Co-curricular activities welcome likeminded students and staff to nurture passions and indulge interests, forging friendships which span across classes and year groups. Our current provision is extensive, numbering at over one hundred and fifty options, with more growing each year. Each week, we seek to celebrate one of the many clubs and societies that form part of the rich fabric of Merchant Taylors’.
Chess Club has expanded significantly over the last year and a half. Casual Friday playing sessions during the Hour are perpetually over-subscribed, so much so that we recently had to spill over from EN34 into EN35. Fortunately for us, Mrs Shockley has been very welcoming; we extend our thanks to her for allowing us to use her classroom. If you are thinking of playing chess for the first time, do not be put off by the busyness of the club; we endeavour to meet demand and are always seeking new ways to accommodate all types of players. If necessary, we may have to negotiate for use of another classroom. Also, if there is enough of a clamour, we could launch sessions for beginner/intermediate online lessons.
Last year the Taylors’ Chess A Team was launched and took part in its very first external tournament: the Harrow School Blitz Tournament, to which we returned this January with not one but two teams of 8 students. We also visited Eton College in October 2024 with two teams of 6 students for their ‘Major’ tournament. The A Team came runners-up and only missed out on winning their first trophy by half a point. The A Team has also been involved in the English National Schools Chess Championships this year, for which we qualified in style at Harrow School in November. Since then we have beaten Mill Hill County High School in the first Regional round and are set to play North London Collegiate School in the semi-final later this month.
Chess captain Josh G (Lower Sixth) has recently organised the second instalment of an internal knockout competition for pupils to showcase their skills, enjoy a competitive edge and potentially qualify for participation in the A or B Team. We are really keen for there to be a pathway for boys to extend their involvement and develop their skills, and we are really proud of Josh for encouraging his peers in his typically efficient and enthusiastic manner.
The next major venture for Chess Club is for the A and B Teams to have specialised training sessions led by a Grandmaster. This is already in the pipeline and will commence in either April or June.
If you are interested in being involved in this exciting and ever-growing club, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Robinson (dgr@mtsn.org.uk).
