Chess Scotland
Juniors
designed by kids,
for kids!
European
Youth Chess Championships 2007
Sibenik, Croatia
The European Youth Chess
Championships was held in Sibenik, Croatia
from the 13th – 24th September. This year Scotland sent four players. Andrew Green – Boys U18; Amy Officer –
Girls U16; Ian McDonald – Boys U12 and Ali Roy – Girls U12. The coach for the event was Graeme Kafka.
It was a big event – 758
players over 10 sections and 425 accompanying people, making it the largest
European Youth in history! Russia
brought the most players – 98 in total!!
Luxembourg
sent only one player..!
The competition was
really tough but everyone worked hard, played well and managed to score some
points. Ali was the top scorer for Scotland
getting 5/9. Ali had a fantastic
result in round 6, taking out the top seed in her tournament rated 2208! Andrew scored 3/9 – a good score in a very
tough tournament. I don’t think he
played anyone rated under 2150..! I scored 4/9 and Ian scored 3.5/9 – both good
scores considering the strength of the tournaments!
The hotel and
surroundings were lovely – the bus ride from Split airport to Sibenik
was packed with loads of beautiful scenery and I managed to get some amateur
photography done on my phone.
After the chess was over
for the day, the Scottish squad usually sat in the patio area outside
drinking coke and playing blitz chess, cards (Andrew brought in a game from
his school which was really good) or went bowling as there was a bowling
alley in the resort. One night we had
a blitz tournament in which Ian beat Graeme and Andrew beat…everyone.
On the rest day Andrew,
Graeme and I went into Sibenik (the resort we were
staying in was 6km out of town) and got a pizza…which we really needed as the
food at the resort was good..but
the SAME thing every day..! It’s a
beautiful city and the people were really friendly.
Although we were a small
squad we all got on really well and had a great time!
Thanks to everyone who
made it possible especially Graeme for being a great coach – we all learned a
lot and Ann, Charlie and Angus for their brilliant company. Not forgetting Andrew, Ali and Ian and of
course our mascot..Zak
Attack! – you guys were great and I really enjoyed
myself!
Here are some pictures I
managed to get….
 
The view of Sibenik
when we arrived A
picture from the bus
 
Zak Attack at the bowling
Team Scotland
at the bowling
 
Bowling Croatia-style
The bowling alley
 
Playing some chess
Blitz night
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