Friday, April 25, 2014

Hemingway Elementary wins kids’ chess tournament

Third-grader wins first place in K-5 competition

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By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

Forty-four Blaine County students grades K-5 participated in a chess tournament hosted by BCSD Chess Rage on Saturday at the Community Campus in Hailey. The young competitors are shown here just prior to beginning chess battles. Courtesy photo by Adam Porth

     Hemingway Elementary School won the most points to capture first place in a K-5 chess tournament hosted by BCSD Chess Rage on Saturday at the Community Campus in Hailey.

     “They didn’t have anyone in the top three, but overall they won with 15 points,” said Adam Porth, a Silver Creek High School teacher who serves as coach and advisor to the BCSD Chess Rage club, which is made of student chess enthusiasts of all ages.

     First place in the competition went to Darwin Porth, a third-grader at Bellevue Elementary School. Second place was won by Sarah Hattula, a fifth-grader at Hailey Elementary School, while third place went to Quentin Van Law, a fourth grader at Woodside Elementary School.

     Adam Porth said competition is not held on a per-grade basis.

     “They were playing in an open session, so we had kindergarteners playing fifth-graders,” he said. “It’s not about age; it’s about experience in a chess tournament.”

     Porth said 44 students participated in the event.

     He said the competitors remained focused on chess and that there was no joking or horseplay during the entire all day competition.

     “People sometimes think kids can’t stay focused, but they can at chess,” he said.

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