[imagefield_assist|fid=14840|preset=fullsize|title=Parents and students from the Parkway School District enjoy the sunshine between rounds out in front of the Chess Club.|desc=|link=none|origsize=|align=left|width=700|height=467]
On March 10, more than 130 students from the Parkway School District descended upon the Chess Club to compete in the Parkway District Chess Championship on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Students from Kindergarten through 8th grade came out to participate in a fun-filled, five-round unrated tournament. The tournament format was designed to bring the thrill of tournament chess to those that have never played, and also to create a competitive environment for those that have. The students were broken into sections and grouped according to their grade level, and the tournament hall was filled to capacity with the kindergarten/1st grade section, the 2nd grade/3rd grade section and the section for the middle schoolers. The section for 4th and 5th graders was held in the library and classroom, located in the lower level of the chess club.
The club was abuzz with activity as students and parents gathered early in the morning and eagerly awaited the first round pairings. After tournament directors on both floors delivered opening instructions, players shook hands and the tournament was underway!
Because many of the students, especially in the lower grade levels, had never played in a tournament before, there was a slightly elevated noise and excitement level in the tournament playing hall, but it didn't seem to bother most of the students as they progressed through the rounds. Students were encouraged to use the skittles space, set up on the third floor of the World chess Hall of Fame, to analyze gamed in between rounds.
The obvious favorite in the oldest age group, the middle-school section, was 8th grader and club regular Stephen Zhang, who entered the tournament with a USCF rating of 1686. He did not disappoint, winning all five rounds and edging out the undefeated George Liu on tiebreaks.
The girls dominated the 4th and 5th grade section, as Maple Wang and Amy Zhang both scored a perfect 5/5. They both finished just ahead of Marko Terzio, who also had a perfect score, and Maple took the overall first-place spot on tiebreaks. The winners for each grade are as follows:
- Kindergarten: Jason Tsao - Hanna Woods
- 1st Grade: Venkatasai Thota - Carman Trails
- 2nd Grade: Neel Nayak - Shenandoah
- 3rd Grade: Andrew Zhang - Shenandoah
- 4th Grade: Jayson Willman - Henry Elementary
- 5th Grade: Maple Wang - Oak Brook
- 6th Grade: Michael Tian - Parkway Central Middle
- 7th Grade: George Liu - Parkway West Middle
- 8th Grade: Stepehn Zhang - Parkway West Middle
In addition to a nice trophy, each of the winners were also awarded a free annual membership to the Chess Club!
The top-scoring elementary school across the entire district was Shenandoah, and Parkway West Middle School captured the prize for top middle school. Both parents and students alike said they were impressed with the chess facility and the neighborhood, and a number of students bought memberships to the club and expressed interest in out unrated beginner tournament, scheduled to be held March 25. Click here to learn more about our great tournaments for beginners!
Congratulations to all of the winners and to all of the students who came out to participate in this fun-filled event!
Parkway District Chess Tournament: Kindergarten/1st Grade
| # | Name | Rtng | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Tot | Prize |
| 1 | JASON TSAO | unr. | W6 | W9 | W2 | W5 | W4 | 5.0 | 1st |
| 2 | VENKATASAI THOTA | unr. | W12 | W4 | L1 | W13 | W7 | 4.0 | |
| 3 | DAVID NEWLAND | unr. | W5 | W7 | W8 | L4 | D6 | 3.5 | |
| 4 | KEVIN LI | unr. | W17 | L2 | W14 | W3 | L1 | 3.0 | |
| 5 | BENNETT DIEHL | unr. | L3 | W13 | W11 | L1 | W12 | 3.0 | |
| 6 | OMKAAR ALAKKASSERY | unr. | L1 | W12 | D15 | W9 | D3 | 3.0 | |
| 7 | KYLE KROZEL | unr. | W15 | L3 | W16 | W8 | L2 | 3.0 | |
| 8 | SAMANTHA HECHLER | unr. | W10 | W14 | L3 | L7 | W13 | 3.0 | |
| 9 | BRENDAN RENAUD | unr. | W11 | L1 | D10 | L6 | W16 | 2.5 | |
| 10 | JACQUELINE D'ALFONSO | unr. | L8 | W15 | D9 | L12 | W17 | 2.5 | |
| 11 | ALEX TINNELL | unr. | L9 | W17 | L5 | W16 | D14 | 2.5 | |
| 12 | AJAY EISENBERG | unr. | L2 | L6 | B--- | W10 | L5 | 2.0 | |
| 13 | RAJESHWAR JALADI | unr. | W16 | L5 | W17 | L2 | L8 | 2.0 | |
| 14 | YOUSUF MUHAMMAD | unr. | B--- | L8 | L4 | D15 | D11 | 2.0 | |
| 15 | ELIAS MARKWELL | unr. | L7 | L10 | D6 | D14 | B--- | 2.0 | |
| 16 | LEO SKILES | unr. | L13 | B--- | L7 | L11 | L9 | 1.0 | |
| 17 | ALEX ARCH | unr. | L4 | L11 | L13 | B--- | L10 | 1.0 |
Parkway District Chess Tournament: 2nd Grade/3rd Grade
| # | Name | Rtng | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Tot | Prize |
| 1 | NEEL NAYAK | unr. | W21 | W11 | W19 | W10 | W9 | 5.0 | 1st |
| 2 | ANDREW ZHANG | unr. | W30 | W29 | W17 | W9 | W10 | 5.0 | |
| 3 | KEVIN GU | 180 | W25 | W20 | L10 | W13 | W12 | 4.0 | |
| 4 | NIKHIL DESHMUKH | unr. | W18 | W16 | L12 | W15 | W19 | 4.0 | |
| 5 | ERIC ZHANG | unr. | W14 | W7 | L9 | D6 | W22 | 3.5 | |
| 6 | DANNY FAUST | unr. | W15 | L9 | W34 | D5 | W17 | 3.5 | |
| 7 | WESLEY HARDEN | unr. | W44 | L5 | D11 | W35 | W23 | 3.5 | |
| 8 | JEFFREY WALK | unr. | W42 | L17 | W29 | D11 | W20 | 3.5 | |
| 9 | MICHAEL D'ALFONSO | unr. | W26 | W6 | W5 | L2 | L1 | 3.0 | |
| 10 | ALEKSANDAR TERZIO | unr. | W28 | W34 | W3 | L1 | L2 | 3.0 | |
| 11 | DONTA HARRIS | unr. | W36 | L1 | D7 | D8 | W18 | 3.0 | |
| 12 | ALEX TARAKANOV | unr. | W40 | D13 | W4 | D23 | L3 | 3.0 | |
| 13 | LORENZO PRILA | unr. | W38 | D12 | W24 | L3 | D14 | 3.0 | |
| 14 | AIDAN JOHNSON | unr. | L5 | W44 | D16 | W24 | D13 | 3.0 | |
| 15 | RAHUL JASTI | unr. | L6 | W40 | W26 | L4 | W31 | 3.0 | |
| 16 | KAIELYN YING | unr. | W31 | L4 | D14 | D21 | W29 | 3.0 | |
| 17 | SRI JALADI | unr. | W27 | W8 | L2 | D18 | L6 | 2.5 | |
| 18 | JUSTIN WAM | unr. | L4 | W28 | W25 | D17 | L11 | 2.5 | |
| 19 | DOMINICK RHONE | unr. | D35 | W41 | L1 | W27 | L4 | 2.5 | |
| 20 | LUKE DIEHL | unr. | W43 | L3 | W33 | D22 | L8 | 2.5 | |
| 21 | DAVID FIELDS | unr. | L1 | D30 | W41 | D16 | D25 | 2.5 | |
| 22 | MADELINE RYAN | unr. | D24 | W35 | D23 | D20 | L5 | 2.5 | |
| 23 | MAXWELL BIVENS | unr. | D32 | W39 | D22 | D12 | L7 | 2.5 | |
| 24 | ELIZA ARCH | unr. | D22 | W32 | L13 | L14 | W36 | 2.5 | |
| 25 | ROBERT ZHANG | unr. | L3 | W43 | L18 | W33 | D21 | 2.5 | |
| 26 | PORTER COWAN | unr. | L9 | W36 | L15 | D34 | W37 | 2.5 | |
| 27 | SRINIDHI KUNTA | unr. | L17 | W37 | D30 | L19 | W34 | 2.5 | |
| 28 | DUNCAN BERTIER | unr. | L10 | L18 | D40 | W43 | W35 | 2.5 | |
| 29 | MARISA BUGARIN | unr. | W33 | L2 | L8 | W32 | L16 | 2.0 | |
| 30 | OWEN LOTZ | unr. | L2 | D21 | D27 | L31 | W39 | 2.0 | |
| 31 | ROHIT KRISHNAMURTHY | unr. | L16 | D38 | D32 | W30 | L15 | 2.0 | |
| 32 | CHASE DAVIS | unr. | D23 | L24 | D31 | L29 | W41 | 2.0 | |
| 33 | CHAVA HAHN | unr. | L29 | W42 | L20 | L25 | W40 | 2.0 | |
| 34 | DANIEL SUN | unr. | W37 | L10 | L6 | D26 | L27 | 1.5 | |
| 35 | BENJAMIN WEISS | unr. | D19 | L22 | W38 | L7 | L28 | 1.5 | |
| 36 | JACOB FEARON | unr. | L11 | L26 | D42 | W44 | L24 | 1.5 | |
| 37 | SELINA NEWLAND | unr. | L34 | L27 | D43 | W42 | L26 | 1.5 | |
| 38 | SABRINA WOLMAN | unr. | L13 | D31 | L35 | D41 | D42 | 1.5 | |
| 39 | DANIEL TINNELL | unr. | D41 | L23 | D44 | D40 | L30 | 1.5 | |
| 40 | MING MING MARKWELL | unr. | L12 | L15 | D28 | D39 | L33 | 1.0 | |
| 41 | KAUTILYA JAMMALAMADAKA | unr. | D39 | L19 | L21 | D38 | L32 | 1.0 | |
| 42 | MORGAN WILLIAMS | unr. | L8 | L33 | D36 | L37 | D38 | 1.0 | |
| 43 | ROWAN LINHARDT | unr. | L20 | L25 | D37 | L28 | F44 | 0.5 | |
| 44 | DARRELL L TUCKER JR. | unr. | L7 | L14 | D39 | L36 | F43 | 0.5 |
Parkway District Chess Tournament: 4th Grade/5th Grade
| # | Name | Rtng | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Tot | Prize |
| 1 | MAPLE WANG | unr. | W42 | W4 | W13 | W20 | W12 | 5.0 | 1st |
| 2 | AMY ZHANG | unr. | W26 | W30 | W7 | W21 | W8 | 5.0 | |
| 3 | MARKO TERZIO | unr. | W37 | W25 | W14 | W8 | W10 | 5.0 | |
| 4 | JAYSON WILLMAN | unr. | W15 | L1 | W16 | W14 | W9 | 4.0 | |
| 5 | JOSH WIPFLER | unr. | W22 | W16 | L20 | W15 | W21 | 4.0 | |
| 6 | JEFFREY YING | unr. | L9 | W38 | W27 | W28 | W11 | 4.0 | |
| 7 | VARUN SHENOY | unr. | W39 | W11 | L2 | D10 | W20 | 3.5 | |
| 8 | JASON WAN | unr. | W27 | W28 | W9 | L3 | L2 | 3.0 | |
| 9 | ANDREI KROZEL | unr. | W6 | W18 | L8 | W13 | L4 | 3.0 | |
| 10 | HUMZA MUHAMMAD | unr. | W33 | D21 | W17 | D7 | L3 | 3.0 | |
| 11 | ZACK GRONOWSKI | unr. | W17 | L7 | W31 | W18 | L6 | 3.0 | |
| 12 | GRANT JOHNSON | unr. | W19 | L13 | W25 | W33 | L1 | 3.0 | |
| 13 | MATTHEW BOYD | unr. | W43 | W12 | L1 | L9 | W29 | 3.0 | |
| 14 | TREVOR SHELBY | unr. | W40 | W41 | L3 | L4 | W31 | 3.0 | |
| 15 | SANDEEP YANAMALA | unr. | L4 | W42 | W30 | L5 | W28 | 3.0 | |
| 16 | BRANDON YU | unr. | W34 | L5 | L4 | W39 | W26 | 3.0 | |
| 17 | RYAN KROHN | unr. | L11 | W39 | L10 | W32 | W22 | 3.0 | |
| 18 | JON BURT | unr. | W38 | L9 | W26 | L11 | W25 | 3.0 | |
| 19 | ALLISON DZAINEZ | unr. | L12 | W43 | D33 | D29 | W27 | 3.0 | |
| 20 | CHRIS STEPHENS | unr. | D23 | W35 | W5 | L1 | L7 | 2.5 | |
| 21 | ROBERT MCKNIGHT | unr. | W32 | D10 | W23 | L2 | L5 | 2.5 | |
| 22 | CHARLOTTE D'ALFONSO | unr. | L5 | D34 | W36 | W23 | L17 | 2.5 | |
| 23 | CAMERON SATO | unr. | D20 | W29 | L21 | L22 | W33 | 2.5 | |
| 24 | ZAINAB ZIAUDDIN | unr. | L30 | L26 | D35 | W42 | W34 | 2.5 | |
| 25 | ALEX GRONOWSKI | unr. | W36 | L3 | L12 | W30 | L18 | 2.0 | |
| 26 | PATRICK HETLAGE | unr. | L2 | W24 | L18 | W40 | L16 | 2.0 | |
| 27 | SEAN YN | unr. | L8 | W36 | L6 | W35 | L19 | 2.0 | |
| 28 | JOEL AUGUSTINE | unr. | W31 | L8 | W40 | L6 | L15 | 2.0 | |
| 29 | RUBINA THOMAS | unr. | D35 | L23 | W34 | D19 | L13 | 2.0 | |
| 30 | LUKE DAVIS | unr. | W24 | L2 | L15 | L25 | W42 | 2.0 | |
| 31 | RAHUL KUNTA | unr. | L28 | B--- | L11 | W43 | L14 | 2.0 | |
| 32 | MAX MEUSEY | unr. | L21 | L33 | W38 | L17 | W43 | 2.0 | |
| 33 | GRAHAM HAMPTON | unr. | L10 | W32 | D19 | L12 | L23 | 1.5 | |
| 34 | ERIC LOTZ | unr. | L16 | D22 | L29 | W38 | L24 | 1.5 | |
| 35 | JOSHUA PRILA | unr. | D29 | L20 | D24 | L27 | D37 | 1.5 | |
| 36 | JULIA GREEN | unr. | L25 | L27 | L22 | D37 | W39 | 1.5 | |
| 37 | JAYANTH KRISHNANURTHY | unr. | L3 | L40 | D42 | D36 | D35 | 1.5 | |
| 38 | HANNAH MAHER | unr. | L18 | L6 | L32 | L34 | W40 | 1.0 | |
| 39 | ZOE HAHN | unr. | L7 | L17 | W43 | L16 | L36 | 1.0 | |
| 40 | CARTER POWELL | unr. | L14 | W37 | L28 | L26 | L38 | 1.0 | |
| 41 | JACOB PANTHALANI | 451 | B--- | L14 | U--- | U--- | U--- | 1.0 | |
| 42 | DAVID CARRASCO | unr. | L1 | L15 | D37 | L24 | L30 | 0.5 | |
| 43 | JOHN NICHOLAS WILLIAMS | unr. | L13 | L19 | L39 | L31 | L32 | 0.0 |
Parkway District Chess Tournament: Middle School
| # | Name | Rtng | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Tot | Prize |
| 1 | STEPHEN ZHANG | 1686 | W8 | W4 | W3 | W16 | W6 | 5.0 | 1st |
| 2 | GEORGE LIU | unr. | W25 | W17 | W5 | W6 | W7 | 5.0 | |
| 3 | SAIKUSHAL K MARRI | 501 | W14 | W12 | L1 | W11 | W10 | 4.0 | |
| 4 | MICHAEL TIAN | unr. | W19 | L1 | W7 | W8 | W14 | 4.0 | |
| 5 | RAYMOND WAIDMANN | unr. | W20 | W16 | L2 | D14 | W17 | 3.5 | |
| 6 | CHRIST HABERSTROH | 895 | W24 | W11 | W9 | L2 | L1 | 3.0 | |
| 7 | RAHUL SOLAIAPPAN | unr. | W26 | W10 | L4 | W9 | L2 | 3.0 | |
| 8 | AVIRATH DODABELE | unr. | L1 | W26 | W17 | L4 | W18 | 3.0 | |
| 9 | ITAI SNIR | unr. | W13 | W15 | L6 | L7 | W20 | 3.0 | |
| 10 | SOURADIP GHOSH | unr. | W22 | L7 | W19 | W15 | L3 | 3.0 | |
| 11 | MICHAEL ZHOU | unr. | W30 | L6 | W18 | L3 | W15 | 3.0 | |
| 12 | DANIEL BUGARIN | unr. | W23 | L3 | L15 | W25 | W16 | 3.0 | |
| 13 | CHRISTOPHER GU | unr. | L9 | W29 | L14 | W23 | W21 | 3.0 | |
| 14 | JARED SKILES | unr. | L3 | W22 | W13 | D5 | L4 | 2.5 | |
| 15 | SHOUROV KUNDU | unr. | W21 | L9 | W12 | L10 | L11 | 2.0 | |
| 16 | MICHAEL GE | unr. | W29 | L5 | W21 | L1 | L12 | 2.0 | |
| 17 | ARBAAZ SYED | 620 | W27 | L2 | L8 | W22 | L5 | 2.0 | |
| 18 | JAXTON WILLMAN | unr. | L28 | W24 | L11 | W19 | L8 | 2.0 | |
| 19 | BO PENG | unr. | L4 | W23 | L10 | L18 | W25 | 2.0 | |
| 20 | JONATHAN YN | unr. | L5 | L21 | W29 | W26 | L9 | 2.0 | |
| 21 | RONNY FIELDS | unr. | L15 | W20 | L16 | W24 | L13 | 2.0 | |
| 22 | D'ANGELO HARRIS | unr. | L10 | L14 | W25 | L17 | W26 | 2.0 | |
| 23 | JACK JUANG | unr. | L12 | L19 | D24 | L13 | W27 | 1.5 | |
| 24 | ROHAN CHOPW | unr. | L6 | L18 | D23 | L21 | B--- | 1.5 | |
| 25 | CLAIRE MAHER | 187 | L2 | W27 | L22 | L12 | L19 | 1.0 | |
| 26 | DALE HABERSTROH | 416 | L7 | L8 | W27 | L20 | L22 | 1.0 | |
| 27 | AKSHAY MEHTA | unr. | L17 | L25 | L26 | B--- | L23 | 1.0 | |
| 28 | RYAN BAT-ULZI | unr. | W18 | U--- | U--- | U--- | U--- | 1.0 | |
| 29 | MAXIM LEVIN | unr. | L16 | L13 | L20 | U--- | U--- | 0.0 | |
| 30 | NISHANT AGARWAL | 243 | L11 | U--- | U--- | U--- | U--- | 0.0 |
