Chess Tournament

Conor joined the Chess club at Providence this year, which means that he has spent every Monday lunch hour playing chess with friends and learning strategies and techniques.  He has enjoyed the club and the practice, and he was chosen to be on the school team to compete at the National chess tournament this year.  The 2013 United Insurance National Inter-School Chess Championships is a two weekend long match which has 17 primary school teams competing for the top prize.  

Providence has the top two seeded players, brothers who have competed in loads of chess tournaments in Barbados, in other Caribbean countries and in Canada.  Conor has learned a lot playing with them, and he is excited to be on the team as the fourth ranked player.  

Here are some pictures from the first day of the tournament.  The kids all had about an hour to practice play before the start, so Conor and his friend Xavier played a few friendly games.  

 The team met with their principal Mr. Sheedy just before the tournament started for a few words of advice and encouragement.  

 The first match of the day, Conor is in the fourth seat because he is their fourth ranked player.  

Conor was 1:1 after the first day of play.  He won his first match and although he lost his second, he learned quite a few good lessons about tournament play that will help him going forward.  He gave up his seat for the third match of the day to the alternate who otherwise wouldn't have gotten to play any games at all.  His principal singled him out at the end of the day as having showed great character throughout the whole experience, and I couldn't have been prouder of him!