2025/26 Season
Teams of six players play four rapidplay games on on four Sundays over the season. In 2024/25 the Chess Academy won the tournament, even though our players were significantly younger than their opponents. In 2025/26 we finished second behind the Perse Upper School, losing to them on the final day after being neck and neck for most of the season. Clashes with other chess events in which Academy players competed had significantly weakened our teams. Thanks are due to team coach Mauricio Varea who organised our two teams, assisted by Paolo Di Fruscia. In 2026/27 our intention is to run two teams again, to provide opportunities for Gryffindor players to take part. If you are keen to play email Mauricio in early September to register your interest: mauricio.varea@gmail.com
2024/25 Season
With a record 36 teams this season The League has been split into two divisions, with both ALCA teams in the first division. After three rounds the A team is leading on 51 points, having scored 6-0 wins in all three matches in the third round, overtaking Cambourne Village College on 47.5 points. Thomas Sha (8.5/10) and Ethan Liu (9.5/10) are both unbeaten on the top two boards, whilst Neel Mishra (7/7) and Guy Parsons (8/9) have also done really well.
ALCA B was always going to find the first division tough, not helped by playing the leading teams early on. However three decisive victories on the third Sunday lifted them to ninth out of 16 teams with 29.5 points. They’ve fought really hard and played their part by taking valuable points off the A team’s rivals, so well done. Particular credit goes to Minh Nguyen (3/3 on the second Sunday) and Elliot Lingard (2.5/4 on the first Sunday), whilst on the third Sunday it was Neel Mishra’s turn to score 3/3 on top board. Combined with his performance for the A team that gives him 10/10 so far!
The fourth playing day was on Sunday 2 March, at which ALCA A strengthened its position at the head of the table with three decisive victories, Thomas Sha, Ethan Liu, Ivan Yu, Guy Parsons, and Neel Mishra winning all their games. The B team scored a draw and two defeats to remain just below halfway in the table.
The final two matches on Sunday 27 April both went well and ALCA A comfortably retained their lead to win the championship. A full report and a picture of our winning team can be found as a post titled ALCA are Cambs Schools League Champions.
Report on 2023/24 Season
The opening round, early in the autumn term, was held before the Academy was properly running so we joined in at the second round. In total 18 Academy players took part over the three rounds we played. The A team was drawn from Ben Varea, Tommy Mole, Gabriel Varea, Ethan Wood, Ray Lee, Neel Mishra, Guy Parsons, Youssef Younes, Edward Griffin and Bluebelle Campbell. The B team was represented by Reuben Webster, Neel Mishra, Edward Griffin, Benjamin Tsang, Ziyu Ong, Tom Dunne, Ruben Emerson, Walt Dean, Akshayaa Balasubramanian, Nok Hoi Chan and Younes Kousksou.
As we had missed the opening round of matches we were paired against the weaker teams in the second round with the result that both teams won all their matches convincingly. Gabriel, Ethan and Neel scored 4/4, and Ben and Ziyu 3/3.
The second round in January was restricted to three rounds because of time. The A team started with two good wins before coming up against the eventual winners, King’s A. Our leading points scorers in this round were Guy and Bluebelle (2/2) and Gabriel and Ethan (2/3). The B team unfortunately had a bye in one round, but won both matches played with Ruben, Reuben and Akshayaa winning both their games.
We expected a tough time in the final four rounds, played at the beginning of March, as both teams were now in the top half of the table. The A team did really well to beat the second-placed St Faith’s, then lost narrowly to Cambourne Village College before finishing strongly with 5-1 victories over both JUVFC and the Perse School. The B team, regrettably, had a walkover in their first match before losing their last three matches against the schools that finished second, third and fifth.
The final results showed King’s School comfortable winners on 74.5 points. ALCA A were eighth on 49.5 points and ALCA B fifteenth on 37. I have little doubt that the A team would have been battling for the silver medals and the B team would have been in the top half of the League were it not for missing the first round of matches. The highest scorers for ALCA were Guy 8/9, Ethan 8/11, Neel 6.5/9, Gabriel 6/7, Ben 6/9, Ruben & Reuben 4/4 and Youssef 4/6.
Mauricio Varea and Paul Kemp