JUNIOR 4NCL (Nations Chess League) Season 10 – Rounds 7 Report
SEASON 2024-25
JUNIOR 4NCL (Nations Chess League)
Season 10 – Rounds 7
Division Three – Swiss
A joint venture between Castlehill Chess Club Dundee and Dundee Chess Club.
Thurs 21st Nov 24 – 6pm
Div 3 – Round 7
Swiss Cottage Gambits C (1083) 2½ – 5½ (1003) Dundee City Juniors
You can ask no more of your team than finish their campaign off with a win and against a slightly stronger side! There was some very good Chess, played by both sets of juniors and is a great example why this online junior tournament is good for our juniors! Okay, we had help from our opponents, with their top board a no show, but everyone of our players battled hard.
Josh Dickson (1-1), played well, just a couple of silly mistakes, because he plays to “QUICK”! Showed fighting spirt and got his deserved win after a mistake from his opponent.
Noah Dickson (1-1), like his brother, plays a bit too fast (nowhere near as fast as Josh!), and makes the odd, silly mistakes, but his chess has come on a long way and while in game 2, his opponent did let Noah back in, the finish in the second game by Noah was excellent!
Haoqi Liu (1½-½), well, I will never figure out Haoqi, who has a unique style all of his own! He too can play too fast (as most Juniors do), and at times gives away too many pieces, but his attacking flair and such fighting tenacity when facing adversity, plus a never say die attitude made him a formidable force!
In his first game it was even until his opponent made a mistake which Haoqi took full advantage of, winning his opponents queen, who then resigned. But in the 2nd game the roles were reversed with Haoqi losing pieces, including his queen and in a lost and hopeless position. His opponent may have resigned in the first game, but that is not Haoqi`s style and with only a King, against a King, Queen, 2 knights and 5 pawns, Haoqi played on and not for the first time, got a draw (Stalemate)! Unbelievable, or as Victor Meldrew says, “I don`t believe it”!
Well played all 3 of you! Joshua Smikle did not get a game this time, but during this campaign has showed us, he is a force to be reckoned with and one for the future. Also, part of the junior Squad is Alexander Barron-Majerik who also played his part and has in my opinion improved his all-round game, and if he wishes, could also raise up the ranks if he put his mind to it!
Dundee City Juniors despite being out graded for most of the matches, finished in 9th place on 8 points, just 3 points behind the leaders! I think that was a successful league campaign and bodes well for the future! It has been an honour and joy to captain the Dundee City Juniors as always. We are a lucky chess club to have so many talented juniors!
Well, that`s it for this season, we can take a rest now!
Checkout the Junior 4NCL Online for all the results and standings, “HERE“