Gabriel Sherwood wins at the EJCOA National Finals

For those unfamiliar, the EJCOA Youth Champs National Finals is a very competitive event on the English junior chess calendar. It brings together some of the country's strongest juniors over a demanding weekend of classical chess, with more than bragging rights at stake: the winner earns the right to represent England at the European Youth Championships.

In the U16 section, with a 4/5 score - winner Gabriel!

First contact with the Sherwoods

Way back in 2024, I had one of those evenings you get as a chess coach. Out of the blue, a parent sends you a WhatsApp message to say hello and ask if you'd coach their child after being recommended to them. That's always a pleasure, of course, and my conversations with Juliette Sherwood (Gabriel's non-chess-playing and always enthusiastic mum) deserve their own blog post!

Of course, once you establish that coach-player relationship, it's even better. That's certainly been my experience with the Sherwoods, a lovely family from Oxfordshire whose son discovered chess only post-lockdown. Amidst an array of hobbies and interests, this young man can really play chess.

Gabriel brings absolute determination and a natural flair to the royal game that has always made him a joy to teach. From the intense endgame drills I put him through in lessons, to WhatsApp messages on random evenings asking, "Should I add this line of the Sicilian to my repertoire?" or "See how I won this mad online game," he has the curiosity and enthusiasm needed to keep learning and improving.

But enough about Gabriel as a student. On to the tournament itself.

As you'll see from the ranking table, Gabriel was not among the rating favourites, yet he managed to win the event convincingly against strong opposition.

Here's my personal highlight from Gabriel's commanding play:

After Black's ...b5 pawn push, seeking to dismantle White's central control, what would you play?

The answer, as Gabriel shows us, is to sacrifice his rook. Not only is this a highly principled continuation, but it also demonstrates excellent calculation. Gabriel recognises that his outpost knight will dominate the board while Black's counterplay proves insufficient.

The game finished as follows:

38. Rxd7! Rxd7

39. cxb5 Rb7

40. b6 Ke8

41. Kc4 Kd7

42. Kb5 Rb8

43. Ka6 g5? A desperate attempt by Black to try to generate some counterplay. Gabriel calmly meets it head-on.

44. fxg5 h5?!

45. gxh5 f5

46. Ka7 Rh8

47. g6 Rg8

48. h6 – Black resigns

*I’m sure at this point Gabriel would entirely reject the label ‘kid’ – I hope he will forgive his ‘old man’ chess coach!

What’s next for Gabriel?

By winning the EJCOA U16s, Gabriel has earned the right to represent England at the European Youth Championships in Crete this November. He'll also be competing in the British U16 Championships before then.

Good luck Gabriel!

Preparing our juniors for the biggest stages

Gabriel's win is a brilliant example of what happens when talent meets serious preparation - and it's exactly why we run the British Junior Championships Bootcamp. From 27-29 July at Hotel Rafayel in Battersea, our strongest juniors will spend three days training with titled coaches: intensive endgame work, opening preparation, and the competitive mindset needed to perform when it counts. If your child is heading to the British Championships this summer - or has their sights set on events like the EJCOA - this is for them. Places are limited - find out more here.