Check skills with their mates

Chess players check skills with their mates
By ALICIA NOTARIANNI
Hagerstown Morning Herald – Hagerstown,MD,USA
February 21, 2009

BOONSBORO — Competition was intense Saturday at the Boonsboro Middle School gymnasium.

Home team sixth-grader Amanda Frey maintained her position on the court with steely determination. When she found herself trailing her opponent, she raised her hands in front of her and warily tapped her fingertips together, contemplating her next move. At times, she raised a pencil to her lips. But she never broke a sweat.

Her game was more intellectual than physical.

Amanda was among 118 chess players who turned out for the second annual W. Paul Engle Jr. Open and Scholastic Chess Tournament.

Amanda, 12, competed against 15-year-old Tarun Lava of Germantown, Md. Tarun played it cool throughout the match, sitting still in a puffy black parka with his eyes riveted on the board. Tarun is a member of the Northwest High School team and has competed at the national level. With just five of his allotted 40 minutes left, Tarun spotted a break.

“I saw checkmate,” he said.

With that, Tarun won the match. Following tournament protocol, the two players returned their pieces to starting positions, shook hands and reported the match results to officials. Despite the loss, Amanda spoke of the value of the tournament and looked forward to four more rounds.

“It’s been really cool preparing and getting all the tables ready,” she said. “We were practicing and going over strategies.”

About 80 tables covered the playing area. Players from counties throughout Maryland and the rest of the four-state area filed into the gym for play in various divisions in open and scholastic categories.

The Pleasant Valley Elementary School and Boonsboro Middle School chess clubs sponsored the event along with the Maryland Chess Association.

Here is the full article.