High Wycombe basked under clear blue skies and warm sunshine on 23 May 2026 as it welcomed 69 eager young chess players to the BYCA EJCOA Zonal 2026. The weather helped create a day full of excitement, concentration, and community spirit. This was a major BYCA chess event in High Wycombe after 2 years.
For many children, this was their first-ever chess tournament, and the mixture of nerves and enthusiasm was evident. Parents gathered early, and the hall buzzed with anticipation.
BYCA Chairman, Ray Yu, attended the event and encouraged the players, highlighting the importance of youth chess development.
National Arbiter, Soumya Gorrepati and Floor Arbiter, Harsha Vardhan, presided over the tournament, ensuring fair play and smooth organisation throughout the day.
Between rounds, families made use of the nearby Morrisons Daily, grabbing refreshments and snacks before returning to the action.
A budding chess reporter, Shreenitya Mukerjee, spoke to players, parents, and volunteers. Their stories about discovering chess, experiences at tournaments, and the role of parents in motivating children captured the heart of what youth chess is all about.
Performance Insights from the Final Standings
The final standings highlighted several standout performances from across the region. The charts below show how success was shared among different cities.
National Spots Earned by City
The chart below shows how National Spots were distributed, with London, High Wycombe, and Aylesbury emerging as the strongest contributors.
Podium Finishes by City
The pie chart below highlights podium finishes, with London leading the field, followed closely by High Wycombe and Aylesbury. Players from several other cities also secured important individual successes.
These visuals make it clear that while players from a few places dominated the top spots, strong performances came from across the region, reflecting the depth of talent present at the event.
A Celebration of Achievement
As the final round concluded, the hall filled with applause for the prize distribution ceremony.
Awards were presented as follows:
- Trophies for the Top Boy and Top Girl in each age category
- Medals for 2nd and 3rd place, recognising outstanding performances.
- And, in the spirit of encouragement and inclusivity, participation medals for all 69 players
Final rankings can be accessed here:
U8 - https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1420924.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=5&fed=ENG&SNode=S0
U10 - https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1420931.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=5&fed=ENG&SNode=S0
U12 - https://s1.chess-results.com/tnr1420937.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=5&fed=ENG&SNode=S0
U14 to U20 - https://s1.chess-results.com/tnr1420949.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=5&fed=ENG&SNode=S0
While the BYCA team was at the forefront of the tournament, they received valuable support from SPTW, CSC, and chess clubs in Maidenhead, Bourne End, Uxbridge, Oxford, and Aylesbury to help spread the word. Special thanks to Yury Krylov, the ECF Home Development Director, for his guidance and support, Pine Trees (High Wycombe) Management Company for providing the venue for the tournament, and Enterprise Trophies & Engraving (High Wycombe) for providing the prizes and all Parent Volunteers for their support.
The smiles - some triumphant, some shy, all proud - were the perfect ending to a day that celebrated not just competition, but growth, learning, and community.