Strong Showing for Burton & Lichfield at Rolls-Royce Jamboree

Derbyshire Chess Association Jamboree

The traditional end-of-season Derby League Jamboree was, as always, an enjoyable celebration of chess for all of the players taking part, including two teams from Burton & Lichfield, and junior members from Burton / Swadlincote Junior Chess Club.

The event, played at the Rolls Royce Club in Derby, began with an early evening junior event for under-16s: four rounds at a blitz time control of 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move. Derby and Rolls-Royce dominated the event, but Burton were pleased to get two juniors involved. Jake Roach and Amelia Mortlock, both from Swad JCC, combined with Rolls-Royce players to form a team which finished 6th out of 7.

The junior event was followed by the Open and Plate sections, both played at a unrated rapidplay time control of 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move.

In the Open, the Burton & Lichfield ‘A’ team of Vinod Fernando, Richard Anderson, Adam Routledge and David Pickering made an excellent start. After Round 1 the team had scored 3/4, and after Round 2 this had become 6/8. A tougher third round left the side on 7/12, but a strong finish took the final score to 9/16. That was enough for joint second place, level with two other teams and just one point behind winners Breadsall. In a field including strong players such as John Potter of Belper, John Tompson of Derby, and Paul Madden of Breadsall, there were plenty of complex and tense games throughout the evening.

Burton & Lichfield also had a strong result in the Plate. The ‘B’ team of Andrei Pinzaru, Phil Goater, Connor Whetnall and captain Terry Knight also finished on 9/16. This put them joint second with three other teams, just half a point behind Derby B.

There was further Burton and Lichfield involvement through Graeme Drayton and Ivan Wright, who joined Spondon and Rolls-Royce players in a combined team which finished 6th out of 7.

There were some strong individual performances. Jake Roach finished joint third in the Junior event with 3/4. David Pickering scored 3/4 in the Open, enough for joint fifth, and Phil Goater and Connor Whetnall both scored 2½/4 in the Plate, finishing joint seventh.

Many thanks to the Derby League organisers of the event and to everyone at Rolls Royce for hosting such an enjoyable evening. (Event played: 14th May 2026)