The London Junior Chess Championship (LJCC) is an annual event held since 1924, originally as the London Boys Championship.
The LJCC is held in age delimited categories, Under 8, Under 10, Under 12, Under 14, Under 16, Under 18 and Under 21. Admission to a given age limited section requires being younger than the age limit at midnight on the 31st of August in the year of the Finals. The following list summarises the age limits in terms of the standard school years used in the English school education system:
- U8 – corresponds to Year 3 and younger
- U10 – corresponds to Year 5 and younger
- U12 – corresponds to Year 7 and younger
- U14 – corresponds to Year 9 and younger
- U16 – corresponds to Year 11 and younger
Playing in the U8, U10 and Under 12 Finals requires pre-qualification, generally by obtaining a result in a qualification tournament. Direct admission to the Finals is also possible for a few players who have already achieved an ECF Rating above a certain threshold. The ratings must be standard or rapid ratings for otb (over the board) play; online ratings are excluded. The following list gives the rating thresholds for direct qualification:
- U8 – ECF rating of 1250 or higher
- U10 – ECF rating of 1500 or higher
- U12 – ECF rating of 1750 or higher
Players who wish take part in the older age categories, from U14 to U21, apply directly. Pre-qualification is not required.
The qualification score for the U8 is 4 points from 6 games. The U10 and U12 Finals are divided into two sections: Major and Minor. A score of 4½ qualifies for the Major, whilst a score of 3½ or 4 qualifies for the Minor. A player that has qualified for the Major cannot play in the Minor.
Full details of the qualification process and the Finals can be found at: https://www.ljcc.co.uk/.
Richmond Juniors holds two qualification tournaments each year, one held in October, historically at Hampton, and one held early in December at Twickenham.
Hampton Junior Chess Congress 2024
The annual Hampton qualifier for the London Junior Chess Congress will be held at Orleans Park School on Saturday 12th October 2024. Details and entry can be found at: Hampton Junior Chess Congress.
Twickenham Junior Chess Congress 2024
The Twickenham qualifier for the London Junior Chess Congress will be held at Orleans Park School on Saturday 30th November 2024, and the online booking form can be found at: Twickenham Junior Chess Congress.
There will be an U14 & U18 FIDE Rated Standard Play Congress held on Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December at the same venue. The details for this event can be found at: Twickenham Youth Championship.
Results from Previous Years
Results from previous years can be found at: History – Hampton & Twickenham LJCC Qualifiers.