On Saturday 26 April 2025, a truly special chess event took place, bringing together young players from across South and East Nottinghamshire to face an international challenge.
Organised by members of the Radcliffe & Bingham Chess Club, the event welcomed a visiting junior team from Taurage, Lithuania, for a day of friendly yet competitive matches.
Hosted by Carnarvon Primary School in Bingham, the tournament was held in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with the school also generously providing accommodation, refreshments, and administrative support for the visitors. The format was an informal individual Swiss-system competition, with team scores calculated from the collective performance of each school’s players. Medals were awarded to top-performing boys and girls across Year Groups 3 to 6.
Eight teams took part, including a combined Newark ‘All Stars’ team, local primary schools, and Radcliffe & Bingham Junior Chess Club. We are incredibly proud to share that Pierrepont Gamston Primary School secured second place overall—an impressive result given theThe visiting team from Lithuania’s Taurages Šaltinio Gymnasium, accompanied by their coach and parents, emerged as tournament winners—a reflection of the strong chess culture in Lithuania, where the game is a valued part of the school curriculum.
The idea for this event came from Julius Vasiliauskas, a member of the Radcliffe & Bingham Chess Club, who reached out to his former coach in Lithuania to bring this exciting opportunity to life. It was a fantastic chance for our pupils to challenge themselves, build their confidence, and connect with young people from another country through a shared love of chess.
Our thanks go to Julius and his family, the Lithuanian team and their supporters, the dedicated staff at Carnarvon Primary School, and the many volunteers from Radcliffe & Bingham Chess Club—especially Nick, Stuart, Chris, and Marcel. We are also grateful to the Nottinghamshire Chess Foundation, the Nottinghamshire Primary Schools Chess Association, and Chess in Schools & Communities for their support.
It was an enriching experience for all involved, and we are thrilled that our pupils not only rose to the challenge but also embraced the opportunity to learn and grow through international friendship and competition.
Written by Pierrepont Gamston Primary School
Photo: The Pierrepont Gamston Chess Team.