyed a peaceful yet exhilarating morning where they got to play chess from 12:15 to 14:30. At the end of each round, friends got together to congratulate or comfort each other after having either won or lost. Everyone huddled excitedly around the next round’s pairings, eager to see who they were up against. And now, we finally get to see what the results of that morning were.
The Spring Chess Tournament took place on the 3rd of April on the school’s balcony. The 40 something chairs and almost 20 tables filled with students ranging from Year 7 to Year 13. There were 19 KS3 students, 18 KS4 students and 4 KS5 students. Each player was given a total of 5 minutes per match to make their moves. The tournament followed a Swiss system, lasting a total of 7 rounds.
Refereeing this event alongside David Cebolla, the Spring Chess Tournament’s organiser, was an absolute pleasure. There were moments of perfect quiet, where the participant’s concentration was nearly visible as they focused on the game developing on the chess board. This experience was not only pleasurable for participants, onlookers also got to enjoy watching their classmates compete in the tournament. Some students showed real skills and determination allowing them to climb to the top of the competition.
On April 20th, 6 trophies were awarded for the following achievements:
- 1st Place: Eloy Marí (Y8).
- 2nd Place: Anna Cebolla (Y10).
- 3rd Place: Carles Climent (Y11).
- Best of KS3: Samuel Fried (Y7).
- Best of KS4: Artur Sergeev (Y11).
- Best of KS5: Marc Von Laufenberg (Y13).
Eloy Marí, Anna Cebolla and Carles Climent all received the same number of points, technical tie breakers however decided the final ranking.
Nevertheless, no one went home empty handed. The day after the tournament all players received a participation certificate to commemorate the hard work everyone put in during this competition.
After reading this, you might have been left wanting to participate in an event such as this one. Well, wish no longer. The next competition will come before the end of the year. Look out for posters with more information in the next couple of months and join us for the Summer Chess Tournament.
Text by: María Guerrero Jiménez
