Festival, scholastic tourneys grow chess interest across Saint Louis

[imagefield_assist|fid=16942|preset=fullsize|lightbox=true|title=Parents and students gathered to watch more than 60 students battle for the title of Kirkwood District Champion.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=700|height=467]

By Mike Kummer

The Chess Club had a busy weekend the last week of April with events designed to spread the love of chess to a braoder student base. The club packed up the brand new Chess Club Mega Van and made the trek west to Saint Louis Priory School for a fun-filled chess festival. The Priory Chess Festival kicked off with titled players taking on area students in many types of exhibition matches. GM Yasser Seirawan was a fan favorite signing autographs for the kids and GM Ben Finegold was so good, he crushed his four competitors blindfolded. IM Priyadarshan Kannappan got a workout while playing a seven-player blitz simul while fellow Lindenwood Lions WGM Anna Sharevich and IM Levan Bregadze exercised class and grace in their triumphs against the students. 

After a free lunch, it was on to the main event. Fittingly, 64 students competed in the four-round, G/15 tourney. The tournament featured seven players with a United States Chess Federation (USCF) rating. The highest seed, Wilson Gao, went down in flames at the hands of Luka Bassnett in the first round. With so many new players to the event, stalemates ensued. Syd Barnard was on the good end of the draw.

In round 2, Luka was paired with another pre-tournament favorite, Cedric Bruges. Luka was not intimidated and advanced his score to 2-0. Sandeep Yanamala knocked off tournament veteran Erik Ely. Despite having just a king versus a king and queen, Syd Barnard played on and with no checkmate in 50 moves the game was declared a draw.

In round 3, Luka Bassnett dodged a USCF member to easily improve to 3-0. Syd Barnard was again getting crushed by her opponent. But with her never-give-up attitude, she kept playing on. Her opponent called checkmate, but she was not dissuaded. She found a way out and a couple moves later she had none. With her king not in check, the precious stalemate was achieved.

In the last round, Luka blew his opponent off the board. He won the top 4th Grade Trophy. Eliot Blackmore’s championship dreams fell to fellow USCF tourney player Derian Ryker. Derian finished with 3.5 points and won the Top 3rd Grade trophy.

Sandeep’s game lasted the longest. Earlier in the bout, his queen was pinned to his king by his opponent’s bishop. With his opponent smiling ear to ear, Sandeep calmly slid a pawn right into that diagonal line to block the attack. With that plan ruined, his opponent moved his queen around and around and around until it was ultimately captured by Sandeep. Sandeep racked up the queen, the king, and the first place 5th Grade trophy. Syd Barnard won the “Perseverance Award” by achieving her 4th draw of the tourney.

After the event, the Chess Club put the chess boards back into the Mega Van and headed back to the club to set the tourney hall up for another tourney to be held the following day.

After two high-caliber kids classes on Sunday taught by Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan, 66 kids packed into the tourney hall for Kirkwood District Championships.

The event was divided into three sections: Kindergarten-2nd Grade, 3rd & 4th grade, and 5th & up. There were no surprises in the 23 player K-2nd section. The two Kid Beginner tourney veterans, Luke Conran and Alex Lundy, steamrolled the novices to finish perfect at 3-0. Luke won the first place trophy on tiebreaks. As a consolation prize, Alex won an old-time chess clock. It is not digital, but the analog clock can still get the job done.

In the highly populated 3rd and 4th grade section, 31 players vied for the first-place trophy. With only three rounds in the event, four players finished with a perfect score. Colin O’Rourke edged out the rest of the winners to take home the trophy. W. Nicholas Menzel, Nathan Lin, and Jack Edwards also went perfect 3-0. Jack Edwards won a membership to the club and has been enjoying the live commentary of the U.S. Chess Championship.

In the 5th & up section, Mihir Shah was the only Kirkwood student to finish with a 3-0 score. Before the final round, he was shocked to learn that he was 2-0 and playing for the trophy. He wrongly assumed that since his opponent ran out of time in a better position, that he had drawn the game. In fact, he had won.

Tournament chess was introduced to many kids throughout the weekend. The students learned more rules, tactics, and checkmating patterns. All the children went home happy as they all won a medal for successful participation.

SwissSys Standings. Kirkwood School District Chess Tourney: K-2nd

SwissSys Standings. Kirkwood School District Chess Tourney: 3rd-4th

SwissSys Standings. Kirkwood School District Chess Tourney: 5th & Up