September 2003: International Master Adam Hunt appointed Chess co-ordinator at Woodbridge School, replacing Grandmaster Levitt
Woodbridge School enter the Suffolk Adult Chess League for the first time.
Queens House starts a chess club for the first time, both in Years 1 and 2
The Abbey receives Chess twice a week, on Thursday lunchtimes and Mondays after school
October 2003:Mr Hunt coaches England at the European Youth Championships in Halkidik, Greece. Click here to visit the British Chess Federation website and find out more.
November 2003: Edward Venmore-Rowland wins year 7 Mileham Shied
Woodbridge progress to National Schools regional final.December 2003: Woodbridge Junior Open attracts a record field of nearly 150 players.
Queens House pupil Hugo Davis wins London Under 7 title
January 2004:Woodbridge invited to represent England at European Schools championships, Turkey
Abbey school pupils qualify for the semi-finals of the English Primary schools championships, to be held in Hemsby in June.
February 2004:Suffolk Junior Open on Sunday 8th is a resounding success, with 160 players.
Woodbridge win regional section of National Schools championship for the first time
Under 15 and Under 18 Suffolk schools titles won by the school for the fourth consecutive year
March 2004: Continuation of success in many competitions, including Sudbury Junior Tournament
April 2004: Woodbridge represent England in European Schools championship. The Under 12 team comes sixth
May 2004: Suffolk Chess Megafinal attracts almost 120 players. Winners include Edward Venmore-Rowland, Chris Roche, Graeme Warden and Charlotte Morbey.
Edward Venmore-Rowland wins Year 7 round robin chess competition
Abbey Under 9 team finishes 7th out of 30 teams at the EPSCA semi-finals in Pontins, Hemsby.
June 2004: Chess for Junior exchange arrives at Woodbridge. A fantastic exchange was ahd by all, including a meeting with world number 1 Gary Kasparov. The 2nd leg of the exchange is being arranged.
August 2004: Edward Venmore-Rowland to be part of the England Squad at the Euroepan Union Youth Championships in Mureck, Austria. Mr Hunt to coach at the event.
Season 2002-2003
International Grandmaster Jonathan Levitt is appointed in September 2002 initially just for one day per week although this is soon extended
Carola Rotermund scores 6 / 6 at the Ipswich Junior Open, is asked to play for the adult Suffolk team and Woodbridge win the team trophy
Second Woodbridge Junior Open is held on 25th November 2002
66 out of the 83 Junior House pupils compete for the Mileham Shield, an indication of the ever growing level of participation
Nearly two dozen pupils from other schools attend free coaching on Thursday evenings with GM Levitt whilst a highly popular chess club is started at the Abbey in January
Trophies and prizes are introduced for the best recorded game each term
In the Spring term the chess experiment is expanded with nearly 30 pupils having individual or shared chess lessons during the academic day
The additional appointment of WIM Ruth Sheldon is made in January 2003 again initially just for one day a week and a dedicated weekly session is introduced on Wednesday evenings for the more advanced players
The Suffolk Junior Chess Open takes place at Woodbridge on 2nd February and draws 140 players from all over the country
An encouragingly large number of positive comments are received concerning the tournament’s organisation and friendly atmosphere and there is comprehensive coverage in the East Anglian newspaper
Club members amass a formidable haul of trophies whilst external club member David Donaghy plays for England U12’s on the same day
Woodbridge win the Suffolk U18 title, the recently located Sir Henry Warner shield, which was last awarded in 1994, is the prize.
During April www.woodbridgechess.com goes online
On 2nd May Woodbridge follow up their U18 Suffolk title with a comfortable victory in the final of the U15's. They also win the Ipswich League 13 - 2 and Chris Roche and Max Hoole are joint winners of the blitz tournament. External club member David Donaghy plays in Helsinki for England U12's
On 11th May Woodbridge School hosts the East Anglian Chess Megafinal which attracts over 200 competitors
On 21st June the first annual 24 hour charity chess marathon takes place.
Season Highlights 2001 – 2002
First Woodbridge Junior Chess Open takes place on 24th November 2001
There are 90 competitors from as far a field as Cornwall and County Durham
Thursday evening coaching sessions are made freely available to pupils at other schools
Virtually all BCF exam passes are with distinction and Jackson Fan gains the Gold BCF award
A House Chess Competition is introduced which will alternate between lightening and 5 minute blitz formats
Pupils again make the National Finals of several competitions
A staff – pupil challenge results in an honourable 3 – 3 draw
Season Highlights 2000 – 2001
Club started in September 2000, a School Chess Championship is introduced, as is the Mileham Shield competition for Junior House
Ipswich League started in January 2001 and Woodbridge take both first and second division titles
All the A team players win every single one of their league games
In the Anglian Megafinal of UK Chess Challenge Woodbridge take the top 5 places in the U18 category
Six of our players make it to National Finals
Over 20 pupils pass BCF exams, mainly with distinctions and several with 100%
Sophie Payne achieves a distinction in the Gold BCF Exam and is selected for England