Howell’s Senior Chess team has won the Welsh Secondary Schools’ Chess Championships. These were held at the end of November at St.John’s College in Cardiff. The Howell’s team, captained by Alyssa W., was unbeaten over seven rounds, seeing off the challenge of St.John’s College and 2014 Champions Bishop of Llandaff, with Neya G. in fine form. The toughest challenge was Monmouth School, who had won the trophy eight times in the previous 12 years. Thanks to wins from Emily W. and Shayanna S. (both of them winning all their games on the day) the match was drawn 2-2, but the tie-break system of game points placed Howell’s a point ahead of their rivals. The School thereby won the largest trophy in Welsh chess! Chess teacher Kevin Thomas said: “This is landmark moment for Howell’s – earlier in the year we won the Primary Schools’ trophy and after today we are simultaneously champions in both categories. The skill and dedication of these girls means that we can enjoy further success in the coming years.”
Two weeks earlier Shayanna, Neya and Emily had been joined by Grace E. to form another school team. They were taking part at Monmouth in the regional final of the English Chess Federation National School Chess Teams U13 competition. Ten school teams took part, but none offered any real threat to a Howell’s team, which featured three girls who had just returned from the World Youth Chess Championships in Greece. The School now proceeds to the National Final in Grantham in April 2016.
The junior girls took part in an enormous chess event at Cardiff City Stadium, where 44 school squads of eleven players battled it out. Our veterans – Venetia S., Susanna F., Nayana K., Bindu D., Nandini P. and Naina P. – hardly lost a game between them, in matches against teams from Worcester, Gloucester and Chepstow. Girls new to tournament chess including Keziah E., Olivia W. and Hana E. were not overawed and gave a good account of themselves. The event also featured the debuts of two rising stars from Year 3: Ashika S. and Suhaani P. Overall the team was placed 6th. Well done to all.
