Knights of the board set for battle

CHESS CHAMPS: The South End Master Chiefs (from left) Joseph Teofilo, Neo Carter-Knight, Joji Dell and Sam Hunter. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A crack squad of South End School chess players will join battle for the fourth year running at the New Zealand National Interschool Chess showdown.

The South End Master Chiefs took the Year 7 and 8 grade contest at the annual Carterton School Chess Tournament last month and qualified for the NZ Interschools finals being held at St Paul's School in Auckland over two days from September 27, says school secretary Elaine Scully.

The annual New Zealand Chess Federation event was to be held as a seven round Swiss team tournament with three age grade divisions from Year 1 to Year 13.

Students Sam Hunter and Joseph Teofilo, who were from the Montessori and mainstream classes of South End School respectively, will use their tested tournament experience to help teammates and relative newcomers Joji Dell and Neo Carter-Knight with the pressure of competing on a national stage, Mrs Scully said.

"They're all doing really well. They love it."

The 2011 team from South End School had taken 17th place in the contest and in 2012 placed 5th at the finals, which Wairarapa chess devotee David Shead believed was "the best result by a Wairarapa team" to date.

"Being able to better that in 2014 will be a tough ask. Many of our previous top players, including Charlotte Rahui, Samson Dell, Zac Brown and Cailean Tearle, have moved up to college.

"The South End team will also be facing opponents that have coaching from international masters or even grandmasters, both of which are in scant supply on the local scene."

Minty Hunter, co-organiser of the annual tournament at Carterton School that attracts teams from throughout Wairarapa, also works as mentor and coach of the Master Chiefs and was co-ordinating the finals campaign for the team, Mrs Scully said.

"Regardless of where they finally place, the team from a little school in the small town of Carterton know they'll come out punching well above their weight, and will have a great time battling over the chessboards."

Mrs Scully said the team will be fundraising at the Carterton Events centre at the Carterton Daffodil Festival on Sunday.

"If you find yourself in Carterton for Daffodil Day, make sure you stop by the Events Centre where South End will be fundraising with home-baking and a giant chess set."