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Chess Center

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.

2022-23 Elementary Team League Season Kicks Off

Representatives from 11 school teams came together the Saturday before Thanksgiving for the first round of the new season of the Elementary Team League.  As with last year’s competition, St. Luke’s Methodist Church was the venue.

For many of these students, it was their first time representing their school in a competitive chess event.  With several major competitions on the horizon, such as the national K-12 grade level championship in a couple of weeks, our number one goal is to help the kids build experience and confidence they need to compete.

Round 1 Results

Westbriar 3-1 Greenbriar West

Poplar Tree 2-2 Churchill Road

Willow Springs 1-3 Spring Hill

Colvin Run 3.5-0.5 Ravensworth

Kent Gardens 2.5-1.5 Mixed Team

White Oaks 3.5-0.5 Mixed Team

Lorton Station 0-4 Mixed Team

Round 2 Results

White Oaks 3-1 Colvin Run

Greenbriar West 1-3 Willow Springs

Lorton Station 0-4 Kent Gardens

Churchill Road 4-0 Mixed Team

Westbriar 1-3 Mixed Team

Ravensworth 1-3 Mixed Team

 

Team Standings After Matchday 1

Kent Gardens: 27

White Oaks: 27

Churchill Road: 26

Spring Hill: 24

Poplar Tree: 20

Westbriar: 20

Willow Springs: 20

Colvin Run: 19

Greenbriar West: 12

Ravensworth: 11

Lorton Station: 8

Orange Hunt: 0

Our scoring system for the league is constructed to encourage participation.  Students who play a game earn 1 point for their school team, with an additional 2 points awarded for a win and 1 point for a draw.  Winning a match is worth 4 bonus points for the school, while drawing a match is worth 2 bonus points, so teams can earn a maximum of 16 points per match.  

 

New Metro Area Chess League Season Begins

Tuesday evening, November 15, was the start of the 2022-2023 season of the Metro Area Chess League.  Following the success of last year’s competition, the MACL has retained the same general format with the games taking place online on lichess.com on Tuesday evenings.

30 schools have signed up to play in the MACL this year, the largest participation rate in more than 30 years.  Last year’s top two finishers Montgomery Blair High School (Silver Spring, MD) and Richard Montgomery High School (Rockville, MD) won their Round 1 matches with 4-0 sweeps, as did fourth place finisher Gonzaga College High School (Washington, D.C.).  Also sweeping their matches were league newcomers Arlington Career Center (Arlington, VA), McLean High School (McLean, VA) and Seneca Valley High School (Germantown, MD), and the six schools share the early lead.  Round 2 will be on December 6.

Round 1 Results

Montgomery Blair High School 4-0 Falls Church High School

E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 0-4 Richard Montgomery High School

DeMatha Catholic High School 0-4 Gonzaga College High School

Col. Zadok Magruder High School 3-1 Sidwell Friends School

St. Anselm’s Abbey School 1-3 Winston Churchill High School

Arlington Career Center 4-0 St. John’s College High School

Sandy Spring Friends School 1-3 Rochambeau French Intl. School

St. Albans School 2-2 West Springfield High School

McKinley Technology High School 2-2 Bishop McNamara High School

Seneca Valley High School 4-0 Eastern High School

Centreville High School 3-5-0.5 BASIS DC

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

Don Bosco Cristo Rey 2-2 Rockville High School

Washington Intl. School 2-1 Georgetown Preparatory School

Standings After Round 1

PlaceSchoolTotal Match PointsTotal Board Points
1st (Tie)Arlington Career Center14
1st (Tie)Gonzaga College High School 14
1st (Tie)McLean High School 14
1st (Tie)Montgomery Blair High School14
1st (Tie)Richard Montgomery High School 14
1st (Tie)Seneca Valley High School 14
7thCentreville High School13.5
8th (Tie)Winston Churchill High School13
8th (Tie)Rochambeau, the French International School 13
8th (Tie)Col. Zadok Magruder High School13
8th (Tie)Bishop McNamara High School13
12th (Tie)Don Bosco Cristo Rey 0.52
12th (Tie)Langley High School0.52
12th (Tie)Rockville High School 0.52
12th (Tie)St. Albans School0.52
12th (Tie)Washington International School0.52
12th (Tie)West Springfield High School 0.52
12th (Tie)W.T. Woodson High School0.52
20th (Tie)Georgetown Preparatory School 01
20th (Tie)McKinley Technology High School01
20th (Tie)St. Anselms School01
20th (Tie)Sandy Spring Friends School01
20th (Tie)Sidwell Friends School01
24thBASIS DC00.5
25th (Tie)DeMatha Catholic High School 00
25th (Tie)Eastern High School00
25th (Tie)E.L. Haynes Public Charter School 00
25th (Tie)Falls Church High School00
25th (Tie)IDEA Public Charter School00
25th (Tie)St. John’s College High School00

Round 2 Pairings

Georgetown Preparatory School – Montgomery Blair High School

Richard Montomery High School – Arlington Career Center

McLean High School – W.T. Woodson High School

Gonzaga College High School – Washington Intl. School

West Springfield High School – Seneca Valley High School

Rockville High School – IDEA Public Charter School

St. John’s College High School – St. Anselm’s Abbey School

Bishop McNamara High School – DeMatha Catholic High School 

Sidwell Friends School – McKinley Technology High School

Eastern High School – St. Albans School

Langley High School – Sandy Spring Friends School

Rochambeau French Intl. School – Col. Zadok Magruder High School

Winston Churchill High School – Centreville High School

BASIS DC – E.L. Haynes Public Charter School

Falls Church High School – Don Bosco Cristo Rey

 

Jennifer Yu Wins U.S. Women’s Chess Championship

The 2022 U.S. Chess Championships have concluded in St. Louis.  A day after Fabiano Caruana won the open section of the championship, U.S. Chess Center honorary co-chair Jennifer Yu won the women’s championship for the second time, following on from her win in 2019.   Congratulations to both the winners!

Jennifer Yu’s victory in particular is a testament to one of the most fundamental values we espouse at the U.S. Chess Center: the value of not giving up.  Going into the late stages of the tournament, Jennifer led her closest opponent, eight-time U.S. Women’s Champion Irina Krush, before losing their individual matchup in Round 12 to fall half a point behind her in the standings.  Undeterred by the loss of that game, Jennifer battled back to win in Round 13 whereas Irina could only draw.  This forged a tie for first place and ensured that the championship title would be settled the following day with tiebreak games at a faster time control.

Jennifer Yu, U.S. Women's Chess Champion, pictured in September 2018 giving a simul at the U.S. Chess Center.
Krush-Yu 2022 Black to move 9....

Diagrammed here is a position during the opening of the decisive game of that tiebreak match, with both competitors knowing that the winner of this game would be the new champion.  Jennifer, as Black, made an uncharacteristically big error with 9…Bg4, hanging the bishop, which Irina quickly took on the next move with 10. Qxg4.  In tournament games, it’s sadly common for players to resign after making a mistake like this. Facing the prospect of playing on down a piece against a player as strong as Irina Krush, perhaps to some players it would seem less unpleasant to just give up.  But Jennifer chose to play on and keep trying her hardest, and what happened later on is a testament to the merits of doing exactly that.

 
Krush-Yu 2022 Black to move 22...

The players eventually reached the position in the second diagram on the left.  Irina, still ahead by a piece, had just taken Black’s knight, 22. Nxd6.  But instead of recapturing right away, Jennifer combined an in-between move (zwischenzug) with a discovered attack: 22…Bxh2+ 23. Kxh2 Qxd6+ 24. Kh1 Rxe2 25. Rxe2.  After the tactics, Black ended up with a queen and pawn in exchange for White’s two bishops and rook – still a material advantage for White, but a position with the kings exposed like this tends to create tactical chances for the side with the queen, and Irina felt compelled to use a lot of time on the clock. 

White’s time ultimately ran out after the 47th move, giving Jennifer the win in the game and the championship.  The lesson to our students, as always – don’t quit, because until the two players shake hands to end the game, no outcome is guaranteed.

Chess Kids Returns on Saturday Mornings

We’re very happy to be back at the Elizabeth House in downtown Silver Spring for our Saturday morning Chess Kids class.  The first session started on September 24 and two dozen children in kindergarten through grade 6 are participating.  As always, the greatest priorities are encouraging the students to make new friends and improve their knowledge and skills together.

The Chess Kids program is stratified into six sessions of four weeks each. Registration for the second session, which starts on October 22, and the other subsequent sessions for the 2022-23 school year is still open.

Theophilus Thompson Chess Club Begins for the Year

The Theophilus Thompson Club, the U.S. Chess Center’s Sunday class for students in grades 7 – 12, just had its first meeting for the 2022-23 school year. The club is for students who know the rules of chess and want to improve their skills. We intend to prepare the students to compete successfully in the national chess championships that are coming to the DC area this year.

The club is named after noted African American chess champion Theophilus Thompson. As a teenager, Thompson saw his first chess game in April 1872, when he watched two players compete in his hometown of Frederick, Maryland.  Fascinated by the complexities of chess, he decided to learn the game.  This thirst for knowledge intrigued John Hanshew, the publisher of The Maryland Chess Review, who taught Thompson the fundamentals, lent him a chessboard and pieces, and gave him several chess problems to solve.  Within weeks, the 17-year-old Thompson was not only solving chess problems, he was also devising new ones and contributing his work to the Dubuque Chess Journal, a pioneer problem-solving magazine of the time.

 

In 1873, Thompson had a book published titled Chess Problems By Theophilus Thompson.  A review of the book in City of London Chess Magazine praised “the compositions in this book, and consider that they display real genius, both of a conceptive and constructive order. . . .  We consider Mr. Thompson a composer of great merit and of rare promise.”

Theophilus Thompson in 1873.

After competing in tournaments in Philadelphia and Chicago, Thompson returned to his native Frederick, where became a respected mathematician and schoolteacher.  We named our Sunday afternoon chess club for him in respect for his achievements and with the hope that local young people will follow his example and improve their academic skills as a result of mastering the game of chess.

Interested in joining us on Sundays?  Click here for more information and registration.