The Shropshire Junior Chess Championships is our flagship event for all junior chess players across Shropshire and beyond. This tournament is for junior players regardless of home location who are under 18 years of age on 1st September 2025.
Other Links:
Closing date for entries – 21/03/2026
Entry Fee:
£23.00 (ECF Gold member)
£28.00 (Non-Gold members)
Junior gold membership is free in the first year (Junior Memberships)
If you are paying by cheque please post to:
Christopher Lewis
23 Valley View,
Market Drayton,
TF9 1EA
Alternatively if you are paying via bank transfer please make payment to:
Name: Shropshire Chess Association
Account No: 60809748
Sort Code: 20-77-85
Reference: Child’s Name
Date:
Sunday 22nd March 2026
Venue:
Alington Hall, Shrewsbury School, Shropshire, SY3 7AU
There is limited parking on the school grounds. Please park on Ashton Road that runs parallel to the school.
Sections:
Playing Schedule
Round 1 10am-11am
Round 2 11am-12pm
Round 3 12pm-1pm
Lunch
Round 4 2pm-3pm
Round 5 3pm-4pm
Round 6 4pm-5pm
Prizegiving 5pm-6pm
All entrants will play 6 matches during the day. It is not a knockout.
Time Limit:
All moves in 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move
Rating:
All games will be ECF rated.
Prizes:
The top player in each section will receive a trophy. The top girl in each section will also receive a trophy.
Medals will also be awarded to players scoring the following:
Gold 5½ or 6 points
Silver 4½ or 5 points
Bronze 3½ or 4 points
Every entrant will receive a certificate.
Tiebreak rules will be used to determine trophies and medals. The tie-breaks are: (1) Direct Encounter (2) Buchholz (sum of opponents scores), Average rating of opponents.
Shropshire Champion:
The top Shropshire player in each section will be awarded the title of Shropshire Junior Champion. The top Shropshire player in the U8 or U10 section will be awarded the championship trophy which they can keep for 1 year. To qualify as a Shropshire player you must either be:-
– Resident in Shropshire
– Attend school in Shropshire
– Attend a chess club in Shropshire
In the event of a tie, the championship title will be shared.
Previous Shropshire Champions:
Live Boards
The top boards in each section will be played on our live boards. Parents will be able to view the matches broadcast on a screen in the Barnes Theatre Foyer complete with commentary.
Raffle
A raffle will be held to raise money to support future initiatves by Shropshire Junior Chess. Raffle tickets will be available to purchase from the catering stand.
Other Activities:
Alongside the main tournament all players may enter our puzzle challenge, individually or in teams (no phones allow). For the team who gets the highest score a prize will be awarded.
Could you have solved last year’s puzzle challenge?
Just for fun players can have a go at our chess-themed wordsearch.
All players are free to check out our giant chess board on the day!
Volunteers:
This tournament is being run by volunteers on behalf of Shropshire Chess Association
First Tournament:
This tournament is open to all including those who have never before entered a chess tournament. Our team of volunteers will be on hand to assist those players who are unfamiliar with tournament play and ensure a fun day is had by all. If you are unsure if your child is of a suitable ability please feel free to have a discussion with the tournament organiser (Chris Lewis – 07508 487092).
Wifi:
Please note the school will not be able to provide wifi.
Transport:
The venue is 20 minutes walk from Shrewsbury Train Station.
Refreshments:
The school cafe will be open on the day.
Parental Responsibility:
We are unable to take responsibility for any children outside the playing hall. We expect younger children to be always supervised by an adult but leave it to the discretion of parents for older children.
Photographs
We will be taking photographs throughout the day and with the permission of the parents hope to use these photos for the future publicity of Shropshire Chess.
Organiser Contact:
Please feel free to send any queries to –
Christopher Lewis
[email protected]
01630 801860 or 07508 48709
We are very grateful to the Housing Plus Group for sponsoring this event.
