clicks of chess clocks, while beginners and elites alike gather to enjoy and spread their knowledge of the game. Dulwich participates in both online inter-school events and over-the-board tournaments like the Brit- ish Team Chess Challenge, in which we qualified for the national finals following a 13/16 board score in the Wilson’s qualifier. We are also hoping to qualify for the National School Chess Championships finals this year. With simultaneous exhibitions, lessons, casual play, online arenas and a friendly community, Dulwich is en route to having one of the strongest yet most inclusive
historian and author Michael Scott-Baumann, and former MPs Sam Gyimah and David Gauke (leader of the ‘Gauke- ward Squad’). We have also had a great year for internal speakers, on topics as far-reaching as the Windrush Scandal, the possible future hegemony of China over global politics, the phenomenon of ‘capitalist realism’, and a touching and important personal reflection from Mr Mackintosh on the Holocaust and human rights. Many thanks to Mr Mackintosh for presiding with authority and eloquence over every meeting of Politics Society. ◉ SENIOR SCHOOL CHESS CLUB ROMAN ZADVORNY (YEAR 11) AND MR POORI Since its re-ignition post-lockdown in September 2021, the Chess Club has aimed for greatness. With 67 mem- bers signed up during the Union Fair and an online team of 155-strong, we have rapidly grown into a respected, vibrant society. M32 resounds every Monday with the
school chess clubs in the country. BRITISH TEAM CHESS CHALLENGE
English Schools’ chess sees two major competitions: the National School Chess Championships (NSCC) and the British Team Chess Challenge (BTCC). Our attempts to qualify for the NSCC national finals – for the first time in over a decade – are ongoing at the time of writing. I can, however, present to you Dulwich’s first-ever BTCC nation- al finals performance: We reached the finals, which were hosted in Birmingham’s King Edward VI Aston School in April, seeded 4th out of the 18 schools attending. Round 2 saw some pristine match strategy by our board 3, Arseniy Gushchin (Year 8), who declined a draw to clutch a much-needed victory. In the third round, a clean 4–0 sweep versus Sevenoaks saw us in second place with 9/12. Unfortunately, our momen- tum ground to a stop in the fourth round, with two strong pairings, including Wilson’s, against whom we had nar- rowly missed chances during qualification. Overall, there were three team wins and two losses, and with a total of
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THE UNION
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