Gawain Jones, from York, has won the Under-16 and Under-14 titles at the recently held National Junior Squad championships.

The 12-year-old finished with an impressive score of five-and-a half points from six games.

This is a remarkable result giving his age and that all the other competitors were the elite of the junior players in the country.

Over the May Bank Holiday seven players from York entered the popular Calderdale Chess Congress.

Veteran David Hardcastle rolled back the years to storm into the joint lead with one round remaining of the minor section.

Unfortunately in the last round,

playing with the black pieces, he lost to the competition winner and so ended on four-and-a-half points from six games.

Joining him on four-and-a-half points was Neville Pearce who remained unbeaten throughout the competition with three wins and three draws.

Steve Webster was York's other entrant in the minor section and he achieved the respectable score of three points from his six games.

In the major section, Eric Key was York's best performer with three-and-a-half-points from six games.

Don Baldwin and John Cawston also entered this section and both scored three points from their six games.

The only York player not to get at least half points was Nigel Holroyd, who was playing in the very tough open section and who scored two points from five games.

Here is one of David Hardcastle's victories from the Calderdale Minor.

D Hardcastle (white) v

J Holliday (black)

1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 d5 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Nbd7 6.0-0 Bd6 7.d4 Ng4 8.h3 h5 9.c4 Qf6 10.Ba3 c5 11.Nbd2 Qg6 12.Nh4 Qf6 13.Nxf5 Qxf5 14.Nf3 e5 15.dxc5 e4 16.cxd6 exf3 17.Bxf3 Nge5 18.Qxd5 Nxf3+ 19.Qxf3 Qxf3 20.gxf3 Rh6 21.Kh2 Ne5 22.f4 Nf3+ 23.Kh1 Kd7 24.Rad1 Nh4 25.Rd5 b6 26.Rg1 g6 27.e4 Re8 28.e5 Nf5 29.c5 Rhh8 30.cxb6 axb6 31.Rc1 Rc8 32.Rxc8 Rxc8 33.Rd2 Rc3 34.Bb2 Rxh3+ 35.Kg2 Rh4 36.Rc2 Nxd6 37.Rd2 Rxf4 38.Rxd6+ Kc7 39.Rf6 Rxf6 40.exf6 Kd6 41.a4 Kd5 42.b4 Kc4 43.a5 bxa5 44.bxa5 Kb5 45.Bc3 Ka6 46.f4 Kb5 47.Kg3 Ka6 48.Kh4 Kb5 49.f5 gxf5 50.Kxh5 f4 51.Kg4 1-0