Maidenhead Junior Chess Congress

A short history, published on the occasion of the 25th Annual Congress

by

Nigel Dennis and Roger Brugge

April 1999

Puzzle

Black (2 men)


White (2 men)

Black to move.

Black's last move was to play his pawn from g2 to g1 promoting it to a queen. White then played his pawn from c6 to c7. Now it is Black to move. If both sides now play the best moves, decide whether you think Black can win, or whether White can get a draw, and then turn to the end of this document

Introduction

In 1972 the historic encounter took place between Bobby Fischer (USA) and Boris Spassky (USSR) for the FIDE World Championship title. Worldwide interest on chess followed and chess clubs greatly increased their membership. Maidenhead Junior Chess Club was set up at that time - it met weekly at the High Street Methodist Church Hall in Maidenhead. A couple of years later the club decided it had sufficient members to set up a congress during the Easter holidays.

The first congress was for children aged under 13. There were few 13-17 year old chess players around Maidenhead, as they had not had the benefit of the Junior Chess Club during their early years. Each year the age range of the Congress was increased until it catered for all players aged under 18.

After 1983, when there were over 200 entries, the Junior Chess Club lost the use of its premises and the Congress continued, during the Easter holidays, without the support of a local junior chess club. In the early years the Congress purchased chess equipment and later, as funds became available, trophies for the section winners. Names were engraved on the trophies - currently these are:- Under 18 (Bruton), Under 13 (Bristow), Under 12 (Dennis), Under 11 (Brugge) and Under 9 (Foister).

Mike Bruton started the congress and was in charge for the first ten years. Earlier, he had started the Maidenhead Junior Chess Club and organised it throughout its time at the High Street Methodist Church Hall. He is now a Councillor for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. Pam and Mike Foister were involved in the organisation of the Congress for some ten years while son Steven was winning the trophies (or trying to). Many others have helped on Congress days with the playing sessions and in other supporting roles - far too many to mention although without them the Congress could not have been held over the years.

This short history, published on the occasion of the 25th Congress, lists all the section winners and shows how some of them have gone on to play at the British Championships.

Congress Secretaries

1975 Dr M. J. Bruton
1976 - 1977 Mrs M. Campbell
1978 - 1988 Mrs P. Foister
1989 - 1998 Dr R. Brugge

Congress Venues

1975 Methodist Church Hall, Maidenhead
1976 - 1994 Desborough School, Maidenhead
1995 - 1996 Altwood School, Maidenhead
1997 Desborough School, Maidenhead
1998 - 1999 Altwood School, Maidenhead

Number of Entries

The following table shows the number of entries for each year. In the early years the majority of entrants were from Berkshire, the remainder being mostly from Buckinghamshire with a few from Oxfordshire. The entries for 1981 - 1983 were well ahead of other years with 1983 having the most entries (208).

A steady decline in the number of entries from Berkshire took place over ten years from 163 in 1982 to 34 in 1992. Fewer schools were running chess clubs, children were taking part in other activities with less chess played, and families were travelling away from home during school holidays. However, a greater willingness to travel brought more entries from other parts of the south of England, particularly in the under 9 and under 11 sections.

Entries in the under 13 and under 18 sections, though, remained well below the level of earlier years. The British Chess Federation Junior Squad were holding their annual event over a weekend close to the date of the congress, and organising training events and trips abroad during the Easter holidays. However, The Royal Grammar School, Guildford, has brought a group from the school to the under 13 and under 18 events every year since 1983.

The number of entries in the Maidenhead Junior Chess Congress, 1975-1998:

Year Total number of entries Berkshire entries Number from other counties
1975 80 70 10
1976 127 110 17
1977 161 137 24
1978 155 139 16
1979 150 115 35
1980 138 106 32
1981 202 160 42
1982 207 163 44
1983 208 143 65
1984 177 111 66
1985 134 75 59
1986 140 76 64
1987 153 89 64
1988 154 68 86
1989 125 46 79
1990 136 52 84
1991 121 47 74
1992 87 34 53
1993 93 37 56
1994 101 47 54
1995 101 35 66
1996 75 27 48
1997 92 32 60
1998 115 37 78

All-Play-All Sections

From 1977 to 1991 All-Play-All sections were held for the under 18, under 15 and under 12 age groups. The stronger players were invited to play at a slower rate of play and usually played over four days. The other Congress sections were held over three days (under 18 and under 13 Swiss sections) or two days (under 11 and under 9 sections).

The All-Play-All sections gave the players valuable playing experience towards participitation in adult congresses, but as entry numbers dropped the sections became impracticable, By then, the BCF Junior squad was providing the best players with a tournament during the Easter holidays.

When it ran, the under 18 section had 6 or 8 players, the under 15 section 8 or 10 players and the under 12 section 10 or 12 players (once 8 players). The winners were as follows (a gap indicating no tournament that year):

Under 18Under 15 Under 12
1977 Jeremy Hart, Maidenhead
1978 Stephen James, Camberley Timothy Lawrence, Winnersh
1979 Kevin Beedle, Chesham Martin Alster, Iver Heath Stephen Bird, Yateley; Alexander Buckland, Maidenhead
1980 Kevin Beedle, Chesham Brian Church, High Wycombe Mark Seymour, Charvil
1981 Kevin Beedle, Chesham Jonathan Beedle, Chesham Mark Seymour, Charvil
1982 Stephen Piercey, Maidenhead Alexander Buckland, Maidenhead Christopher Doe, Bourne End
1983 Simon Knight, Burnham Andrew Melvin, Maidenhead Steven Foister, Maidenhead
1984 Alexander Buckland, Maidenhead Steven Foister, Maidenhead Martin Faulkner, Wokingham
1985 Simon Duck, Wokingham Stephen Warry, Wokingham Nicholas Brisbourne, Gerrards Cross
1986 David Lee, Abingdon Thomas Townsend, Earley; Nicholas Brisbourne, Gerrards Cross Simon Ansell, Oxford
1987 Simon Ansell, Oxford Neil Anderson, Farnborough; Christopher Blake, Southampton
1988 Ali Shahrukhi, High Wycombe Neil Anderson, Farnborough
1989 Lucy Smith, Oxford
1990 James Cobb, Swindon Charles Cobb, Swindon
1991 Ashley Cox, Maidenhead; Peter Hamborg, Twyford

Swiss section tournament winners, 1975 - 1998

Under 18 Under 13 Under 11 Under 9
1975 D Seawert, J Stanton T Aston, M Kendall M Gerrard
1976 S James A Clayfield, J Watkins D Hallett
1977 G Tubb S Lockwood, R Jobbons J Willder
1978 M Cogan, M Johnstone, R Lockwood, D Mander P Ball D Burns, S Maidment M Seymour
1979 I Conway, R Lockwood T Freeman R Meacock, K Nevols, A Sharpe C Lindsey
1980 I Conway S Knight, P Ash, P Evans B Collins, P Utting, L Huxley S Foister
1981 I Smith R Meacock C Doe, M Eastgate S Follett
1982 P May, P Bennet P Masters F Lilley, C Forbes G Warren
1983 D Hallett W Asghar, S Hopewell M Faulkner J Hastings, D Woods
1984 N Wood M Ball P Golding, N Brisbourne D Woods
1985 S Roberts S Follett (under 14 section) N Mallen M Mumford
1986 S Roberts J Hastings Jason Lee A George, S Crawford-Phillips
1987 S Foister N James I Edwards D Clifton
1988 T Townsend, M Anderton M Bryant A P George J Conlon
1989 S Foister J Cobb C A Cobb A Edmans
1990 S Hampton N J Harmer A P Mills L McShane
1991 E D Savory, A P George G S Reyatt K D Smallbone, M P George L J Debbage
1992 M Houska M P George A Huntley L J Debbage, R Pike
1993 M Houska J Houska R Pike, L J Debbage M Broomfield
1994 J Houska R A Hogg J J Foster, I Houska, C J Milton, R D Knight, E Cormack, R Scott J Fish
1995 E Dearing, J Houska, M C Campbell J J Foster D Kay, M Broomfield T Thiruchelvam
1996 D A Gold M Bovey C Hansell J Ridout
1997 M Broomfield A Smith C Hansell J Zhang, J Hillman
1998 K B Nicholas C Hansell, D Bareham G P Morris D J Hall

The Team Tournament

The Team tournament was started in 1989 as a means of encouraging participation in the Congress by school chess team players, and a means whereby players of all ages could compete with each other. In 1989 the top four scores by players in the same school over their first 9 rounds played were added together to give the team score. Competitors playing in less than 9 rounds had their scores adjusted pro-rata. In 1998 the number of qualifying rounds was reduced to 6, reflecting the shortening in length of some of the sections, and the event is now for teams of three players.

The tournament enables many players, not just the eventual section winners, to play games that can have a bearing on the outcome of a competition. It also enables the youger players to compete against the older ones on an equal footing.

Team tournament winners, 1989 - 1998:

Winners
1989 Holmer Green Combined School, Bucks.
1990 Royal Grammar School, Guildford
1991 Royal Grammar School, Guildford; Dolphin School, Hurst, Berks.; Holmer Green Middle School, Bucks.
1992 Holmer Green Middle School, Bucks.
1993 Dolphin School, Hurst, Berks.; Gateway School, Great Missenden, Bucks.
1994 Royal Grammar School, Guildford; Beenham Primary School, Reading; Hamilton County Combined School, High Wycombe
1995 Royal Grammar School, Guildford
1996 Royal Grammar School, Guildford
1997 Garden Suburb Junior School, London NW 11
1998 Dr Challoner's Grammar School, Amersham; Garden Suburb Junior School, London NW11

Maidenhead Junior Congress and The British Championships

The following table gives a list of the 16 competitors from the Congress who have taken part in the British Championships, held at an annual congress in August over 11 rounds and two weeks. From the list Natasha Regan played in the most Congresses (8 times), while Simon Williams has so far played in the most Championships (6 times). The highest scores in the British Championships have been 7 points by Mark Ferguson and Luke McShane in 1997 and by Miroslav Houska in 1998.

Luke McShane won the under 9 section of the Maidenhead Junior Congress in 1990 when he was age 5. However, not all those who subsequently played in the British Championships have had outstanding results at the Maidenhead Junior Congress: Simon Williams (age 7) was 9th equal in the under 9 section in 1988, and Mark Ferguson (age 11) was 6th equal in the under 13 section in 1989.

Maidenhead Junior Congress players who have played in the British Championships:

Name and home when participating in the Maidenhead Junior Congress Years participating in the Maidenhead Junior Congress Years participating in the British Championships
Matthew Anderton, Guildford 1985-1989 1997
Simon Ansell, Oxford 1984-1987 1990,1992,1996,1997
Charles Cobb, Swindon 1989, 1990, 1992 1995-1997
James Cobb, Swindon 1989-1990 1993,1995,1996,1998
Paul Cooksey, Newbury 1984-1987,1989 1995
Eddie Dearing, Scotland 1995 1997
Mark Ferguson, Haslemere 1989 1993-1997
Jovanka Houska, Maidenhead 1992-1995 1997,1998
Miroslav Houska, Maidenhead 1992,1993 1997,1998
Adam Hunt, Oxford 1988-1990 1993,1996-1998
Harriet Hunt, Oxford 1988-1989 1993,1995-1997
Stephen James, Camberley 1976,1978 1984
Aiden Leech, Maidenhead 1990-1994 1998
Luke McShane, London W9 1990 1995-1997
Natasha Regan, Gerrards Cross 1982-1989 1991,1997
Simon Williams, Farnham 1988 1993-1998

Acknowledgements

The Congress is grateful for support from The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (and Berkshire County Council until 1998) for making contributions towards the cost of room hire, and to the family of the late Henry Benedictus for providing the school tournament prizes since 1992.

Henry Benedictus

Henry Benedictus lived in Cookham and worked in the sports trade in London. His first chess club was Marlow but, after he retired early, he spent more time playing for Maidenhead. He also played for Berkshire and won The Cadogan Cup for the County Individual Championship in 1959. He was elected a County Councillor, became Chairman of Berkshire County Council Education Committee and was President of Maidenhead Chess Club until 1972.

Puzzle solution

The answer is that Black can win but he must play the correct first move. If he plays any other move, White will be able to make the result a draw. The method of getting a draw, if Black plays the wrong first move, applies only due to the white pawn being on c7. It would not apply if the pawn were to be on b7, d7, e7, or g7. The correct first move for Black is 1 ... Qg4 so that he can play 2 ... Qc8.
Last updated 30 March 1999. This page is maintained by Roger Brugge r.bruggeREMOVE@rdg.ac.uk