Chess Update

Everyone's favorite team is coming off an undefeated 2022 year ending with sweeping all three 6th and under  trophies at the West Texas Regionals which were held in San Angelo.

 

This year's team should be better than last year's and is led by some veteran players with impressive chess resumes.

 

Katie Li held down first board for the Chargers last year which meant the pressure of playing the top players from every other school. The Chargers are lucky she's back again this year and has gotten much better over the year.  On board two is another veteran, fifth grader, Ollie Mathewson, who had a very strong  record last year and has improved tremendously this year to the level of an adult tournament chess player.

 

Katie's said her goal this year was to "keep Trinity's winning streak going." She joked that chess practice was a good way to "avoid my friends," and her favorite part of the game is when, "I'm losing, but put together a surprise checkmate."  Ollie said he enjoys "playing higher rated players," especially adults. He said he's been working on the Scotch Gambit and is particularly strong in the endgames.

 

Behind Katie and Ollie are a group of veterans from last year's undefeated team that together make this the deepest and probably best team Trinity has ever fielded.

 

Fifth grader Pearson Doyle is important to the team not just for his strong play, but also his fierce competitiveness and leadership qualities. It was pretty stressful for the team taking the long trip to San Angelo wondering what they would find taking on the best chess players from all over West Texas. Of all the players from the region, only one finished with an undefeated record of six wins and no losses, and that was Pearson. He said the Regionals turned out to be easier than he expected. "I only had two close games," he said. Pearson said chess "helps me stay awake at night. I see the board in my head."

 

Fifth grader Evan Walker had a magical season last year. He finished with a perfect record, winning every single game without a loss, or even without a draw against every team in Midland. When asked about what he thought of his amazing undefeated season, he opined, "It's all a blank to me." Fifth grader Joaquin Gil has improved tremendously this year. He's one of the more aggressive players on the team, always looking for the attack. He said the thing that made him better this year was, "I learned how to defend better," but he still likes the attacks because "it helps me show my dominance." Another key fifth grader, Barrett Johnson, is opposite, preferring solid, less complicated positions. He remembered an example of a less complicated position against tough opponent Carver where he simplified the position for a win. "His bishop was about to take my queen," Barrett said, "and my queen was pinned so I checked him with my bishop. That left my knight undefended, but by being greedy he missed that even though I was losing material, I was able to advance my pawn to a nice checkmate."  See, a nice simple position. 

 

Gus Padgett, another fifth grader finished the Regionals with five wins, one draw and no losses, good for second place just behind Pearson. Gus said the Regionals were like "Harry Potter chess" because he was seeing so clearly his moves were like magic. Musing philosophical, Gus said he plays mostly the Sicilian defense. After all, he mused, "Openings are like frogs, because they ribbit."  Wesley Howard is one more of the group of strong fifth graders who could be top board at many schools we will play this year. He said he likes to play the Opening called the Jordan, developed by Trinity chess playing legend Jordan Kazcor. Wesley said he hopes the analytical part of chess will help him become an architect some day. We thought we might lose fifth grader Rowan Baker this season as there were rumors he would sign as a free agent with one of our competing schools, but he resigned with the Chargers and has come back this year to give grief again to the rest of Midland's chess teams. 

 

As if the fifth grade class needed more strength, Ewan MacDonald came out of nowhere to win most improved award and has moved into the top boards. "I just started this year," he said. "I play mostly the London System. It's exciting."

 

Last year's third grade class only had two players come to most matches. Tom Zmigrosky was brought up for every match and is ready to go again this year. "I'm older, and smarter," he said. "My goal is to win every game this year - with no stalemates." Kelly Xie also had experience in matches last year but this year she will be asked to move up to higher boards and tougher competition. "I have a mix of emotions," she said. "Worried, and excited. I need to not rush so much. That's where I make mistakes. I watch the time so much I miss something on the board." 

 

Some fourth graders who practiced in third grade but didn't get to play in many matches last year will be asked to take on a bigger role this year. CJ Seth said, "Yes, I'm ready, but also nervous" He said he's confident in his openings, but still needs to work on his endings. Maggie Berry said the idea of playing competitive matches against other schools makes her feel "nauseous, yet confident." Isn't that how we all feel?

 

The Chargers will try to keep their undefeated streak (we think we're aiming for nine years in a row) going for another year when their season starts Thursday, January 26 against Bunche Elementary School.