Whatley heads to national chess competition
Sports Notes
Posted: July 17, 2012 – 7:44pm | Updated: July 17, 2012 – 10:56pm
Tori Whatley, of North Augusta, the top female scholastic chess player in South Carolina, will be competing in the nationals at the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational in St. Louis.
Whatley, a four-time state champion who attends Strom Thurmond High School, was first invited to nationals in 2008.
‘‘She’s earned her stripes against some powerful and well-funded players,’’ said her father, David Whatley. He said she won a match against a girl who was financially backed by Will Smith and FedEx.
Whatley is ranked in the top 15 percent of women chess players in the United States.
Whatley and her father coach the Merriwether Mavericks Scholastic Chess Club, which was established about 10 years ago. The club is open to pupils of Merriwether Elementary and Merriwether Middle schools.
For information about the club, or how to start a club at your school, e-mail whatleydavid@bellsouth.net, visit the club on Facebook or call the Whatleys at (803)
442-9060.
Source: http://natoday.augusta.com
Good luck Tori!