The EPSCA Zones are taking place now for qualifcation to the finals, held in Richmond.
I was a board steward for this event, and I'll share my 'experience' :)

( EPSCA - Is a Jamboree event, including Schools and a Counties Competition )
https://www.epsca.org.uk/

Warwickshire won this zone, with Manchester, Notts and Leicestershire also qualifying.

Note - I've done something different this time to add / edit images, so I hope you like it :) - I will do this for future reports as well.

Next event reports to come - 30th Birmingham Rapidplay, UKCC School Stage, J4ncl W/E 3 - Daventry, 4NCL Easter Congress - Daventry

Note - I know images look quite 'ugly' after editing and all that, but sadly rules are rules..
I make these blogs for fun and to give insight into UK events from a player's eyes, not to get sued by people because of their face on my photos... ( In this event - we were constantly reminded that we need to be extra careful taking images ) - and edit them heavily etc.

https://www.oxfordfusion.com/epsca/TeamsOverall.cfm?EventID=156 - EPSCA Website results.

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This event was held at Clevelands Prep School, in this annex building, not the stone built one more clearly shown on google maps. Overall, it was a tight venue, but quite good, as the hall was decently sized, with lots of open space outside and a woodlands area.

The main school - there is the end of a small building on the far left, that is where the event was. ( This image is from the School Facebook Page )

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As soon as you entered the building, you were greeted with a large hall - which by the looks of a canteen - with tables lined with chess boards and a huge projected screen.

One view of the hall.

On the left hand side, a small counter served some refreshments, and the Warwickshire / Staffordshire room was next to that.

One of the rooms just before the start of the final round ( 3 )

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The counter

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Continue through the hall, there was a staircase which led to pretty much all the other counties room's ( about 3 I think ).
Downstairs in the Wirral area were the toilets.

View from the back of the hall ( There was an arbiters desk on the Right hand side of the hall. )

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It was a 3 round Swiss Team event, with 7 counties playing, on 12 boards. Digital Clocks were used, and it was 40+10 - Rapidplay.

http://www.ecfrating.org.uk/v2/new/list_games_swiss.php?event_code=MF2208&section_no=1 - Is the ECF Grading List for this event

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Outdoors, there was a woodland adventure area, which had all sorts of interesting things....
I did go and explore it, only to know we technically shouldn't have gone in... ( because of the annoying storms which had just happened )

There was a concrete area though, and lots of parking.
The venue was located quite close to the Bolton Wanderers Stadium, with the town centre quite close ( continuing down Chorley New Road )

Another view of the playing hall

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Board Steward report and view :

It definitely was a good experience, sort of arbitering an event properly, there were about 10 stewards, and 5 other 'arbiters'.

Results were on these little slips, rather than clipboards which Warwickshire 'invented' for Junior events, now pretty much used everywhere :)

I do remember, a lot of kids from our county were asking why I wasn't playing... ;) - Let's just say my U11 days are long behind me... :)

I didn't really have many disputes, and ones I heard / had, were solved quite easily.

Enough of that, and to be honest, I don't really think anyone cares ;)

Though we did have to pack up everything which was a bit fun I guess....
Boards being stacked up

The Clock cases, and the board where the final game finished....

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An interesting Endgame Position in a game :

https://lichess.org/study/GGofUjjN/AapPaDdZ

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PRIZE GIVING :

The Standings after Round 2 - ( Warwickshire scored 9.5/12 in the final round to take the bounty ), Interestingly, the top 4 stayed the same....

Medals being laid out on a table.

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Winners / top 3 of the reserves section received chess books, with other top 3's winning medals.
The top 4 teams qualified for the finals.
Below are all the teams and more.

Medal presentation......

Top 3 teams :

Warwickshire ( #1 )

Nottinghamshire ( #2 )

Manchester - ( #3 )

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If you made it this far, thanks for reading this blog post :)

All in all this took about 3 hours to edit, so I would really appreciate a heart and a share :) :D

Thanks and see you in the next one :D