SCCU U14/U130 League

This grade-limited competition, run by the Southern Counties Chess Union, was formerly known as the “U14/U140”, and before that the “U14/U90”. The ethos of this competition is to provide opportunities for secondary age children to play competitive chess. Sussex embraces this by choosing to select over 11s in preference to possibly stronger Under 11s who have plenty of opportunities to play competitively. The event also has a record of playing several reserve boards to further widen participation and build up experience of competition in this age group.

There are 12 players per side plus reserve boards. Each player plays 2 games and the time limit is 59 minutes each.

Teams entering are split into geographical zones for all-play-all matches between September and March. The zone winners then go through to a final.

This year we have been drawn in the ‘South’ group with Hampshire and Richmond JCC.

Thanks to Graham Banks who has managed the team this season, assisted by Keith Martin.

South Zone Table:

	Hampshire	Richmond	Sussex	GP	MP
Hampshire				0	0
Richmond			30½	30½	4
Sussex		17½		17½	0

Sussex v Richmond, 14th April 2018, St Augustine’s Scaynes Hill

After a number of false starts, Sussex finally secured a venue for the ‘home’ leg – St Augustine’s Church in Scaynes Hill – which must rank as one of the more unusual playing spaces of recent years. Sadly it wasn’t enough to overcome the might of Richmond – congratulations to them as the represent the South in the Final against Essex and Oxfordshire.

	Sussex	Richmond
R1	7½	4½
R2	3½	8½
	11	13

The Team:

Michael Banks, Alistair Creer, Giovanni Currah, Elizabeth Finn, Tom Howeson, Xavier Laurillard, Daniel Longley, Oliver Manchester, Thomas Manchester, Thomas Martin, Ben Power, Isaac Thackray, Benedict Weis, Max Wilton, Leo Yu

Richmond v Sussex, 26th November 2017, Orleans Park School

	Richmond	Sussex
R1	8½	3 ½
R2	9	3
	17½	6½

The Team:

Karam Al-Robaie, Michael Banks, Giovanni Currah, Thomas Dan, Elizabeth Finn, Xavier Laurillard, Daniel Longley, Thomas Martin, Ben Power, Isaac Thackray, Benedict Weis, Max Wilton, Leo Yu