primary schools chess challenge
This year's Primary Schools Chess Challenge, organised by Lanark Chess Club, saw teams from eight primary schools in the district - Coulter, Carluke Primary, Lanark Primary, New Lanark, Robert Owen Memorial, St Mary's, Tinto and Underbank -descend on hosts St Mary's Primary School. The organisers were particularly pleased to welcome the teams from Carluke Primary and Lanark Primary who were taking part in the Challenge for the first time.
Each school's team consisted of four players and the tournament involved six rounds of matches. After the first three rounds St Mary's, the trophy holders, and Tinto, former winners, were at the head of the field with three wins each. In round four the two met in what promised to be the crunch match of the tournament, but the resulting draw left the deadlock unbroken. Both teams went on to win their final two matches to finish the tournament tied on five and a half points from a possible six. The tiebreak involved the two teams meeting again, this time in a quick-play match, the players having only five minutes each to make all their moves. Although the teams were well matched, in this form of chess mistakes are common and as the games progressed it was difficult to tell which team was doing better as fortunes swung back and forward. Ultimately Tinto emerged as the winners.
St Mary's head teacher Miss Nolan presented the shield to the Tinto team, Fearghas Thompson, Simon Denholm, Fergus Spence and William Grieve.
The players all enjoyed their day and everyone scored some points. Three players, Liam Nicholson from St Mary's, Fergus Spence from Tinto and Evan Stewart from New Lanark won all their games.
Thanks go to Miss Nolan and the staff of St Mary's school for being generous hosts once again, and to the staff of all the participating schools for making it possible for their pupils to play in the tournament.
The winning team receive the trophy from Miss Nolan.