A Historic win for Bexhill Juniors playing for Bexhill Academy –
The u-14 Butler Cup has been won for the first time, since its inauguration in 1903, by Bexhill’s Academy. Yesterday 10 June at Windlesham House school., near Worthing. Having been seeded in Division 1 after a great performance in the heats, Bexhill went on to win that Division, narrowly but by a clear point with 8.5/12 ahead of Brighton College ‘A’, Windlesham House ‘A’ and Lancing College ‘A’.
Bexhill’s team comprised 3 of our Bexhill Chess Club juniors: Andy Nguyen, Luke Chapman, and Harry Morter. The fourth board player was Isaac Jennings who plays at the Academy’s Monday afternoon chess club and was making his debut in competitive chess at this level.
It was amazing to see 172 young players (separate secondary and primary levels) in one venue in a large sports hall, hosted by Windlesham House staff, and organised by Sussex Junior coaches, Jonathan Tuck and Callum Brewer.
What turned out to be the decisive encounter was in the first round. With 12 minutes each on the clocks with 3 seconds increments/move, play was fast-paced. Andy had Black, and faced a Catalan system. He accepted the pawn offered on c4, and propped the gain with ..b5. White looked to have some pressure on the black squares, with a N controlling d6 in the heart of Andy’s position. However, with better time management, Andy remained calm and determined, neutralised the pressure in the endgame and the result quickly tipped in Andy’s favour. Luke with White played a Closed Sicilian and exploited an unusual q-side castling by his opponent, winning a pawn on c5, blocking the q-side (with a protected passed pawn in the bank) and then pushing an f5 break. Eventually Luke connected another passed pawn with the first one, as far as the 7th rank when his opponent’s position collapsed. With the match 2-0 in Bexhill’s favour, Harry , with Black ,faced an English opening and replied with ..e5. Harry maintained a solid position but eventually lost a pawn, then turned it round completely in a Bishop and pawn ending which he drew confidently. That guaranteed the match win. Isaac with with obtained a solid position out of the opening but missed some threats and lost decisive material. Match score 2.5- 1.5
In the next round Andy, with White, played a Maroczy Bind formation against Black’s Sicilian defence, and after doubling his opponent’s central pawns exploited the pressure he had on the q-side with a 3-2 pawn majority. Luke, with Black, played against an isolated d-pawn. In the complications Luke gained a piece for 2 pawns and converted the advantage in short order. Harry , with White, was well-matched against an opponent and it resolved to a hard-to-assess major pieces endgame. In the end a very slight weakness on g3, after Harry had played both f4 and h3, allowed the Black Q to g3 and the back row threats with a battery of rooks on the e-file led to a back row mate. Isaac again made a solid start but he missed a threat to his Q. Match result 2-2.
The final round, against Lancing College, required a 4-0 victory to ensure the silverware or a tie with Brighton. Lancing defaulted on Board 4 so a point was in the bag. Isaac went on to play a social game with another school player, and, perhaps with the pressure of the occasion off him, he played a much more confident game and succeeded in a win anyway. Frankly, Bexhill outmatched Lancing significantly on the other boards. Andy achieved a great initiative with a fluent use of a Najdorf Sicilian , where his backward d6 pawn was anchored by his bishop on e7, and created an attack on a K-side fianchetto position where the white-squared bishop had gone, when Andy wedged a pawn on f3, and his Q on h3, while White was trying ( unsuccessfully) to demolish Andy’s Q-side. Luke quickly won a piece with a pawn fork and concerted it very promptly. Harry won two pawns and converted it accurately as he pushed them through the centre. So 4-0 – job done.
Brighton College , who were playing Windlesham House, had a top board contest with a pawn advantage on the board position. But the Lancing player was in time trouble and missed opportunities to win, and finally blundered his queen. Had he won instead, the points between Brighton and Bexhill would be tied. We wonder if Bexhill’s individual match result earlier would have counted to tip the trophy to Bexhill? BUT- Bexhill were a clear pint as it transpired.
It was an exciting event and a proud moment for the Academy, and for your editor an opportunity to meet and talk to Junior coaches and other staff.
Bexhill Academy intend to enter the Nationals next year.
Here is Karen Burgess’ post on FB :
“Three Bexhill juniors (Harry, Luke and Andy from left to right) claimed the prestigious Butler Cup, one of the oldest and most respected school chess competitions in the country.”
( Far R is Isaac Jennings from the Academy club making his competition debut– Editor)
“The team secured victories over Brighton College and Lancing College before holding their nerve in a decisive draw against Windlesham House to clinch the title for their school, the Bexhill Academy.
We are very proud of our bright young stars. Congratulations to the whole team.”
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LUKE WINS DEBUT MATCH FOR SUSSEX COUNTY
Sussex faced Cambridgeshire. Luke’s recent successes outlined in our recent posts resulted in him being selected for this adult match on Saturday 7 June. Wanstead House ( London) was the venue for the semi-final match with Cambridgeshire. Sussex had been the ECF champions the previous season. This time we weren’t to prevail. Cambridgeshire won by 9.5–6.5. Wins were recorded for Sussex by Paul Edwards, Henry Cove and Luke Chapman. Luke faced Francis Bowers, with White, against a Philidor Defence, where Black had conceded some space by releasing the tension with …exd4.
It has been another very full week of inspiring progress by Bexhill Juniors.
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