New grades published today

The ECF grades for January 2015 are now live.

Looking at Suffolk players, there are six members of Suffolk-based clubs graded over 200.   Justin Tan, still only 17 years old, has improved by four points to 243, putting him equal or above several English grandmasters.   Alan Merry is back where he belongs, improving by 12 points to 226.   Suffolk’s third junior, Adam Taylor, is up to 207.   These three occupy three of the four top Suffolk places, interrupted only by Dagne Ciuksyte, who is on 210.   Other Suffolk-based players over 200 are David Spence and Manningtree’s Andrew Lewis, both on 207.

Other notable increases (+8 points or more):

Alan John (Bury St Edmunds)    +39
Kevin Greenacre (Ipswich)    +14
Les Jones (Ipswich)    +10
Ken Lunn (Ipswich)    +10
Alonso Paez (Ipswich)    +10
Anita Somton (Bury St Edmunds)    +10
Ted Matthewson (Ipswich)    +9
Ed Kirkham (Adastral Park)    +9
Jon Collins (Bury St Edmunds)    +9
Andrew Salmon (Clacton)    +8
Daniel Yarnton (Stowmarket)    +8

12-year old Alan John recorded the third greatest improvement of all English players, only four points adrift of the largest increase of 43 points.

Anita Somton is the highest-graded Under 11 girl in England.