World Youth U-16 Chess Olympiad 2016

[robin moore]

3-1 to the Czech Republic but on the balance of the overall play perhaps 2-2 would have been a fairer result. Great effort again and you did Scotland proud.

[amuir]

We seem to have an abundance of star junior players at the moment e.g. Murad, Declan, Kai, Lennart.

I remember playing in the World and European Junior under -19 Individual events. Do we send players to these individual events any more ?

[robin moore]

Andy,

I think the next event up in just under three weeks is the Euroyouth which has age brackets for boys and girls up to under 18.

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[robin moore]

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Just noticed that Declan is in third place for the board prize on board 3.

[amuir]

Robin
Thanks. Murad, Declan and Lennart are playing in the Euroyouth. They must have a good chance of a top 10 finish.

[Alan Borwell]

Fine performance by the team and an exceptional score by Declan Shafi. I think it is expecting rather much for any of our players to achieve a top 10 finish in the Euro U16 looking at the incredibly strong list of entrants but look forward to watching their games if they reach the top boards :-). Who remembers Paul Motwani's amazing achievement some 40 years ago when he won the World Cadet (under 17) Championship in 1978!

[Alan Tate]

I must admit to being bemused by all the praise here for the team. Finishing two places above seeding is hardly worth writing home about. The only player who will be very pleased (and rightly so) is Declan Shafi who had a fantastic tournament. Is it really helpful to exaggerate praise on to juniors (or anyone)? I have my doubts.

[robin moore]

Alan,

Declan had a rating performance of 2104. Murad had a rating performance of 2144. I think that is "worth writing home about".
I don't think we are purporting to be World beaters but there can be no doubt we have some rapidly improving juniors. Personally, I feel they merit our wholehearted support.

[Alan Tate]

Murad is rated 2100 Robin. My own feeling is that false praise serves more to undermine players than help them, but I'm open to being wrong.

[andyburnett]

I think our players' performances were very good and cause for optimism. No need to go overboard, of course, but certainly worthy of a mention Too much praise and no praise at all are generally counter-productive.

It will be interesting to see if the likes of Declan and Murad can build on these types of performances at big events and stick with chess over the next few years. If so, I don't think titles of some sort are out of the question at all, but they will have to put in the hard work that I see their comtemporaries doing over here in Czech/Slovakia/Hungary/Poland etc!

Hopefully I will get a chance to visit the EuroYouth in Prague and lend them some support!