ch ess
MS KERRIE ANDERSON
prep ch ess coordinator
CHESS CLUB
T
SS chess club has reached the healthy number of 50 participants, all of whom gain access to some of four annual interschool tournaments in their Prep school journey. The club now has four coaches teaching from beginner, through intermediate to advanced classes. We thank the coaches for their commitment to teaching our boys skills, strategies, and fostering the confidence to take risks and think laterally about the challenges they face on the board.
TOURNAMENT WINNERS
GPS CHESS 2018
We hit the ground running against Churchie, managing in exactly 50% of all games to either win or draw.
Thomas Xu Ethan Ong Ryan Zhang Ray Zhai Ryan Clinton Howard, Harrison Ellis Gemeri William Zhang Angus Ayre Claude Chabert Tony Guan William Jackson Joseph Sudarmana Luke Kearney
Aaron Tran Jake Frenklah Ruben Garnier William McDougall Aryan Gupta Zane Connors Elton Massey Martin Ryder Cody Wood Ashton Bellchambers Jude Purza Page
The highlight of the 2018 season was Round 7 against IGS, which saw our Prep boys win 100% of their games. We finished the GPS season as we started, on a high, and in great spirits: posting nine out of 12 wins against Nudgee College. A terrific way to end a successful and happy season. Thanks particularly to our reserves who are always keen to participate, play ‘friendly games’ with more advanced players at each venue, and share in the pizza capers and late night bus stopovers at the road-house for food… and more food. Congratulations to these boys who participated in 2018 GPS.
Final, which speaks volumes about the prowess of these four young players. As they finished outright third, TSS are in fact in the top 1.4% (given 868 participants). Accordingly, this is not only a phenomenal achievement by the team, but it has been managed in circumstances where the Premier Grade has its highest aggregate rating in the last 10 years.
WARMING-UP BEFORE A FIXTURE
GPS CHESS ‘SUPPER’
STATE CHESS
The following boys qualified for State Chess at BSHS: Xu, Thomas Ong, Ethan Zhai, Ray Zhang, Ryan This is the Chess equivalent of making a Regional Team, our region being the Greater Gold Coast. The Chess Association of Queensland deems that only 4% of participants in any qualifying tournament may play in the State
Many thanks to Ethan Ong (Chess Captain), Thomas Xu (highest rated player in the School), Ray Zhai and the remaining cohesive group of Year 6 chess leaders for their mature approach to steering the Chess Club in a most positive, proactive manner. In his application for Chess Captain at the commencement of 2018, Ethan Ong wrote: Captaincy isn’t just about the badge. It is about showing compassion and passion. If one of the boys is upset about losing a game, I will cheer him up and encourage him never to give up, as the best learning is gained from mistakes. Having good results is important, but making best effort matters the most.
SOUTHPORTONIAN
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