Dunottar’s Chess Talents

Dunottar’s A Chess Team recorded a handsome victory in the local chess derby against Reigate Grammar School. The match was close at the halfway point, tied 3-3 after Dunottar played with the white pieces. However, the second half saw the plucky Pelicans in dominating form, scoring 4½ to 1½ against their opponents. Hard work at the Monday after school chess squad sessions paid off as Dunottar players found winning combinations and clever tactics to put their opponents on the back foot.

Chess continues to grow at Dunottar. This was in evidence on Friday 24th November, when the school fielded A and B teams against Emanuel School. This was the first time that the school has managed to put out full first and reserve teams for a six-board fixture. Emanuel showed their class as an established chess school and were eventual winners in both ties. The Dunottar A team went down by a very narrow 5 ½ to 6 ½ margin – again prospering more playing as black and staging a comeback in the second half! The B Team lost 4-8 but showed promise in many ways.

Notable performances included Matthew C and Rufus M winning both their games on Boards 1 and 2 for the A Team. Harry D (Board 5, B Team) won one of his games on his debut for the school – and won it with some style. Ben N (Board 6, B Team) stepped in as a late substitute on Friday afternoon and recorded one, handsome, win in his debut as well. I am sure we will being seeing of lot of both these players in Dunottar Chess in the near future!

As always with Dunottar, the teams fielded were a mix of boys and girls and a wide range of year groups. Even in defeat, our students showed that chess, like the school itself, is moving forward and ambitious to do better.