Team Successes — Paul Robeson Chess Club

BREAKING NEWS - Results: 2020 PA State Scholastic Chess Championships Gettysburg, PA

March 7-8

This month, Pennsylvania's Top Scholastic Chess Club traveled to Gettysburg, PA to take on the best players and teams from the Delaware Valley. While our roster was significantly smaller than 2019, and we were - again - missing a number of our top players in many sections, our students courageously battled to defend our title.

The weekend kicked off with the Quick Chess Championships; 6 rounds, with each player getting 8 minutes (and an additional 3 seconds per move) for each round. By the end of the evening, we had winners in each section!

Throughout Saturday and Sunday, we navigated the usual tournament challenges of pressure, intense competition, fatigue, and daylight savings time.

Like life, each tournament also presents its own unique surprises and obstacles; this year was no different, with the hotel being under renovation, computer errors which delayed our coaches' (and several players) hotel check-in until after midnight on Friday, and hyper-competitive adults who tested our character with aggressive, invasive behaviors.

Thankfully, three of our Assistant Coaches (including two Paul Robeson Chess Club Alumni Chapter Members, and an Alumnus taught by legendary Philly Coach and PRCC's first partner Theo Mont) were present, and their experience, leadership, sacrifice and timely problem-solving skills proved extremely valuable all throughout the weekend.

Our "Parent Power" was on full display before, during, and after the competition. From coordinating transportation between Philly and Gettysburg, purchasing, preparing and serving nutritious meals to our players and coaches, to capturing pictures of the Team, engaging students in friendly chess games, to taking younger students outside for fresh air and exercise, their support was (and is) a crucial element of our competitive success!!

When the final matches ended and results were tabulated, our Team had once again distinguished itself by capturing THREE more Top Club trophies!!! No other club team won more than one, and no school team won 1st place in as many sections.

We also have another individual State Champion!! [our 6th overall, at least, since 2008. We've also tied for first place individually on at least two other occasions]. We are the ONLY Philadelphia Chess Club to have a 2020 Individual State Champion this year!!

A few of our Team's other notable highlights from the tournament include:

• 24 TeamGENIUS Members participated

• 3 students played in their first-ever
tournament; all won awards

• 18 total trophies (not including School
Teams)

• (At least) 4 medals won

• 13 individual award winners

• 6 students won awards in multiple
events

As further evidence of our unique impact on Philadelphia's scholastic chess community, many of the other (school and club) teams we have mentored over the last twelve years also achieved success in Gettysburg.

We congratulate and thank all of our students, parents, coaches and supporters!!!

PRCC 2020 STATES AWARDS

QUICK CHESS

Under 1100 Section
• 5th place trophy

• 6th place trophy

• 1st Under 700 trophy

Under 1500 Section
• 1st Under 1300 (cash prize)

Open Section
• 1st Under 1600 (cash prize)

MAIN TOURNAMENTS

Club Awards

• 1st place Club trophy K-6 U800

• 1st place Club trophy 7-12 U1300

• 1st place Club trophy K-9 U1100

Individual Awards

K-6 U800
• 1st place trophy (5-0)

• 10th place trophy

K-3 Open
• 4th place trophy

K-6 U500
• 4th place trophy

• 3rd Unrated trophy

7-12 Under 1300 Section
• 7th place trophy

• 8th place trophy

K-9 U600 Section
• 1st Unrated trophy

• 1st Unrated medal

• 3rd Unrated medals (two winners)

K-9 U1100 Section
• 9th place trophy

• 1st Under 900 trophy

• 3rd Under 900 trophy

• 3rd Under 700 trophy

• 3rd Under 700 medal

2019 National Elementary Chess Championships (ES NATIONALS)Nashville, Tennessee

May 10-12

1 PRCC student (first NATIONALS experience)

Team's 7th ES NATIONALS (most of all active Philly Chess Clubs)
Scored 3 out of 7

2019 National Junior High Chess Championships, Grapevine, Texas

April 26-28

3 PRCC students participated, representing 3 Philly-area schools
Only 30 PA students pre-registered total
13.5 total points scored (21 possible pts)
Tied for 2nd place individual (241 total players in that section); 6 pts out of possible 7
10th place individual trophy (tiebreaks)
Tied for 33rd place (199 total players)

2019 PA State Scholastic Chess Championships Gettysburg, PA

March 1-3

Team-record 52 PRCC students competed (youngest 5 years old)
37 Combined Individual and Team Trophies and Medals
2 Top Club Trophies (most of any Club; tied for 1st in another section)
Top Club K-8 Open Section
Top Club K-9 Under 600 Section
2nd place Club Trophy K-3 Open Section
State Champion Quick Chess Under 1500
State Champion K-9 Under 1100