[imagefield_assist|fid=16819|preset=fullsize|title=Atulya Shetty, pictured here at the 2012 U.S. Junior Closed Championship, was crowned the 2013 K-12 Champion.|desc=|link=none|origsize=|align=left|width=700|height=467]
By Matt Barrett
From April 3 to April 8, the CCSCSL sent representatives to spend the week attending and covering SuperNationals V in Nashville, Tenn. Once every four years, this huge tournament attracts students K-12 from all across the country to compete for national championships. This year, over 5,300 students traveled from as far away as Seattle and San Francisco on the west coast and Miami and Danbury, Conn., on the east coast, and everywhere inbetween. Scholastic Coordinators Alex Vergilesov and Matt Barrett accompanied club Executive Director Tony Rich to help oversee activities and promote Saint Louis chess.
The venue for the tournament was the impressive Gaylord Opryland Complex, a monstrous hotel and convention center designed especially for events of this magnitude. Saint Louis was well represented at the event. Saint John Vianney, Saint Joseph’s Academy, Crossroads College Prep, and Rockhurst Elementary were among several area schools to have strong showings in their respective sections. Vianney won the Novice section for the second time since 2011.
Alex and I scrambled from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. to keep the masses entertained, playing blitz and demonstrating our DGT technology with visitors, offering presentations on our Saint Louis chess summer camps and educational opportunities, and advertising our free YouTube Grandmaster lectures. Passers-by commented on the caliber of the videos featuring GMs Var Akobian, Yasser Seirawan, Ronen Har-Zvi, Alejandro Ramirez, and WGM Jennifer Shahade. With the advent and growth of internet chess, the DGT software and on-screen presentation caught lots of eyes. It was exciting to be right in the middle of so much chess, with signings and appearances by WGM Jennifer Shahade, a simul by Women’s Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, a booth adjacent to GM and US Championship contender Alex Onischuk, and guest lectures by another championship competitor GM Alex Stripunsky.
The individual K-12 Championship was won by Atulya Shetty. Chess club member Aydin Turgut of Illinois won the K-3 Championship! Saint Louisan Kevin Cao tied for 19th. He was joined by several club regulars who finished quite well in their various divisions. Nathan Phan tied for 41st in the K-8. Jason Zhou tied for 36th in the K-6. Erik Tkachenko finished tied for 91st in the K-5. Margaret Hua finished fied for 68th in the K-9. Iris Zhou tied for 46th in the K-3. Tim Ellebracht tied for 1st in the K-12 U1200. Akshay Srinavasan tied for 21st in the K-9 U1250. Luke Herbst tied for 4th in the K-12 U1600. Matt Larson tied for 77th in the K-12. Clark Berry finished tied for 113th in the K-8 and Julian Proleiko 151st in the K-8.
Congratulations to all of the participants! This event provided an excellent showcase for scholastic chess development in Saint Louis! We all returned home dizzy from so much chess in just a handful of days, but enthusiastic and motivated about the possibilities for continued strong results for the home town at the next national championships!
