Full house at Ipswich

It was a full house at Ipswich this evening for the first League matches of the season.   Three Ipswich teams (A, E and F) were in action, as well as a match between teams from Saxmundham and Bury St Edmunds, who were using Ipswich as a ‘halfway’ venue.

It was good to see several juniors in action, including a whole team of youngsters from the Bury club.   These included possibly the youngest-ever player in local League chess, Rowan Kent (pictured right), who is not yet 7½ years old.   Although he lost, his game lasted two hours and 53 moves.   Rowan gets around: he lives in Ipswich, attends Woodbridge School and is a member of the Bury Knights Junior Chess Club.   In July he played in two age-group sections of the British Championships, in Bournemouth.

For the record, Ipswich A beat Bury St Edmunds B 2½ – 1½; Ipswich E lost ½ – 3½ to Manningtree C; and Ipswich F beat Felixstowe 3 – 1.   The other match between Saxmundham B and Bury St Edmunds E was drawn.   In that match 10-year old Adam John (129) beat Dominic Carter (139).