The APS Junior Chess Championship 2007 came to end last week at St Elias College in St Venera. Two parallel Swiss competitions were held, one for the U-20s and the other for the category of players U-14 years of age.

Robert Zerafa, 18 of Marsaxlokk, is the new Junior Chess Champion of Malta. Zerafa scored four and a half point out of a possible five defeating Gary D’Amato, SAM Sacco, Kevin White, and three times winner of the event, Mark Cardona in the process. His only draw came at the hands of his brother Patrick with the latter claiming the third place spot. Cardona was second with four points.

Kevin White claimed the U-18 title whilst Kyle Bonnici picked the U-16 title.

The final standings of the U-20 reads as follows:

1 R. Zerafa 4½ pts (Malta Junior Champion); 2 M. Cardona 4 pts; 3 P. Zerafa 3½ pts; 4-7 K. White (U-18 Champion), S. Sacco, C. Farrugia, L. Farrugia 3 pts; 8-10 K. Bonnici (U-16 Champion), A.Xuereb, PH. Leone Ganado 2½ pts; 11-13 D. Saliba, V.E. Farrugia, D. Psaila 2 pts; 14 L.M.Saliba 1½ pts; 15 D. Spiteri Belcher 1 pt; 16 G. D’Amato 0 pts

In the U/14 competition Luca Vassallo, Christian Xuereb and promising youngster and U-12 Champion Jeanluc Mangion tied in first place with four points out of five games. Thanks to a superior Median Buholtz Vassallo, a Dingli lad and student at St Elias, was declared U-14 Champion for this year. Xuereb and Mangion were second and third respectively.

The U-14 Best female title was won by Rita Saliba.

The final standings for the U-14s reads as follows:

1-3 L.Vassallo (U-14 Champion), C.Xuereb, J.L.Mangion 4 pts; 4-6 R.Saliba, D.Agius, R.Mercieca 3 pts;

7-9 J.Darmanin, N.Mercieca, J.P.Xuereb 2½ pts; 10-11 M.Bondin, C.Spiteri Belcher 2 pts; 12 J.Borg 1½ pts; 13 J.Xuereb 1 pt; 14 R.Sammut 0 pts.

At the end of the competition R. Azzopardi distributed the trophies to the winners in the presence of the numerous parents and relatives that were at the College.

Malta Chess Federation spokesman Stephen Farrugia thanked the rector of the College Fr Charles Mallia for his continuous support to local chess. He also thanked APS for their commitment to the development of the Junior chess players and congratulated the players for their good show.

Tournament director was Noel Grima.