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Chess Center

Spend National Chess Weekend (Oct 13-14) in Lanham, MD and meet Robert Katende

On Friday, October 13, you have a chance to meet Robert Katende and support Sports Outreach. On Saturday, October 14, the Washington Education Zone (Miles Hall at 8401 Good Luck Road in Lanham) will host its annual free chess tournament and a simultaneous exhibition by Mr. Katende.

Phiona Mutesi (seated left in the photo below) is one of the most inspiring stories to come from the chess world. As an under-nourished child in a slum of Uganda, Phiona discovered chess and became a champion of the African continent. Her story was written in The Queen of Katwe, then turned into a successful Disney movie.

We never would have heard of Phiona, however, had Robert Katende not created a chess program that welcomed her. Katende’s story, while not as well known, is equally inspiring. He also was brought up in difficult circumstances by his grandmother in Uganda. Through hard work and perseverance, he went to college, played soccer at a high level, and created a charity to help impoverished young people in his home country.

On National Chess Day this year, you have a chance to meet him and hear him speak.

New Year of Chess Classes Begins at Burroughs Elementary in DC

We are excited to be back at Burroughs Educational Campus in northeast DC. Every week, we teach all of the second, third, and fourth graders the rules, strategy, etiquette, and discipline of chess.

Teachers from the U.S. Chess Center have been coming to Burroughs since 2019, and are pleased that the school is growing. With forty more students in our chess classes this year compared to last, we are providing an additional twenty chess sets so that more than 100 students learn the game every week.

The students are excited about learning to play the game, and we hope to have them become tournament players and join millions of others around the world who form friendships over the board.

The second graders have started learning the Pawn Game, which has been our method of teaching the strategy of chess to students as they learn the rules, while the third and fourth graders began this week with the full game. Nearly all of the students in those grades had learned chess from us in school last year and the year before.

Theophilus Thompson Club Resumes on Sundays

In some places, school has started. In others, it is about to begin. For any local student, however, the last Sunday of August means that the Theophilus Thompson Club brings students in grades 7-12 together for chess.

 

Kids who enjoy the game and want to improve arrived in McLean yesterday for practice, lessons, and socializing. They played some blitz, as well as a game with a normal tournament time control. We discussed the strategy of the game and found some cool tactics.

This year, we plan to have students compete in the National High School Championships in April in Baltimore. We also are working on organizing internet matches with students from other countries and, if things go well, travel abroad for in-person matches as we have in previous years.

 

The Club meets nearly every Sunday from now through the end of the school year.  Online registration is available for those who wish to join us.

U.S. Chess Center Founder David Mehler Profiled in Washington Jewish Week

Since forming the U.S. Chess Center over 30 years ago, David Mehler has been at the center of our efforts to teach the game to young people.  In a feature published earlier today by Washington Jewish Week, he touches on several topics related to the Center, including the philosophy that has helped us reach tens of thousands of students in the greater D.C. area with our instruction. 

From our beginning, we’ve always encouraged the idea of chess not as an exclusive vocation for some cadre of intellectual super-elites, but rather as a pastime that everyone can enjoy with their friends.  As Mr. Mehler explains, anyone can learn to play and anyone can profit from learning.  Children who may be used to thinking only about short-term consequences learn the value of strategizing and planning ahead toward a long term goal, and students in the habit of acting out in the classroom can find an outlet for their energies that is equal parts competitive and mentally demanding.  Our preference for in-school chess classes over after-school clubs exists for the simple reason that those students least likely to sign up to learn the game are the ones likely to benefit the most from doing so. 

Our perspective on teaching the game runs along those same egalitarian lines.  Aside from a required rudimentary understanding of the rules, strategy and etiquette of chess, there’s not necessarily a correlation between playing strength and the ability to effectively impart the fundamentals to children.  Beyond Mr. Mehler’s jest about how “I make terrible moves while I’m playing competitively, but I can teach kids not to follow my example,” there’s a great deal of truth to the idea that you don’t have to be a grandmaster to be a good teacher of the game; you just need patience and a basic knowledge of what makes chess so useful. 

 

You can read the entire article on Mr. Mehler and the beginnings of the U.S. Chess Center here.  And, if you agree that chess can be a valuable tool to sharpen the minds of children, please consider donating to support our charitable work.

Summer Camp Season is in Full Swing

Our summer season of chess has kicked off with day camps at Churchill Road Elementary School in McLean, Virginia.  During the last week of June we drew two dozen campers for the first week of camp designed for newer players, and twenty students have joined us at this week’s camp geared toward more advanced students.

 

The camp curriculum is designed to be challenging to every student who shows up.  Our beginner students are learning basic endgame skills like checkmating with king and queen versus king or king and rook versus king, while our more advanced students are figuring out more difficult endgames.  No matter their skill level, everybody leaves camp at the end of the week with more knowledge than they had at the beginning.

In between games of chess, we take the students outside for Capture the Flag and other competitions.  It’s important to be able to take a break from chess every so often, but it’s also important that we’re always strategizing, even when we’re running around outside!
 
Each camp finishes up on Friday with a tournament.  Many of the students already come to us as tournament veterans, but for some of our newer players this is their first ever experience in any kind of chess competition.  Win or lose, they have all acquired skills and confidence to put to use as they continue to branch out into chess.
 
After this week, our camps move to Fairfax, Virginia (Greenbriar West Elementary) for the week of July 17-21, before two weeks of camp in Vienna, Virginia (Colvin Run Elementary).  We then finish up the summer spending the week in Takoma Park, Maryland (Piney Branch Elementary).  Space is still open at all our remaining camps, so there is still time to sign up to join us later this summer!

 

More information and registration: Summer Chess Day Camps – U.S. Chess Center (chessctr.org)

Chess in the Park Closes Season With Another Big Crowd

The sun shone, the birds chirped, and 73 students came to Eastern Market Metro Park to play chess in the park. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (pictured below) greeted the players and their families at its conclusion, handing out a dozen trophies to winning individuals and teams and 16 medallions to those who won more games than they lost.

Today marked the final of three events sponsored by Barracks Row Main Street, which also hosts free chess play every Friday evening. It was an exciting day for the players. 41 different schools from across the District of Columbia, Maryland and northern Virginia were represented.  Washington Latin Public Charter School won the championship team trophy for the third consecutive tournament, and School Within School brought home the second place team award, edging out Brent Elementary and EW Stokes Public Charter.

We plan to continue these Chess in the Park events in the 2023-2024 school year.  Be sure to subscribe to our emails to learn about future tournaments and other events/programs.

Another great day of Chess in the Park on May 20th

Our second drop-in tournament this spring at Eastern Market Metro was held under blue skies this past Saturday, May 20.  Staged in cooperation with Barracks Row Main Street and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, this event had over 40 students showing up to play over the two and a half hours.  The players ranged from grades 2 to 8, and from experienced USCF tournament players to first-timers.  

On June 24 we will hold a third and final Chess in the Park Tournament at Eastern Market Metro Plaza with the same format and again we will present awards to the top players, including top girl and top DC school (so encourage others from your school to register and play).  Pre-Register online for June 24 at: https://chessctr.org/play/easternmarketmetro/

Magruder High School Live Streaming Chess Competition

Metro Area Chess League participant Col. Zadok Magruder High School is in the middle of their spring chess competition.  Games are taking place in the auditorium during the school day, and Magruder’s chess club sponsor, Mr. Sanders, has put in the effort to set the event up for streaming.  The games can be followed live on the school’s YouTube channel.  The semifinals and finals are currently set for May 17 and 24, respectively.

We are very pleased to see school faculty members devoting time, space and energy to promote chess among students.

Chess in the Park Kicks Off 2023 Season at Eastern Market Metro

Despite the gray skies and raw temperatures, 37 students representing 28 schools (14 of them in DC) came to play in the first of three Chess in the Park events the U.S. Chess Center is organizing at Eastern Market Metro Park. Working in collaboration with Barracks Row Main Street and the DC Parks and Recreation Department, we were happy to welcome children in grades 2-8 to a friendly competition.

For some players, this was their first tournament. Others were experienced players, arriving with national ratings. The event is held using an informal method in which players are matched with others as soon as they finish each game. Keeping waiting time between games to a minimum means that some people played only two games while others played as many as eight. This makes it more fun for everyone.

Former ANC Commissioner Brian Ready not only provided a welcoming atmosphere for the event, at the end he provided half-price coupons for chess players and their families to come to Smoke & Mirrors, a magic show at Miracle Theatre on May 25.

DC Councilmember Charles Allen, himself a chess player, came to distribute trophies and medals to those who won more games than they lost. Mr. Allen has been a great supporter of activities at the park, located in his ward.

Washington Latin won the team championship trophy, with Brent Elementary winning the second place team trophy.

We will help with similar events at the same location on May 20 and June 24.

Upcoming Chess Tournaments This Month

Spring is turning into summer but the chess calendar is active year-round. 
 
After everyone had such a good time last June at the free Chess in the Park event at Eastern Market Metro, which drew students from all around the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia, we will be hosting an additional three tournaments at the same location this year in partnership with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation.  The first such tournament takes place this coming Saturday, April 29.  Any student in grades 2 through 8 may sign up to participate.  
 
No membership in any organization is required to play, but students do need to be familiar with all of the rules of chess, including castling, stalemate, and the touch-move rule.  We also strongly encourage participants to sign up online in advance to secure their space.  We have additional tournaments at Eastern Market Metro scheduled for May 20 and June 24.
 
On May 21, Chess Girls DC will be staging a USCF-rated all-girls’ tournament at the headquarters of the Institute for Educational Leadership in northwest Washington.  The tournament is open to all women and girls, not just those residing in the District of Columbia, and there will be separate sections for children and adults.  All players must be, or become, members of the U.S. Chess Federation in order to take part.  (NOTE: This tournament has been rescheduled from its originally slated date of May 6 to Sunday, the 21st.)
 
Finally, two weekends from now is the National K-6 Championship, to be held in Baltimore from May 12-14.  It has been many years since the last time a national championship was held in the greater Washington area and we hope that lots of students from our schools decide to go to this year’s competition.  Regardless of how many games they win, playing in such a strong tournament is an experience they will remember fondly for the rest of their lives.  No formal qualification other than membership in the USCF is required to play.

Montgomery Blair Retains Metro Area Chess League Title

The Metro Area Chess League playoffs for the 2022-2023 season have concluded.  Just like last year, the championship was decided in a quadrangular round-robin tournament with the top four schools from the regular season, and like last year, Montgomery Blair High School (Silver Spring, MD) edged out Richard Montgomery High School (Rockville, MD) to take the title, with Richard Montgomery finishing as runners-up.

Gonzaga College High School of northwest Washington defeated Arlington Career Center (Arlington, VA) in their individual match to take third place, and also earn the award for the top DC school this year.  Congratulations to all four playoff teams on their outstanding seasons!

Playoff Standings

1. Montgomery Blair High School (2.5 match points)

2. Richard Montgomery High School (2 match points)

3. Gonzaga College High School (1 match point)

4. Arlington Career Center (0.5 match points)

Elementary Team League 2022-23 Matchday 8 Results 

The final matchday of this year’s Elementary Team League wrapped up earlier today.  At the end of a close race for the season championship, Spring Hill Elementary took the title ahead of Churchill Road, who settled for the runner-up spot.   White Oaks swept both of their matches by 4-0 scores to earn the final spot on the podium.  Congratulations to the winners!

We’re grateful to St. Luke’s for providing the venue and tables for most of the matchdays this year, and thankful to the over 200 students from 12 schools who took part in the League this year.  Playing in the ETL helps these students build the skills and confidence to represent their schools in strong tournaments.  With the national elementary school championships being staged later this year in Baltimore, we anticipate some of these students will be taking part.

Round 15 Results

Westbriar 1-3 Spring Hill

Churchill Road 0-4 White Oaks 

Poplar Tree 3.5-0.5 Kent Gardens

Colvin Run 4-0 Ravensworth

Orange Hunt 0-4 Greenbriar West

Willow Springs 3-0 Lorton Station

Round 16 Results

 Greenbriar West 2-2 Westbriar

Spring Hill 3.5 – 0.5 Colvin Run

Ravensworth 2-2 Willow Springs

Lorton Station 2-0 Orange Hunt

White Oaks 4-0 Poplar Tree

Kent Gardens 1-3 Churchill Road

Final Team Standings After Matchday 8

Spring Hill 196

Churchill Road 184

White Oaks 176

Greenbriar West 174

Kent Gardens 164

Colvin Run 154

Westbriar 153

Willow Springs 153

Lorton Station 128

Poplar Tree 126

Ravensworth 88

Orange Hunt 85

Elementary Team League 2022-23 Matchday 7 Results

This season of the Elementary Team League is in the homestretch and last Saturday’s matches again drew a near-maximum turnout.  Churchill Road won an important match against leaders Spring Hill and is now just a single point behind heading into the final day of matches.  Third place Kent Gardens is also still in with a chance but would need results in the top two schools’ matches to go their way in order to catch up.

The final matches are on Saturday, March 25 and all of our after-school chess club members are welcome to sign up to join in the fun.  If your child is interested in participating, please reach out to their school club instructor.

Round 13 Results

Lorton Station 1-3 Greenbriar West

Westbriar 2-1 White Oaks 

Ravensworth 2-2 Kent Gardens

Colvin Run 2-2 Orange Hunt

Churchill Road 4-0 Poplar Tree 

Willow Springs 1-3 Spring Hill

Round 14 Results

 Poplar Tree 3-0 Westbriar

White Oaks 3-1 Colvin Run

Greenbriar West 2-2 Willow Springs

Orange Hunt 1-2 Ravensworth

Kent Gardens 3-1 Lorton Station 

Spring Hill 1-3 Churchill Road

Team Standings After Matchday 7

Spring Hill 167

Churchill Road 166

Kent Gardens 155

Greenbriar West 148

White Oaks 144

Westbriar 137

Colvin Run 133

Willow Springs 131

Lorton Station 117

Poplar Tree 107

Orange Hunt 85

Ravensworth 74

Metro Area Chess League 2022-23 Round 7 Results

This season’s Metro Area Chess League competition so far has been even closer and more exciting than we thought it would be.  No school has secured a playoff berth yet going into the final round, and depending on the results of those matches, any of nine schools may make it in.  On Tuesday night, Montgomery Blair edged a narrow match with West Springfield, 2.5-1.5, to tie Richard Montgomery on match points and move into the lead on the board points tiebreaker.  Langley, Falls Church and Arlington Career Center are just half a point behind the two leaders, and along with Gonzaga College and McLean, can guarantee a final four spot by winning their last round matches.  Centreville and Seneca Valley are also in with a chance of making the playoffs, although they would need to win in Round 8 and get help from results elsewhere.

Round 7 Results

Centreville High School 2-2 Richard Montgomery High School

Arlington Career Center 2-2 Falls Church High School

West Springfield High School 1.5-2.5 Montgomery Blair High School

Col. Zadok Magruder High School 1-3 Langley High School

 Seneca Valley High School 2-2 Gonzaga College High School

Don Bosco Cristo Rey 0-4 McLean High School

Winston Churchill High School 1-3 Rochambeau French Intl. School

W.T. Woodson High School 3-1 St. Anselm’s Abbey School

BASIS DC 2-2 Washington Intl. School 

Sandy Spring Friends School – DeMatha Catholic High School

Sidwell Friends School 0-4 Georgetown Preparatory School

Rockville High School 4-0 Eastern High School

St. Albans School 4-0 St. John’s High School

E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 1-3 Bishop McNamara High School

 
Standings After Round 7

PlaceSchoolTotal Match PointsTotal Board Points
1stMontgomery Blair High School5.519.5
2ndRichard Montgomery High School 5.519
3rdLangley High School519
4th (Tie)Arlington Career Center518
4th (Tie)Falls Church High School518
6th (Tie)Gonzaga College High School4.518
6th (Tie)McLean High School4.518
8th (Tie)Centreville High School4.516
8th (Tie)Seneca Valley High School4.516
10thRockville High School417
11thWest Springfield High School416.5
12thCol. Zadok Magruder High School416
13thRochambeau French Intl. School415.5
14thW.T. Woodson High School415
15th (Tie)Winston Churchill High School3.514.5
15th (Tie)Washington Intl. School3.514.5
17thBASIS DC3.513.5
18th (Tie)St. Anselm’s Abbey School313
18th (Tie)Georgetown Preparatory School313
20thSt. Albans School312
21stBishop McNamara High School311
22ndSidwell Friends School2.512
23rdSandy Spring Friends School2.511.5
24thDon Bosco Cristo Rey2.510.5
25th DeMatha Catholic High School2.510
26thSt. John’s College High School210.5
27thEastern High School210
28th E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 0.54.5
29thMcKinley Technology High School01
30thIDEA Public Charter School00

Round 8 Pairings

McLean High School – Montgomery Blair High School

Richard Montgomery High School – Gonzaga College High School

Falls Church High School – Langley High School

Arlington Career Center – Centreville High School

Rochambeau French Intl. School – Seneca Valley High School

West Springfield High School – W.T. Woodson High School

DeMatha Catholic High School – Col. Zadok Magruder High School

Washington Intl. School – Winston Churchill High School

Georgetown Preparatory School – Rockville High School

St. Anselm’s Abbey School – BASIS DC

St. Albans School – Don Bosco Cristo Rey

Bishop McNamara High School – Sandy Spring Friends School

Sidwell Friends School – E.L. Haynes Public Charter School

Eastern High School – St. John’s College High School

 

Metro Area Chess League 2022-23 Round 6 Results

This past round of the Metro Area Chess League was the most closely fought of the season so far.  Most of the matches were swayed by the outcome of a single game, with several ultimately ending up as 2-2 draws.  Richard Montgomery still holds the overall lead in the standings despite ceding a draw to Falls Church, who stayed half a point behind.  Montgomery Blair and Arlington Career Center also tied their match 2-2 to remain in the other two playoff positions.  Six other schools are half a point out of the top four.

Round 6 Results

Richard Montgomery High School 2-2 Falls Church High School

Montgomery Blair High School – Arlington Career Center

Langley High School 1-3 Centreville High School

Rochambeau French Intl. School 1-3 West Springfield High School

Washington Intl. School 1-3 Seneca Valley High School

Col. Zadok Magruder High School 2-2 Winston Churchill High School

McLean High School 3-1 DeMatha Catholic High School

Georgetown Preparatory School 2-2 W.T. Woodson High School

Bishop McNamara High School 1-3 Don Bosco Cristo Rey

Rockville High School 2-2 Sandy Spring Friends School

Gonzaga College High School 3-1 Sidwell Friends School

St. John’s High School 1-3 BASIS DC

St. Anselm’s Abbey School 2-2 St. Albans School

Eastern High School 4-0 E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 

Standings After Round 6

PlaceSchoolTotal Match PointsTotal Board Points
1stRichard Montgomery High School 517
2nd Montgomery Blair High School4.517
3rd (Tie)Arlington Career Center4.516
3rd (Tie)Falls Church High School4.516
5th (Tie)Langley High School416
5th (Tie)Gonzaga College High School416
7th (Tie)Col. Zadok Magruder High School415
7th (Tie)West Springfield High School415
9th (Tie)Centreville High School414
9th (Tie)Seneca Valley High School414
11thMcLean High School3.514
12thWinston Churchill High School3.513.5
13th Rockville High School313
14th (Tie)Washington Intl. School312.5
14th (Tie)Rochambeau French Intl. School312.5
16th (Tie)W.T. Woodson High School312
16th (Tie)St. Anselm’s Abbey School312
18thBASIS DC311.5
19thSidwell Friends School2.512
20th (Tie)Sandy Spring Friends School2.510.5
20th (Tie)Don Bosco Cristo Rey2.510.5
22ndSt. John’s College High School210.5
23rdEastern High School210
24thGeorgetown Preparatory School29
25th (Tie)DeMatha Catholic High School28
25th (Tie)Bishop McNamara High School28
25th (Tie)St. Albans School28
28th E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 0.53.5
29thMcKinley Technology High School01
30thIDEA Public Charter School00

Round 7 Pairings

Centreville High School – Richard Montgomery High School

Arlington Career Center – Falls Church High School

West Springfield High School – Montgomery Blair High School

Col. Zadok Magruder High School – Langley High School

 Seneca Valley High School – Gonzaga College High School

Don Bosco Cristo Rey – McLean High School

Winston Churchill High School – Rochambeau French Intl. School

W.T. Woodson High School – St. Anselm’s Abbey School

BASIS DC – Washington Intl. School 

Sandy Spring Friends School – DeMatha Catholic High School

Sidwell Friends School – Georgetown Preparatory School

Rockville High School – Eastern High School

St. Albans School – St. John’s High School

E.L. Haynes Public Charter School – Bishop McNamara High School

 

Chess Kids Resumes at New Venue

We are grateful for the Institute for Educational Leadership for providing space to continue our Saturday morning Chess Kids class following the damage to the regular venue at the Elizabeth House.  We had fun at the new location this past Saturday, though we hope to be able to return to downtown Silver Spring this coming weekend.

Registration for the March 2023 session, the final session of this school year, is now open.  Any student in kindergarten through sixth grade may join, and Chess Center members receive discounts.

Elementary Team League 2022-23 Matchday 6 Results

We’re now at the three-quarter mark of what has been a very fun Elementary Team League season.  As always, we were happy to see many new faces at yesterday’s matches.  Playing in the ETL is a great start point for students who want to build up the skills and confidence to represent their schools in other competitions.

In the overall season standings, Spring Hill has edged slightly ahead of its closest pursuers with the results of Saturday’s games, but several other schools remain in striking distance with two matchdays to go.

Round 11 Results

Kent Gardens 3-0 Orange Hunt

Churchill Road 3.5-0.5 Willow Springs

White Oaks 4-0 Ravensworth

Colvin Run 0-4 Westbriar

Poplar Tree 0-3 Lorton Station

Greenbriar West 1-3 Spring Hill

Round 12 Results

Spring Hill 4-0 Poplar Tree

Ravensworth 1-3 Greenbriar West

Willow Springs 3.5-0.5 White Oaks

Westbriar 2-2 Kent Gardens

Lorton Station 3-1 Colvin Run

Orange Hunt 1-3 Churchill Road

Team Standings After Matchday 6

Spring Hill 147

Churchill Road 136

Kent Gardens 131

White Oaks 126

Greenbriar West 124

Westbriar 121

Colvin Run 117

Willow Springs 115

Lorton Station 106

Poplar Tree 90

Orange Hunt 73

Ravensworth 56

Metro Area Chess League 2022-23 Round 5 Results

Yesterday evening, February 7, was the fifth round of this season’s Metro Area Chess League.  Richard Montgomery High School (Rockville, MD) saw their win streak come to an end when they drew their match 2-2 against Montgomery Blair High School (Silver Spring, MD), but they still hold the overall lead in the standings with 4.5 match points.  Langley High School (McLean, VA), Falls Church High School (Falls Church, VA) and Arlington Career Center (Arlington, VA) all won their matches to join Montgomery Blair in a tie for second place, half a point off the lead in what is shaping to be a very close race for the four playoff spots.

Round 5 Results

Montgomery Blair High School 2-2 Richard Montgomery High School

Arlington Career Center 4-0 Seneca Valley High School

Winston Churchill High School 0.5-3.5 Langley High School

Gonzaga College High School 1-3 Falls Church High School

Col. Zadok Magruder High School 2-2 West Springfield High School

W.T. Woodson High School 1-3 Rochambeau French Intl. School

St. John’s College High School 2-2 McLean High School

DeMatha Catholic High School 2-2 St. Anselm’s Abbey School

Sidwell Friends School 3-1 Rockville High School

Don Bosco Cristo Rey 1.5-2.5 Washington Intl. School

Centreville High School 3.5-0.5 St. Albans School

BASIS DC 2-2 Georgetown Preparatory School

Eastern High School 2-2 Bishop McNamara High School

E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 0.5-3.5 Sandy Spring Friends School

Standings After Round 5

PlaceSchoolTotal Match PointsTotal Board Points
1stRichard Montgomery High School 4.515
2nd (Tie)Montgomery Blair High School415
2nd (Tie)Langley High School415
4th (Tie)Falls Church High School414
4th (Tie)Arlington Career Center414
6thCol. Zadok Magruder High School3.513
7thGonzaga College High School313
8th (Tie)West Springfield High School312
8th (Tie)Centreville High School312
10th (Tie)Winston Churchill High School311.5
10th (Tie)Washington Intl. School311.5
10th (Tie)Rochambeau, the French International School311.5
13th Seneca Valley High School311
14th (Tie)Rockville High School2.511
14th (Tie)McLean High School2.511
14th (Tie)Sidwell Friends School2.511
17thW.T. Woodson High School2.510
18thSt. Anselm’s Abbey School2.510
19thSt. John’s College High School29.5
20th (Tie)BASIS DC2`8.5
20th (Tie)Sandy Spring Friends School28.5
22nd (Tie)DeMatha Catholic High School27
22nd (Tie)Bishop McNamara High School27
24thDon Bosco Cristo Rey1.57.5
25thGeorgetown Preparatory School1.57
26thSt. Albans School1.56
27thEastern High School16
28th E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 0.53.5
29thMcKinley Technology High School01
30thIDEA Public Charter School00

Round 6 Pairings

Richard Montgomery High School – Falls Church High School

Montgomery Blair High School – Arlington Career Center

Langley High School – Centreville High School

Rochambeau French Intl. School – West Springfield High School

Washington Intl. School – Seneca Valley High School

Col. Zadok Magruder High School – Winston Churchill High School

McLean High School – DeMatha Catholic High School

Georgetown Preparatory School – W.T. Woodson High School

Bishop McNamara High School – Don Bosco Cristo Rey

Rockville High School – Sandy Spring Friends School

Gonzaga College High School – Sidwell Friends School

St. John’s High School – BASIS DC

St. Anselm’s Abbey School – St. Albans School

Eastern High School – E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 

Elementary Team League 2022-23 Matchday 5 Results

The competition is tightening at the top of the Elementary Team League as we move further into the season.  Spring Hill Elementary holds the lead after yesterday’s day of matches, but five other schools are within 13 points of the top spot.  Since schools can earn a maximum of 32 points on a given matchday, this season’s competition looks set to go all the way to the final day of matches at the end of March.

Greenbriar West Elementary was a standout performer in last Saturday’s meeting, sweeping both of their matches 4-0 to catch up to the battle for the lead.  Three matchdays remain in the season, and there’s still time to get in on the excitement.  Participation in the League is free and open to anyone in one of our after-school chess clubs.

Round 9 Results

Colvin Run 2.5 – 1.5 Spring Hill

Lorton Station 1-3 Willow Springs

White Oaks 2-2 Kent Gardens

Orange Hunt 3-1 Westbriar

Churchill Road 2-0 Ravensworth

Poplar Tree 0-4 Greenbriar West

Round 10 Results

Ravensworth 1-2 Poplar Tree

Greenbriar West 4-0 Colvin Run

Spring Hill 2.5-1.5 White Oaks

Kent Gardens 4-0 Lorton Station

Willow Springs 2-2 Orange Hunt

Westbriar 3-1 Churchill Road

Team Standings After Matchday 5

Spring Hill 117

Kent Gardens 109

Churchill Road 107

Colvin Run 107

Willow Springs 106

Greenbriar West 104

White Oaks 95

Westbriar 95

Poplar Tree 86

Lorton Station 80

Orange Hunt 68

Ravensworth 44

Metro Area Chess League 2022-23 Round 4 Results

The competition is tightening up halfway through the regular season in the Metro Area Chess League.  In a meeting between two of the frontrunners this past Tuesday, the team from Richard Montgomery edged a close contest with Churchill to move into sole first place as the only school to have won all four of their matches so far after the other co-leader, Montgomery Blair, drew their match with Langley.  We are still waiting for a handful of matches to be completed, and the overall standings will be updated once those results come in.

Round 4 Results

Richard Montgomery High School 2.5-1.5 Winston Churchill High School

Langley High School 2-2 Montgomery Blair High School

McLean High School 1-3 Arlington Career Center

West Springfield High School 4-0 DeMatha Catholic High School

BASIS DC 2-2 Sidwell Friends School

Rockville High School 2-2 Rochambeau French Intl. School

St. Anselm’s Abbey School 3-1 Eastern High School

 E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 0-4 St. John’s College High School

Washington Intl. School 4-0 McKinley Technology High School

Georgetown Preparatory School 0-4 Col. Zadok Magruder High School

Falls Church High School 0-4 Centreville High School

Seneca Valley High School 0-3 Don Bosco Cristo Rey

St. Albans School 0-4 Gonzaga College High School

Bishop McNamara High School 0-4 W.T. Woodson High School

Sandy Spring Friends School 4-0 IDEA Public Charter School

 

 

 
Standings After Round 4

PlaceSchoolTotal Match PointsTotal Board Points
1stRichard Montgomery High School 413
2ndMontgomery Blair High School3.513
3rdGonzaga College High School 312
4thLangley High School311.5
5th (Tie)Seneca Valley High School 311
5th (Tie)Winston Churchill High School311
5th (Tie)Col. Zadok Magruder High School311
5th (Tie)Falls Church High School 311
9th Arlington Career Center310
10th (Tie)Rockville High School2.510
10th (Tie)West Springfield High School 2.510
12th W.T. Woodson High School2.59
13th (Tie)McLean High School29
13th (Tie)Washington International School29
15thRochambeau, the French International School “28.5
16thSt. Anselm’s Abbey School28
17thCentreville High School27.5
18thSidwell Friends School1.58
19thSt. John’s College High School1.57.5
20thBASIS DC1.56.5
21stDon Bosco Cristo Rey1.56
22ndSt. Albans School1.55.5
23rd (Tie)DeMatha Catholic High School15
23rd (Tie)Georgetown Preparatory School15
23rd (Tie)Sandy Spring Friends School15
23rd (Tie)Eastern High School15
27thBishop McNamara High School14
28th E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 0.53
29thMcKinley Technology High School01
30thIDEA Public Charter School00

Round 5 Pairings

Montgomery Blair High School – Richard Montgomery High School

Arlington Career Center – Seneca Valley High School

Winston Churchill High School – Langley High School

Gonzaga College High School – Falls Church High School

Col. Zadok Magruder High School – West Springfield High School

W.T. Woodson High School – Rochambeau French Intl. School

St. John’s College High School – McLean High School

DeMatha Catholic High School – St. Anselm’s Abbey School

Sidwell Friends School – Rockville High School

Don Bosco Cristo Rey – Washington Intl. School

Centreville High School – St. Albans School

BASIS DC – Georgetown Preparatory School

Eastern High School – Bishop McNamara High School

E.L. Haynes Public Charter School – Sandy Spring Friends School

IDEA Public Charter School – McKinley Technology High School

Elementary Team League 2022-23 Matchday 4 Results 

Round 4 of the Elementary Team League was played earlier today.  Spring Hill Elementary moved into first place with a 30-point day, scoring six wins and two draws from their eight games, one of many shakeups in the standings as the season hit the halfway mark.

Round 7 Results

Westbriar 1-3 Spring Hill

Kent Gardens 1-3 Colvin Run

Churchill Road 4-0 Greenbriar West

Orange Hunt 0.5-3.5 White Oaks

Ravensworth 0-4 Lorton Station

Willow Springs 3-1 Poplar Tree

Round 8 Results

Colvin Run 3-1 Willow Springs

Greenbriar West 1-3 Kent Gardens

Spring Hill 4-0 Ravensworth

White Oaks 0.5-3.5 Westbriar

Poplar Tree 3.5-0.5 Orange Hunt

Lorton Station 3-1 Churchill Road

 

Team Standings After Matchday 4

Spring Hill 97

Churchill Road 95

Colvin Run 90

Kent Gardens 83

Willow Springs 82

White Oaks 78

Westbriar 75

Poplar Tree 73

Greenbriar West 72

Lorton Station 71

Orange Hunt 50

Ravensworth 35

The season continues on February 4, followed by three more matchdays in February and March.  Participation in the League is free of charge and open to anyone in an after-school chess club of ours.  

Metro Area Chess League 2022-23 Round 3 Results

The Metro Area Chess League reconvened on lichess yesterday night for its third match of the season, and its first of the calendar year.  This round was the most exciting of the season so far, with competitive games all throughout the field (a few of which we’ll post shortly).

With all the results in, Montgomery Blair, Richard Mongomery and Churchill are the only three schools to have won all of their matches thus far, with Blair ahead on the board points tiebreaker.  Round 4 will be two weeks from now, the evening of January 24.

Round 3 Results

Montgomery Blair High School 3-1 Gonzaga College High School

Rochambeau French Intl. School 1.5-2.5 Richard Montgomery High School

Winston Churchill High School 2.5-1.5 McLean High School

 St. Albans School 0.5-3.5 Langley High School

Arlington Career Center 3-1 West Springfield High School

Centreville High School 4-0 Bishop McNamara High School

Seneca Valley High School 3-1 Sidwell Friends School

Don Bosco Cristo Rey 3-1 BASIS DC

St. Anselm’s Abbey School 2-2 Rockville High School

DeMatha Catholic High School 2-2 E.L. Haynes Public Charter School

Col. Zadok Magruder High School 2-2 Washington Int. School

McKinley Technology High School 0-4 (forfeit) Georgetown Preparatory School

W.T. Woodson High School 2.5-1.5 St. John’s College High School

Sandy Spring Friends School 0-3 (forfeit) Eastern High School

IDEA Public Charter School 0-4 (forfeit) Falls Church High School

 
Standings After Round 3

PlaceSchoolTotal Match PointsTotal Board Points
1st Montgomery Blair High School311
2ndRichard Montgomery High School 310.5
3rdWinston Churchill High School39.5
4thLangley High School2.59.5
5th (Tie)Gonzaga College High School 28
5th (Tie)McLean High School 28
5th (Tie)Seneca Valley High School 28
5th (Tie)Rockville High School 28
9th Centreville High School27.5
10th (Tie)Col. Zadok Magruder High School27
10th (Tie)Arlington Career Center27
10th (Tie)Falls Church High School27
13thRochambeau, the French International School 1.56.5
14th (Tie)West Springfield High School 1.56
14th (Tie)W.T. Woodson High School1.56
14th (Tie)Don Bosco Cristo Rey 1.56
17thSt. Albans School1.55.5
18thDeMatha Catholic High School 1.55
19thSidwell Friends School16
20th (Tie)St. Anselm’s Abbey School15
20th (Tie)Georgetown Preparatory School 15
20th (Tie)Washington International School15
23rdBASIS DC14.5
24th (Tie)Bishop McNamara High School14
24th (Tie)Eastern High School14
26thSt. John’s College High School0.53.5
27thE.L. Haynes Public Charter School 0.53
28th (Tie)McKinley Technology High School01
28th (Tie)Sandy Spring Friends School01
30thIDEA Public Charter School00

Round 4 Pairings

Richard Montgomery High School – Winston Churchill High School

Langley High School – Montgomery Blair High School

McLean High School – Arlington Career Center

Falls Church High School – Centreville High School

Seneca Valley High School – Don Bosco Cristo Rey

St. Albans School – Gonzaga College High School

West Springfield High School – DeMatha Catholic High School

BASIS DC – Sidwell Friends School

Rockville High School – Rochambeau French Intl. School

St. Anselm’s Abbey School – Eastern High School

 E.L. Haynes Public Charter School – St. John’s College High School

Washington Intl. School – McKinley Technology High School

Georgetown Preparatory School – Col. Zadok Magruder High School

 Bishop McNamara High School – W.T. Woodson High School

Sandy Spring Friends School – IDEA Public Charter School

Elementary Team League 2022-23 Matchday 3 Results

Back from the winter break, the Elementary Team League returned to St. Luke’s Methodist Church for the third matchday of the 2022-23 season.  Among the more than 40 elementary-schoolers who turned up to play, we were happy to see many students who’d never taken part in competitions outside of their school clubs.   Representing their schools in the League is an excellent foundation for these students to build on for other tournaments in the future.

Round 5 Results

Willow Springs 3-1 Westbriar

Greenbriar West 1.5-2.5 Colvin Run

Churchill Road 3.5-0.5 Spring Hill

Lorton Station 2-2 White Oaks

Ravensworth 1-3 Orange Hunt

Poplar Tree 1-3 Kent Gardens

Round 6 Results

Kent Gardens 3-1 Willow Springs

Westbriar 2-2 Ravensworth

Spring Hill 2-2 Lorton Station 

Orange Hunt 1-3 Greenbriar West

White Oaks 2-2 Poplar Tree

Colvin Run 2-2 Churchill Road

 

Team Standings After Matchday 3

Churchill Road 73

Spring Hill 67

Greenbriar West 64

Kent Gardens 63

Westbriar 63

Willow Springs 62

Colvin Run 62

Poplar Tree 52

White Oaks 50

Lorton Station 41

Orange Hunt 40

Ravensworth 31

U.S. Chess Center Students and Alumni at the Eastern Open

The 47th Annual Eastern Open wrapped up Thursday evening with a record-breaking turn-out. More than 400 players came to this year’s iteration, held at the Hyatt Regency in Arlington, VA.  The competition included a number of innovative additions (Mixed Doubles and Senior prizes, in addition to a rated blitz tournament) to the traditional 8-round main event.

Among the competitors were dozens of students of the U.S. Chess Center, including players from the Theophilus Thompson Club, and Kent Gardens, Spring Hill, Colvin Run, and Churchill Road Elementary Schools.

It was also wonderful seeing graduates of our classes and camps, including students returning from college and post-college adults. We saw players as young as six years old and another (a grandpa of one of our summer campers) at age 82.

Photos from the Tournament at Burroughs Elementary

This week, the second and third grade students at Burroughs Educational Campus in Northeast DC had what has become an annual Pawn Game tournament.

The students played well, had a wonderful time, and demonstrated the spirit that will serve them well when they start to play full chess in 2023. We hope to have both classes playing chess at a level that we can take some of the students to the National Elementary School Championships in Baltimore in May.

Five students (three from second grade and two from third grade) won all of their games. Most important, they used excellent sportsmanship and worked hard throughout the hour we had the tournament.

A Productive First Year for Chess at Thomas Elementary

This school year we added a new program at Neval Thomas Elementary School in Ward 7 in Washington, D.C.  Thanks in part to the support of the D.C. Housing Finance Agency, we are able to provide this program at no cost to the school or students.

 
By teaching chess as an elective subject during the school day, we are able to reach those students who are unlikely to sign up for extracurricular activities.  Over 30 fourth-graders are participating in the program thus far this year.  Our goal is not simply to teach the rules, of chess, but to sharpen the students’ problem-solving skills that they can then apply to their other subjects.

One of our instructors, Robert Teachey, helps students develop their understanding of the basic strategy through the Pawn Game.  

 
In the U.S. Chess Center’s three decades of operation, we’ve successfully provided chess equipment and instruction to thousands of students in Title 1 schools thanks to the help of our contributors.  If you’re looking for a cause to support this year, consider making a charitable donation to our mission.  

Record Turnout at K-12 Championships at National Harbor

2,463 students turned up to this past weekend’s National K-12 Grade Championships, held at National Harbor, MD for the first time ever.  The field size shattered the previous record of approximately 1,700 students from five years ago.  Students showed up from all over the country to compete for the national championships in their respective grade levels.

We had hoped for strong local representation, and were not disappointed as large contingents of students turned up from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia.  Spring Hill Elementary (pictured below) took home the 5th place trophy in the 6th grade section, as well as the 8th place trophy in the 3rd grade section.  Students at our clubs at Spring Hill, White Oaks and the Theophilus Thompson Club also won individual medals.

Win or lose, it’s always an incredible experience for kids to play an event with thousands of other young people who possess the same love for chess.

A full list of results is available on the website of the U.S. Chess Federation, here.

Metro Area Chess League 2022-23 Round 2 Results 

The Metro Area Chess League reconvened on lichess last Tuesday night, December 5.  Last year’s top two finishers Montgomery Blair (Silver Spring, MD) and Richard Montgomery (Rockville, MD) have picked up right where they left off, recording 4-0 sweeps in both of their first two matches to lead the field early on.  Gonzaga College High School of northwest Washington, Winston Churchill High School of Potomac, MD and McLean High School of McLean, VA have also won both of their first two matches.   

Round 2 Results

Arlington Career Center 0-4 Montgomery Blair High School

Richard Montgomery High School 4-0 Georgetown Preparatory School

Gonzaga College High School 3-1 Washington Int. School

Rochambeau French Intl. School 2-2 Col. Zadok Magruder High School

Winston Churchill High School 3-1 Centreville High School

McLean High School 2.5 – 1.5 W.T. Woodson High School

Eastern High School School 1-3 St. Albans School

Bishop McNamara High School 1-3 DeMatha Catholic High School

West Springfield High School 3-1 Seneca Valley High School

Falls Church High School 3-1 Don Bosco Cristo Rey

Rockville High School 4-0 IDEA Public Charter School (forfeit)

St. John’s College High School 2-2 St. Anselm’s Abbey School

BASIS DC 3-1 E.L. Haynes Public Charter School

Sidwell Friends School 4-0 McKinley Technology High School

Standings After Round 2

PlaceSchoolTotal Match PointsTotal Board Points
1st (Tie)Montgomery Blair High School28
1st (Tie)Richard Montgomery High School 28
3rd (Tie)Gonzaga College High School 27
3rd (Tie)Winston Churchill High School27
5thMcLean High School 26.5
6th (Tie)Langley High School1.56
6th (Tie)Rockville High School 1.56
8th (Tie)Col. Zadok Magruder High School1.55
8th (Tie)Rochambeau, the French International School 1.55
8th (Tie)St. Albans School1.55
8th (Tie)West Springfield High School 1.55
12th (Tie)Seneca Valley High School 15
12th (Tie)Sidwell Friends School15
14th (Tie)Arlington Career Center14
14th (Tie)Bishop McNamara High School14
16th (Tie)BASIS DC13.5
16th (Tie)Centreville High School13.5
18th (Tie)DeMatha Catholic High School 13
18th (Tie)Falls Church High School13
20th (Tie)W.T. Woodson High School0.53.5
21st (Tie)Don Bosco Cristo Rey 0.53
21st (Tie)Washington International School0.53
21st (Tie)St. Anselm’s Abbey School0.53
24th (Tie)St. John’s College High School0.52
25th (Tie)Eastern High School01
25th (Tie)E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 01
25th (Tie)Georgetown Preparatory School 01
25th (Tie)McKinley Technology High School01
25th (Tie)Sandy Spring Friends School01
30thIDEA Public Charter School00

Round 3 Pairings

Montgomery Blair High School – Gonzaga College High School

Rochambeau French Intl. School – Richard Montgomery High School

Winston Churchill High School – McLean High School

 St. Albans School – Langley High School

Arlington Career Center – West Springfield High School

Centreville High School – Bishop McNamara High School

Seneca Valley High School – Sidwell Friends School

Don Bosco Cristo Rey – BASIS DC

St. Anselm’s Abbey School – Rockville High Schoo

DeMatha Catholic High School – E.L. Haynes Public Charter School

Col. Zadok Magruder High School – Washington Int. School

McKinley Technology High School – Georgetown Preparatory School

W.T. Woodson High School – St. John’s College High School

Sandy Spring Friends School – Eastern High School

IDEA Public Charter School – Falls Church High School

 

 

Elementary Team League 2022-23 Matchday 2 Results

Spring Hill Elementary played host to the second matchday of the Elementary Team League yesterday, December 3.  Over 40 students turned up to represent their schools.

Round 3 Results

Westbriar 3-1 Poplar Tree

White Oaks 0-4 Churchill Road

Kent Gardens 1-3 Spring Hill

Colvin Run 2-2 Willow Springs

Ravensworth 0-4 Greenbriar West

Orange Hunt 3-1 Lorton Station

Round 4 Results

Spring Hill 3-1 Orange Hunt

Poplar Tree 2-2 Colvin Run

Greenbriar West 3.5 – 0.5 White Oaks

Lorton Station 1.5-2.5 Westbriar

Churchill Road 4-0 Kent Gardens

Willow Springs 3-0 Ravensworth

Team Standings After Matchday 2

Churchill Road 58

Spring Hill 52

Westbriar 47

Greenbriar West 43

Willow Springs 42

Colvin Run 39

Poplar Tree 36

Kent Gardens 35

White Oaks 32

Lorton Station 21

Orange Hunt 20

Ravensworth 17

The League breaks for the holiday season and resumes on January 7, 2023.  Participation is free and open to all students enrolled in one of our after-school chess clubs.  Please reach out to your chess club instructor if you would like your child to participate in the League this season.