Primary youngsters go head to head in Hackney primary schools chess tournament
Seventh annual chess competition took place in Stoke Newington yesterday (Sunday November 21)
The Hackney primary schools’ chess competition saw a nail-biting final on Sunday, with Sir Thomas Abney taking home the medal for the first time.
The seventh annual event which took place in William Patten School in Stoke Newington Church Street, saw 46 bright sparks compete in teams from eight Hackney primary schools.
The overall winner was 10-year old Kacper Kurzynski from Sir Thomas Abney School, who pipped 9-year old Harry Tanner from William Patten School to the post.
Organiser John Campbell said: “It was very tense, you could see they were all taking it seriously, and it was so close nobody knew which school had won until I announced the final result.
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“All the Sir Thomas Abney children cheered, and they have taken the shield back for the first time ever - this is the first time that William Patten hasn’t won the team event.
“It’s been shown that chess encourages analytical thinking and it seems to be beneficial to the children’s education,” added Mr Campbell who has organised chess in Hackney schools for the last 16 years, since his own children were small.
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Chess has been added to the curriculum of Hackney schools - William Patten, Queensbridge, Jubilee and Sir Thomas Abney - in line with many private schools.
Competing schools included William Patten, Grasmere Primary in Albion Road, Betty Layward in Clissold Road, Sir Thomas Abney in Bethune Road, Holmleigh in Dunsmure Road, Jubilee in Filey Road - all in Stoke Newington, as well as Sebright Primary in Audrey Street, Haggerston and Queensbridge Primary in Albion Drive, Dalston.
