The new chess season and chess at Broadstairs Chess Club resumes on Monday 2nd September (new members always welcome), following a three week break to accommodate the summer holidays, Folk week and the bank holiday.
Earlier in August the 2023/24 season concluded with the club’s AGM and the presentation of trophies (see photos below relating to the Hargreaves Shield, John Couzens Trophy, and the Mick Croft Cup).
It was a successful season with Broadstairs winning the Hargreaves Shield, the Thanet Shield and the Mick Croft Cup, the greatest achievement though took place in the club’s internal competition, namely the Goodall Cup.
The Goodall Cup itself, dates to 1950, although Broadstairs Chess Club dates back to 1887. The previous young winners had included Paul Carfrae (1997) and Ian Hames (1984), accordingly the previous youngest winner in the more modern times of the last 74 years had been in their mid- twenties. Samuel Marsden, the 2024 winner is almost certainly the youngest winner of the Club Championship in its 137 years history and certainly the youngest winner of the Goodall Cup in its 74 years history. At 14 years of age, he started the competition aged 13 and achieved the remarkable feat of winning the competition with the fantastic score of 91.18%, 15.5 points from a possible 17 points and games.
Such is Samuel’s chess ability he will be starting the new season as the club’s highest rated player and will playing on the club’s top board in Broadstairs league fixtures which start in a few weeks’ time with games against the University of Kent and then Sandwich.