Junior Club Champs – Everything to Play For in the Final Round

The penultimate round of the Junior Club Champs delivered some mighty battles across the boards.

Champions Division:

On board one, Isaiah – playing Black against Stanley – resourcefully defended an inferior endgame and ultimately claimed the full point in a tense time scramble. On board two, James (White) faced George in another closely fought endgame, with James successfully converting his pawn advantage. There were also strong wins for Jingwei, Ronan, and Josh.

Heading into the final round, the race could not be tighter: Jingwei and Isaiah lead on 4.5/6, with James and Stanley close behind on 4/6.

Challengers Division:

Remarkably, every player with the Black pieces won their game this round! On the top boards, the leader Oscar M and Elia both secured important victories. Lachlan bounced back from last week’s loss with a solid win against the in-form Maxwell. There were also good wins for Noah and Ryder.

With one round to go, Oscar M and Elia share the lead on 5/6, each having lost only once. Lachlan keeps his title hopes alive, sitting just behind on 4.5/6. In the chasing pack, Maxwell, Charlie, Ryan, Noah, and Ryder are all on 3 points.

With everything still to play for, the final standings won’t be decided until the very last game is complete!

Top to bottom: Stanley v Isaiah, George v James