Chess Tournament

30 November 2021

On the 20th of November, an International Online Chess Tournament for schools took place, organised by the Kendal English School in Chile and the Chilean chess instructor Gabriel Ugás. This event involved 521 chess players, from a variety of different schools and countries. The participants were, somewhat unusually, separated into 12 categories by age and gender. With a total duration of two and a half hours, each chess game lasting up to 30 minutes, it was a thrilling though gruelling competition. The gameplay was accompanied by excellent live commentary and analysis.

Several students from our school had the privilege of participating in this enthralling international tournament and produced some impressive and very creditable performances. Mari-Elena, Year 10, and Mikael, Year 13, both ranked at 4th place in their respective categories. Hopefully, the Lady Elizabeth School continues taking part in such events and showcasing the abilities of its chess players.

Chess is a wonderful and criminally underappreciated game, and we would strongly encourage our readers to try it. Our school already provides opportunities for this, such as the after-school Chess Plus Club on Mondays. Hopefully, our school’s chess culture will continue to grow and expand in the future.

Mikael Arutyunov