TMS names champ in annual seventh-grade chess tourney
Bo Stephenson wins, Justin Nipper runner-up after three weeks of competition that began with 44 contestants.
By Chris Sledzik
Contributing Writer
Friday, April 13, 2007
Each piece, he says, symbolizes something from the feudal system from the King as the object of the game, down to the pawn as a representative of a peasant.
“It makes it applicable for them and gives them something they can take with them,” Kelly said.
The students competing in the tournament play their games on the stage of the lunchroom during lunch with an oversized chess set. Students, teachers and district administrators were in attendance when Stephenson faced off against runner-up Justin Nipper.
The set, bought through a grant from the Community Foundation, allows all of the students to watch the game as they eat, generating excitement and fun while learning.
“They really get into it and learn about the different roles of medieval society,” Kelly said.
All seventh-graders are invited to participate in the tournament, attracting an assortment of boys and girls ranging from novice to experienced players.
“Some of them have never played chess before,” Kelly said of some of the students who entered this year’s tournament.
Once they’re in the tournament, students compete for first place — and a chance to take on Kelly himself on stage.
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Chess is good for them.