Bob Jones on the Saitek UK Challenge

THE original 33,000-plus competitors in the Saitek UK Chess Challenge were whittled down to 584 for the grand final, or Gigafinal, at Nottingham University the other weekend.

Sixteen championships were decided in eight age groups, from under-seven to under-18, a boy and girl in each.

Several of the names were already familiar, having retained their title from last year or already being British junior champions.

However, the event came up with at least one historic first, as Naomi Scott, of the Isca Junior Chess Club in Exeter, became the first Devon player to win a section when she came first in the girls' under-11s.

Naomi's parents, Dave and Maggie Scott, who run the Isca Junior Club, have seen her improve dramatically this year. Last month she won outright the Exeter Junior Congress in great style, but her latest success has added a completely new dimension to her ability. She now qualifies to take part in the Mind Sports Olympiad at Olympia next month.

With so much chess activity available to both juniors and adults, it is difficult for any new event to find a niche in the calendar that will attract enough players to make it financially viable.

Established events like the Paignton and Torbay congresses have had time enough to build up a regular clientele and reserve funds they can fall back on in a lean year.

A new event doesn't have this luxury and this forced the cancellation of the proposed Cornish Summer Congress due to have taken place last weekend in Truro.