Chess Quartet Second in National Final

Congratulations to the intrepid Brentwood School chess quartet who finished runners-up in the National Final of the English Chess Federation Junior Team Challenge at Newcastle Royal Grammar School.

Brentwood qualified for Saturday’s final by winning their zonal competition earlier this year and took their place alongside 11 other schools from around the country.

Max (Year 8), Jaden (Year 8), Aryan (Year 7) and Markos (Year 8) took Brentwood to second place helped by a pivotal last round 3-1 win over last year’s winners Wilson’s School. 

During the Finals, Brentwood won 3-1 against Beaumont School (St Alban’s), 4-0 against St Mary’s (Newcastle), 3.5-0.5 against Bristol Grammar School and drew 2-2 with Hampton College. The team’s only loss was a 3-1 defeat in Round 3 to top seeds and eventual winners King’s College, Wimbledon.

Brentwood School Head of Chess, Robin Slade, said: “The team played with great togetherness as well as real quality and were an absolute pleasure to take on the trip.”

Brentwood’s top individual scorers were captain Max (5.5 out of 6 on board 1) and Markos (5 out of 6 on board 4).