Wairarapa College’s Jade Blown, left, and Jack Karaitiana from Masterton Intermediate School get ready to play. PHOTO/EWAN HYDE
Concentrating chess players filled the Wairarapa College library when the school hosted the regional Chess Power competition.
More than 70 students from secondary and primary schools converged upon WaiCol to compete in the event, with organiser and teacher Rory Hughes saying the event had an enthusiastic and friendly vibe.
Opaki School won the junior team competition, Masterton Intermediate School the intermediate section, and Wairarapa College the senior.
George Farman won the junior grade and Harry Ewington the intermediate, while Makoura College’s Craig Oliver and Wairarapa College’s Joel Lamb, Adrian Smith-Beech, Marcin Bednarek and James Nelson gained qualification into the New Zealand Chess Power finals, to be held in Auckland later this year.
Mr Hughes said the event was a very well received and friendly tournament with a high quality of chess played.
He said the numbers were well up on last year, which bodes well for the future of competitive chess in Wairarapa.
