Young chess player on top a year after shattering loss

Nicholas Jacobs, winner of the HB Secondary Schools Individual Chess Championship, with his trophy. Photo/Supplied

Nicholas Jacobs knows all about redemption - especially when it comes to the game of chess.

The youngster made up for a disaster last year as he won the Hawkes Bay Secondary Schools Individual Chess Championship at the Hastings Sports Centre.

In last years tournament Nicholas seemed to have the championship in the bag as he was easily winning his final game in the Open grade, against Bailey Diack from Tamatea High School. But Nicholas overlooked a checkmate threat and Diack won the game and the title.

However, this time Nicholas, a 16-year-old Year 12 student at Taradale High School, made no such mistake as he won his final game against another strong player, Charlie Li from Napier Boys High School.

This years performance made Nicholas feel a little better about last years setback.

It was even till I trapped his bishop with my pawns, he said of the final-round game.

Nicholas added he was not really taking chess too seriously these days, although he had earlier been a regular player at the Hawkes Bay club.

I just came to get a good game, he said.

He actually ended up first equal, on four and a half points out of five, with Lindisfarne College student Sebastian Ayson-Macfarlane, who performed particularly well because he is in Year 9.

The Open grade is mainly for students from Years 12 and 13 but younger players like Ayson-Macfarlane and Li are allowed in if they have demonstrated their strength. The title went to Nicholas on tie-break.

The total entry of 64 was an increase on last years, and Hawkes Bay Chess president Martin Stafford said the standard of play had risen too. Sports centre manager Opal Taylor said she was pleased to see more girls were playing this year.

The tournament was organised jointly by the Hastings District Council and Hawkes Bay Chess Inc.

Results

Top three in each grade:

Open - Nicholas Jacobs (Taradale High) 1 (on tie-break), Sebastian Ayson-Macfarlane (Lindisfarne) 2, Charlie Li (Napier Boys High) 3.

Year 11 - Liam Miller (Havelock North High) 1, Tiopira Emmerson (Te Aute) 2, Kaleb Rongokea (Te Aute) 3.

Year 10 - Ben Caldwell (Havelock North High) 1, Calvin Herbert (Hastings Boys High) 2, Jason Paul (Te Aute) 3.

Year 9 - Nicholas Wright (Napier Boys High) 1, Chris Hemi (Te Aute) 2, Harry Champion (Napier Boys High) 3.