WELSH JUNIOR GRAND PRIX – ROUND 2 – MONMOUTH
(Report by John Thornton)

The second of this year’s three junior Grand Prix events was held at Monmouth Comprehensive School on Saturday 15^th November, with well over 50 players taking part and sufficient interest to have separate girls’ events at each of the U12, U10 and U8 age groups. 

Three players are particularly to be congratulated on reached the maximum 5/5 in their events – Adam Howell (Bridgend club) in the U18, Owain Davies from Abergavenny in the Open U10, and Henry Purnell from the Grange school in the Open U8. 

Ruby Rees almost joined this elite band in winning the Girls U8 with 4.5 stalemating her opponent’s lone king in mid board in the last round when much material ahead.

Luke Kostanjsek (Newport) achieved a highly creditable 4.5/5 to win the U12 boys after beating Robert Warrington (who had won his first 4 games) in the last round. 

Natasha Aziz (Monmouth) was also undefeated in winning the U12 Girls with 4.5/6 conceding 3 draws in a double round all-play all.

Sarah Meyer looked as if she would make a clean sweep in the U10 Girls, but a last round defeat enabled Selina Aziz and Gabrielle du Toit to catch her on 4 points to share first place.

I hope I have listed below all the players who got 2 points or more in their respective events and are now eligible to play on Finals Day 17^th January, probably in Cardiff.  Apologies in advance if I have omitted anyone or have been unable to correctly read my hasty scrawl and have mis-spelt anyone’s name!

For Juniors not already qualified there is a last chance to qualify for the Finals, when Round 3 is played in the Cathedral School, Llandaff, Cardiff on December 20^th.

U8 Girls  1^st (4.5) Ruby Rees   2^nd – 3^rd   (3.5)  Ellie Keeping, Amie Hughes

4^th (3) Mehak Sakhajan 5^th – 6^th (2.5) Natasha Srinivas, Katherine Finch

7^th (2) Caitlin McDonald-Cary

U8 Open 1^st (5) Henry Purnell 2^nd (4) Lewis Medcroft    3^rd (3)  John McCoy

4^th (2.5) Alif Aziz    5^th -6^th (2) Dominic Lasine – Ward, Ben Payne

U10 Girls 1^st – 3^rd  (4) Sarah Meyer, Selina Aziz, Gabrielle du Toit  4^th-5^th (3) Saffron Herbert, Alexi Johnson   6^th-7^th (2.5) Elizabeth Bennett  8^th (2)  Alyssa Wang 

U10 Open 1^st  (5)  Owain Davies   2^nd (4) David Kett  3^rd (3.5) Felix Peterkin   4^th- 8^th (3)  Connor Bunten, Dylan Taylor, James Baker, Mathew Smale, Thomas Payne,   9^th – 13^th (2) Jacob Stinton, Theodore Beech, James Turner, Rhydian Downing, Tom Wooler

U12 Girls   1^st  (4.5/6) Natasha Aziz, 2^nd (4) Tamara Herbert, 3^rd (3) Victoria Johnson

U12 Open 1^st (4.5) Luke Kostanjsek, 2^nd (4) Robert Warrington, 3^rd-4^th (3.5) Glen Hamilton, Charles Kett,   5^th (3) Josh McKenna   6^th (2.5) Harry McCoy  7^th -  12^th (2) Philippe Rodgers (w/d after 4 rounds) Kelland Chambers, Ben Savidge, Daniel Smith, David Coulter, Mathew Biggs.

U18 Open 1^st (5)  Adam Howell   2^nd (4) Cameron James,    3^rd (3) Alwin Thomas  4^th (2) Thomas Warrington

The Adult Open and U1600 Rapidplay which were to be run alongside the event had such a small entry that the two were amalgamated into a single all-play-all event.  The results were

1^st (4.5)  John Waterfield   2^nd-3^rd  Robert Dineen, June Evans,  4^th (2.5) Simon Blackmore,  5^th (1) Joe Spooner  6^th (0) Janet Evans      

The event was largely organised and run by Ian Eustis, with Russel Dodington working hard to keep people supplied with refreshments.  Kevin Thomas also deserves a word of thanks as  without his support, the number of entries would have been considerably fewer.

Girls are reminded that the Welsh Girls Championships are a 1-day event being held at the Cathedral School in Cardiff on November Sunday 30^th November.