More than two dozen Hermiston students will compete in the Region 23 Chess Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 7 at Hermiston High School.
Students from Umatilla, Morrow, Gilliam, Union and Wallowa counties will be competing in the event.
Delia Wallace, librarian for the Hermiston School District and one of the advisers to the student chess players, said she and Lindy Thompson at Sandstone Middle School, have been working to build enthusiasm for the game among students.
“For the first time in memory, we had more students wanting to play in the competition than we had slots,” Wallace said.
Wallace said students from Hermiston High, Sandstone and Armand Larive practice their chess skills at the HHS library. The middle school students ride a bus over to HHS each Tuesday.
“The combined practices allowed for increased variety in opponents, a chance for older students to help younger ones, more opportunities for social skill-building, and better access to chess support materials with the library computer lab,” Wallace said.
On practice days, students are encouraged to move around the room and compete against different players. Wallace said students have had access to materials to improve their skills.
“Throughout late fall and this winter, the kids have been exposed to support materials such as chess tutorials, strategy books, and instructional videos,” she said. “As we’ve drawn closer to tournament time, there has been an emphasis on following chess etiquette and rules of play.”
During Saturday’s tournament, players will be placed in an opening match and then four more matches based on the outcomes. Competitors earn one point per win and stalemates give each player a half point. The top four point-earners per school comprise the final placing team. Top individuals win grade level honors for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades and the top high school encompasses grades nine through twelve. The state tournament, held at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, is March 13-14 with top K-8 individuals competing Saturday, March 14 and high school students competing on both days.
