The 15th annual chess tournament for schools in North Essex, generously sponsored by Price Bailey Ltd, took place at the Dame Johane Bradbury School, Saffron Walden. Thirteen teams of 6 players attended, a record number and further evidence of a strong revival in Congress Chess in Essex. Since the Colchester tournament of October last year, which attracted 100 competitors, Basildon (November 21st) attracted 120, Dunmow (5th December) 112, Southend (30th January) 120 and North Essex League (13th February) 158. It is to be hoped that the Southend Congress (Easter weekend) and the Essex Chess Association Congress (27th - 29th May) at Valentines School, Gants Hill, will also succeed.
In the current event, the teams from R.A. Butler School dominated from start to finish. The Price Bailey is an individual championship with a team element to it, so it is necessary to pair players from the same school occasionally. Such was RAB's supremacy that when Round 4 began, seven of the eight players on the top fours boards were from RAB. In the entire event the six players from RAB 'A' lost only two games amongst them, and one of those was Sam Wass's win against David Smith.
There were, of course, other good performances. Rodings School managed an impressive 18½ / 30 and the only round in which theire players did not manage at least 50% was the last, when presumably several of them had to contend with RAB opposition. St. Thomas More 'A' also played well, scoring 17, and their top board, Elliott Meichen, was the leading player who did not come from you-know-where.
Dame Johane Bradbury School's 16½ was an impressive score, and their top four players all scored 3/5. Charles Harris actually won his last three games so he won the Improver's Prize. Lewis Donaldson's 3½ / 5 was the best score from the home team.
In the 'B' teams' competition, again it was R.A. Butler who dominated, scoring 21 / 30. Ricky Martin and Joe Bloomfield excelled here, each managing 4½/5. Thomas Willingale school (Chigwell) was the only "out of area" team to take part, and with good scores from Michael Hollyman and Michael Hale, they reached 15½.
| Pos | A Team | Score | Pos | B Team / Small Schools | Score |
| 1 | R.A. Butler | 25 | 1 | R.A. Butler | 21 |
| 2 | Rodings | 18½ | 2 | Thomas Willingale | 15½ |
| 3 | St. Thomas More | 17 | 3 | St. Thomas More | 14½ |
| 4 | Dame Johane Bradbury | 16½ | 4 | Rodings B | 14 |
| 5 | Dunmow | 14½ | 5 | Dame Johane Bradbury | 11 |
| 6 | Bentfield | 8 | 6 | Manuden | 10½ |
| 7 | 7 | Dunmow | 8 |
| Winners (4½ / 5) | Runners-up (4/5) | Improver (3/5) |
| Sam Wass | David Smith | Charles Harris |
| Ricky Martin | Alex Caldwell | |
| Joe Martin | Roland Fischer-Vausden | |
| Joe Bloomfield | Elliott Meichen | |
| Peter Dudfield | Michael Hale | |
| Michael Hollyman |
Rodings A 1 2 3 4 5 RodingsB 1 2 3 4 5
1.1Paul Thomson 1 1 0 0.5 1 2.1Daniel Pavitt 0 0 0.5 1 1
1.2Brendan Matthews 1 1 0 1 0 2.2Toby Jones 0 1 0 0 0.5
1.3Jack Rolph 1 1 1 0.5 0 2.3Henry Anidjar 1 1 0 0.5 1
1.4Christian Davies 0 1 1 1 0 2.4Tom Lawrence 0 1 0.5 0 1
1.5Mitch Cooper 1 0 1 0 1 2.5Josh Hector 1 0 1 0 0
1.6Lewis Renolds 0.5 1 0 1 0 2.6Josh Wald 0 0 1 0 1
4.5 5 3 4 2 18.5 2 3 3 1.5 4.5 14
RAButler A RAButler B
3.1David Smith 1 1 1 0 1 4.1Ricky Martin 1 1 1 1 0.5
3.2Joe Martin 1 1 1 0.5 1 4.2Joe Bloomfield 1 1 1 0.5 1
3.3Sam Wass 1 1 1 1 0.5 4.3Joe Wass 1 0 0 1 1
3.4Peter Dudfield 1 1 1 0.5 1 4.4Chris Hancock 0 1 0 0 1
3.5Jack Knowles 1 1 0.5 1 0 4.5Roland Fischer Vousden 1 1 1 0 1
3.6Alec Caldwell 1 1 0 1 1 4.6Ruan Tremayne 0 1 1 1 0
6 6 4.5 4 4.5 25 4 5 4 3.5 4.5 21
Dunmow A Dunmow B
5.1Paul Josse 1 0 1 0 1 6.1Gavin Windley 0 1 1 0 0
5.2Adam Silver 1 0 1 0 1 6.2James Clark 0 0 0 0 0
5.3Sandy Barr 1 0 0 1 0 6.3Matthew Large 0 0.5 0 0.5 0
5.4Joseph Hunt 1 0 0 1 0 6.4Stuart Galloway 0 0.5 0 1 0
5.5Joshua Stafford 0 1 1 0.5 0 6.5George Smithh 0 0 1 0 0
5.6Alan Sowter 0 1 0 0 1 6.6Chris Moore 0.5 0 1 1 0
4 2 3 2.5 3 14.5 0.5 2 3 2.5 0 8
Dame Johane Bradbury A Dame Johane Bradbury B
7.1Charles Harris 0 0 1 1 1 8.1William Holt 1 0 0 1 1
7.2Marc Jordan 0 1 0 1 1 8.2Adrian Gunn 0 1 0 0 1
7.3James Lacon 1 1 0 0 1 8.3Charles Diamond 0 0.5 1 0 0
7.4Matthew Cairnduff 0 1 1 1 0 8.4Ged Corob Cook 1 0 1 0 0
7.5Alexander Harrison 0 0 1 0 0 8.5Piers Turner 1 0 0.5 0 0
7.6Lewis Donaldson 1 1 0.5 0 1 8.6Daniel Sellers 0 0 1 0 0
2 4 3.5 3 4 16.5 3 1.5 3.5 1 2 11
St Thomas More A St Thomas More B
9.1Elliott Meichen 0 1 1 1 1 10.1Patrick Hanson 1 0 1 1 0
9.2Kieran Hull 1 0 0 1 1 10.2Ross Hemsley 1 0 1 0.5 1
9.3Alice Hamilton Hastings 1 1 0 1 0 10.3Joanne Lee 1 0 1 0 0
9.4Peter Ryan 1 1 0 0 0 10.4Callum Hemsley 0 1 0 0 0
9.5Stephanie Vince 0 1 0 1 1 10.5Heather Mulrenan 0 1 0 0 1
9.6Timothy Mulrenan 0 0 1 1 0 10.6Adam Bacon 1 0 0 1 1
3 4 2 5 3 17 4 2 3 2.5 3 14.5
Bentfield Manuden
11.1Jake Basford 0 0 0 0 1 12.1Alfie Bass 0.5 0 1 0 1
11.2Matthew Berry 1 0 0 0 0.5 12.2Richard Jeffrey 0 0 0 1 1
11.3Simon Daley 0 0 0.5 0 0.5 12.3Oliver Camp 0 0 0 1 0
11.4Robert taylor 1 0 0 1 0 12.4Molly Brooks 0 0 0.5 1 0
11.5Abby Mutonga 0 0.5 0 0 0 12.5Danny Ratcliff 0 0 0 0.5 1
11.6Sophia Spires 0 0 1 1 0 12.6Christian McAdams 0 0 0 1 1
2 0.5 1.5 2 2 8 0.5 0 1.5 4.5 4 10.5
Thomas Willingale
13.1Michael Hale 1 1 0 1 1
13.2Michael Hollyman 1 0 1 1 1
13.3Dean Miller 0.5 1 1 1 0
13.4Peter Hale 0 1 0 0 0
13.5Katie Hale 0 1 1 0 0
13.6Stephanie Miller 0 0 0.5 0 0.5
2.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 15.5
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