A total of 743 students from schools all over the Gold Coast, Pre-Prep right up to Year 12, assembled at Emmanuel College for the Individual Age Chess Championships. Somerset’s contingent of 73 students performed exceptionally, claiming seven out of the 14 age titles.
The Age Divisions were broken up by years of birth. For the 2002, Jack Luke-Paredi successfully defended his title from 2018, winning Gold with 6/7. In 2003, Nina Varcoe was tied first and won Silver on count-back. Lyanna Chan won Gold for 2004 with 6.5 points, Silver was won by Angus Cheung on 5.5 and Jennifer Yeung won a ribbon of merit (fourth with 4.5/7).
In 2005, Byron Morris won Gold for with 6.5, while Jason Li got Bronze with 5.5. Kenny Ming won Gold for 2006 with 6.5. In 2007, Eason Wang finished equal first with 6/7 but just missed the medal on countback with 6/7. The Gold medal was won by Raphael Atia, current TSS student and former Somerset student. Also in 2007, Sophia Ahern and Melody Yang won merit ribbons with 5 points, while Bobby Long and Riley Jennings also did well with 4.5 points.
The 2008 was won by Anson Qu with a perfect 7/7. Sasha Hanford, who lost to Anson in the last round, was = third (sixth on countback) with 5.5 points. Aadi Rai scored 5, while Ken Wu scored 4.5. In 2009, Michael Rossiter tied for second with 6/7 (fourth on countback). Denver Bannerman was = sixth with 5.5, and also doing well on 4.5 points were Kseniia Igumenova, Chris Sui and Tyler Bethscheider.
Oscar Credland-Ballantyne was = sixth with 5.5 in the 2010, while Annika Lim scored 5 points and Rafael Brand also won a merit ribbon with 4.5. Elijah Hadikusumo won Bronze for 2011 with 6 and Sehaj Gill scored 4.5 points. In the 2012, Calen Tang won Gold with 7/7, while we had six students winning merit ribbons: Alessandro Martinese 5, Kitty Pallister 5, William Bailie 5, January Walker 5, Miranda Shum 4.5 and Alexandra Smith 4.5.
The 2013 and 2014 (Prep/Pre-Prep) was combined, and the 2013 won decisively by our Prep superstar Harrison Qu with 7/7. Preppie Dylan Hu won Bronze in the 2014 with 4/7. Well done to all students that participated at the Individual Age.
QLD Rapids at King’s
Eason Wang had a great result at the Qld Rapids held at King’s Christian College on Saturday 24 October. Eason won the entire event with 6/7, with wins against multiple strong adult players – some coaches, who shall remain nameless!
November QJ Rating List
The November Queensland Junior Ratings List saw many Somerset students improve their ratings. Top Somerset improvers: 
Upcoming Events
- Junior Masters (Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 November) – advanced
- One Day Challenge (Sunday 10 November) – beginner/ intermediate
- Gold Coast Blitz Championships and Gold Coast Transfer Championships (Sunday 24 November) – intermediate/ advanced
- Gold Coast Holiday Programme (16 to 18 December at Somerset, SSH 2.2) – all levels
- Gold Coast Summer Cup (19 December at Somerset, SSH 2.2) – all levels