n the evening of May 11th, the Tunbridge Wells Chess Club bridge club premises were buzzing with energy as we hosted our annual Junior Rapid Championship. It was a fantastic evening that showcased the incredible talent, quick thinking, and sportsmanship of our younger members.
The competition was fierce, with 10-minute, no-increment games keeping everyone on their toes. We are incredibly proud of the effort put in by all our participants. A massive congratulations to our top performers:
Samyak: Our 2025/26 Junior Rapid Champion, putting in a commanding performance to finish with an impressive 6.5/7
Julian: Taking a well-deserved 2nd place with a strong 5.5/7
- Anish & James: Sharing the 3rd place podium, both finishing with a solid 5/7
A special shout-out to Anish, who treated us to a real “Magnus Carlsen” moment during the night! Finding himself with only 3 minutes left on the clock in one of his 10-minute games, he kept his cool to turn the position around and secure the win—a brilliant display of composure under pressure.
A huge thank you to Tom Lawrie for organizing the event, and to Hugh Tassell for his help in running the tournament so smoothly on the night.
It was a joy to host this tournament, and we are already looking forward to organising more events like this in the future to keep the momentum going for our junior players. Thank you to everyone who joined us for a memorable night of chess!