Forty nine English players went to the World Schools Championships in Greece - twice as many as last year.  Most of them qualified due to outstanding performances in the Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge.

Being almost the only players from Western Europe, the juniors found the going tough, but all would have benefitted from the fierce competition, and there were outstanding performances from Haolin Zhao and Aditya Verma.  Follow their exploits on
http://gamesfestival.chessdom.com/world-school-chess-u7-open-standings

The new ECF Year Book is just out and obtainable from the English Chess Federation, office@englishchess.org.uk for £13.50.

It is a mine of vital information about every aspect of chess in England; junior and senior.  Of course, on the back cover there is always a spectacular UK Chess Challenge poster.
See this year's...

In the year 2000 British Land, under the Chairmanship of John Ritblat, (now Sir John), began to sponsor the UK Chess Challenge.  Later, when British Land withdrew their sponsorship in 2011, Sir John's new property investment company, Delancey, headed by his son Jamie Ritblat, took over the sponsorship.

Over the years British Land/Delancey have sunk around three quarters of a million pounds into the tournament and junior chess.  Has this investment been worthwhile and transformed the shape of British chess? ...

Ray Keene, OBE, Times Chess Correspondent, reports on the Delancey Chess Challenge award from the World Chess Federation (FIDE) for its contribution to the massive increase in the popularity of chess in
schools and chess clubs in the United Kingdom.

Don't miss it!

The Mighty Megafinal machine is gathering momentum, with 42 area finals ready to take place in all parts of the country.....

The first school to be awarded Chess Academy status in the UK is Southborough High School in Surbiton, Surrey where their visionary maths teacher, Mr Jean
Damoo, aims to teach the whole school how to play chess within 3 years.  The award was made in the school assembly and later the President of the
World Chess Federation visited the school for discussions with the head teacher.  There are plans for an international chess tournament to take place later
in the year. 

Chess is a great intellectual motivator and we shall soon see Southborough High School rise up the national rankings

At the closing ceremony of the World Candidates tournament, following the award to the winner, Magnus Carlsen from Norway, Mike Basman was proud to accept
on behalf of the Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge, a Certificate from the President of FIDE, in recognition of the contribution the Challenge has made to chess in schools.  See photographs
http://london2013.fide.com/images/stories/gallery/Closing%20ceremony/index.html
(Particularly photo 43)

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, was interested to hear about the Challenge and the number of children that have been introduced to chess by taking part in the school based first stage.

Just to confirm that the day attendance splits an the Northern Gigafinal are the same as last year:

The Northern Gigafinal will be held on Saturday, 13th July (U10 boys/girls) and Sunday, 14th July (U11-U18 boys/girls) at WRIGHT ROBINSON COLLEGE, Off Falmers Close, Abbey Hey Lane, Gorton, MANCHESTER, M18 8RL.