Winners! QE team triumphs in the National Schools’ Chess Team Championships

A Queen Elizabeth’s School team won the U14 tournament at the National Schools’ Chess Team Championships – and two boys received prizes for their individual performances too.

The QE U14 A team amassed an impressive score of 24 points out of a possible 30, narrowly beating another school with a strong chess tradition, Magdalen College, Oxford.

Year 9 boys Ben Collins and Madhi Elango both won prizes for the leading performance on their board. The other members of the victorious team were: Joseph Levene (Year 8), Jake Breindel (Year 7) and Ram Popat (Year 9).

In addition to the successes of the U14 A team, other QE teams also competed in the U14, U16 and U18 competitions, with Akshaya Ahuja and Jon Hoong (both Year 13) winning board prizes.

“We had two highly enjoyable days of chess, with some outstanding team and individual performances from our boys,” said teacher Geoff Roberts, who leads chess at the School. “After several near misses in recent years, to capture a national chess title is very pleasing. I would also like to thank the Year 13 pupils, Akshaya Ahuja, Jon Hoong and Ravi Popat, who have represented the School with distinction over their seven years at Queen Elizabeth’s.”

The event was held at Pontin’s Holiday Centre, Somerset.