This week at St Ed’s saw the first two rounds of House Chess. On Tuesday, Huw Gallagher (BKR) faced off against Jens Chappell (WFD), Arthur Underwood (BKR) against Leo Routh (WTN), Joseph Henry (WTN) against Jason Law (WGR) and, in the only junior pairing, Charles Broun against George Blunt (WFD).  Huw and Jens made short work of their match – Jens emerged victorious and looking a little surprised, if not quite as surprised as Huw – while a miscalculation on Jason’s part led to an exchange of pieces which left him short of a knight and which eventually proved his undoing.  Elsewhere, Leo – one half of last year’s victorious pair (the two winners is a long story!) – beat the valiant Arthur and Charles beat George in a cautious bout in which each move was carefully considered.

On Thursday, those who had progressed to the semi-final sat down to determine the finalists. Furrowing brows over rows and columns, ifs and thens, were Joseph against Jens and Leo against Charles.  Playing white, Joseph remained composed in the face of the confusion created by Jens’ hopping knight and recovered from this challenging passage of play to take one of Jens’ rooks and, eventually, the match.  The game between Leo (white) and Charles was a more protracted engagement which saw Charles sidestep the early danger of a knight’s fork on his king and rook.  Pieces were exchanged and reduced until Leo was left with a brace of indolent pawns, a rook and a bishop and Charles with a pair of pawns also never really put to work and, far more crucially, his queen.  After some hesitant play, and a missed opportunity on Leo’s part to make a stalemate the more agreeable option, Charles forced the mate that had looked increasingly inevitable.

Well done to all players for representing their Houses!

In the Library next Friday, Joseph Henry (WTN) faces Charles Broun (WGR) to reveal this year’s House Chess Champion.