First round of the annual Newark primary schools’ chess competition held, with participating pupils from Barnby Road Academy, Highfields, Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, Sutton-on-Trent Primary, Donald Bailey Academy, and St Peter’s Cross Keys Academy, Farndon

f.burrows@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Published: 07:00, 06 December 2024

School children have been going head to head in a battle of brains in the first round of the annual Newark primary schools’ chess competition.

Pupils from Barnby Road Academy, Highfields, and Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, Newark; and Sutton-on-Trent Primary, were joined by Donald Bailey Academy, Newark, and St Peter’s Cross Keys Academy, Farndon, which entered for the first time since the competition started in 2008.

In total 40 children took part in the event, which was hosted at Barnby Road School, across ten teams of four, with each child playing three games each against different teams in a jamboree format.

Daniele Baranauskaite, 10, makes a move against fellow Holy Trinity Catholic Academy pupil Hubi Kazula, 10.

Taking part in the competition were Albie Hughes, 10, of Barnby Road Academy, and Jos Downing, 11, of St Peter’s Cross Keys Academy, Farndon.

Parker Pidhorodeckyj (left), 11 of Highfields School and Lewis Redfern, 8, of Barnby Road Academy.

The event saw several well thought out check mates with children concentrating hard while trying to find the best moves.

Eight children won all three games – a player each from Farndon and Highfields, two from Holy Trinity and four from Sutton on Trent.

These children were presented with medals by Stephanie Whitchurch from the competition’s sponsors Tallents Solicitors.

Erin Haarhoff, 10, of Barnby Road and Myron Tiomfifiv, 10, of Sutton on Trent primary school.

Pondering his next move is Max Stephenson, 11, of Sutton- on-Trent Primary School.

Cole Nightingale, 9, watches on as Martha Sweeney, 9, makes her move. Both of Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, Newark.

Competitors included Eric Golebiowski, 10, of Barny Road Academy, Filip Grecko, 9, of Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, James Forgione, 10, of Highfields School, and Oskar Haig, 10, of Holy Trinity Catholic Academy.

Last year’s winners, Sutton on Trent, made a strong start to this year’s competition with their A team taking first place with 10.5 points from their 12 games and the B team in second place with 10 points.

Holy Trinity’s A and B teams are currently third and fourth with 8.5 and 7.5 points respectively, followed by Highfields on 6.5 points.

Two more rounds will take place in March and May next year and the points from these two events will be added to the first round’s results to decide the overall team winners.

With thanks to Graham Ladds for his informat

Education Human Interest Newark Fionn Burrows