The school Senior Chess Club returned this year, transforming Monday lunchrooms into battlegrounds of intense strategic warfare. Roughly 24 players gathered each week to duel over the 64 squares. From complete beginners learning how the knights move, to seasoned tacticians plotting endgame combinations, the club was open to all comers.
The heart of our weekly sessions revolves around our Competitive Ladder, which allows players to challenge those ranked above them. The leaderboard changes by the minute, keeping everyone on their toes and providing some intense rivalry between friends.
Outside our weekly meetings, the club has stayed highly active with special events:
- The Christmas Competition: Our annual festive blitz tournament brought a great deal of excitement to December, with players battling through a high-speed knockout format, with matches played under intense time pressure.
- The Loreto College Clashes: We engaged in a series of highly competitive friendly matches against Loreto College. These fixtures provided invaluable over-the-board experience as well as creating new friendships.
The future looks bright as we look forward to the upcoming 2026-27 term. We are excited about the formation of a brand-new, highly competitive North Coast regional school league.
Our squad will represent the school in official fixtures against three local schools: Dalriada School, Loreto College, Dominican College with the hope that the newly formed Causeway Academy will also join up.
This new league represents a major step forward for our team, offering our regular players the chance to earn school colours, complete the skill section for the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, and test their skills at the highest level of Ulster schools’ chess.
Whether you want to climb the ladder, represent the school in the new league, or simply enjoy a casual game with friends, the doors are always open to come along and learn to play the game of Kings!
