Newsletter #11

Post date: Feb 14, 2018 2:33:14 AM

Dear Prairie Chess Families,

MATCH WITH CORALVILLE

We had a great time with our match with Coralville chess clubs from Central Elementary and Northwest Junior High. Both schools won their respective state championships in Ames two weekends ago. Our students played well and I heard of many accounts of a win for our side. The pizza was a perfect topper to the event.

MONDAY LESSON

We tried one more time to log on to our ChessKid.com accounts. Each student received a login card. After three weeks, everyone should be set up and able to use this wonderful chess teaching and playing site. The following link is nice video explaining the entire website. Welcome To ChessKid Version 3, I am challenging our students to log on to their account one time this week and then tell me one thing they can share about ChessKid.com.

For the Creek and Point students, we followed a Chess.com lesson on the double attack. This is a link to the lesson: Champion Tactics with GM Wolff - Double Attacks. A Chess.com membership is required to complete the lesson. So, attached is handout with double attack puzzles.

CHESS TOURNAMENTS

We had 25 players from 8 Prairie schools participate in the Prairie Winter Classic last Saturday. It was a wonderful showing! High School Senior Trevor Ciha and Andre Vongpanya assisted me as Tournament Directors for the event. In the K-3 Unrated Section, Caron Sellner (View, 2) placed 2nd, Tristan Frese (View, 1) placed 3rd, and Becket Davis (View, 3) picked up the top score for Grade 3. In the K-3 Open, Connor Orr (Ridge, 2) was the Top Score for players with a US Chess rating under 400 (U400). In the K-6 section, Colin Sellner (Creek, 6) won the trophy for top score with a US Chess rating under 300. In the K-12 U1400 section, Point’s Mason Kimm (7) captured 3rd place overall, and Cam Gilbertson (7) was the top score for Under 1000. PHS AJ Kozich (10) placed 2nd in the K-12 Open.

Our next tournament is a Team Tournament, February 24, at Prairie Point. Called the Iowa Match Play Team Championship, this event is structured like a tennis match, where teams of 4 players play head to head. The team who scores the most wins (1 pt) and drawns (½ pt).. We will have multiple teams and everyone who wants to play will have the opportunity to be part of team. You may sign up by this form: https://goo.gl/forms/loIKKyC04sDXiieD2. I will keep everyone updated over the next three weeks leading up to the tournament and give you plenty of opportunities to register. As teams of 4-players, I will have to assemble and register the team and then ask that you pay me the registration fee ($10).

Take care,

Jim