Challenges remain, however, in getting other schools on the bandwagon with interest yet to become widespread, Brown noted, adding there was a rather poor turnout for the championships.
Only five schools entered, while several others who had registered withdrew at the last minute. Brown was determined to keep up the good fight by noting solid strategies have been put in place to combat the lack of response.
Back home, the initiative had already been taken, with Northland College meeting the internal demand for chess by ordering another eight boards to allow the school chess club to stage a few challenges with staff and parents.
As well, Brown recently approached the NZ Chess Federation to enquire about getting a New Zealand Grand Master to visit, possibly Murray Chandler, and play 20 boards at the same time in the school library.
Meanwhile, Kerikeri High School has accepted an invitation to play the first leg of a provincial inter-school challenge next month. Kudos, too, went to Kaitaia College's Mike Bryan, for the work he has done over the years to keep the chess torch alight.
Bryan will be working with Brown to select some Far North representative teams to challenge the rest of Northland and even travel to Auckland for the odd challenge.
