A scholastic chess competition that started in Centralia last Feb. 4 at the Southwest High School and Middle School Chess Championships is continuing to grow with further tournaments here in Clark County.
On Oct. 14, 102 players from over 38 public and private schools, along with a large contingent of home-schooled students, gathered at Firmly Planted Homeschool Resource Center in Vancouver for the first Southwest Regional Chess Qualifier of this school term.
Three students from the Battle Ground Public Schools district earned top spots in the tournament.
In the seventh- through 12th grade category, Prairie High School’s Jack Sears earned top ninth grader and second overall in the category, while Prairie High School’s Luke Sears earned top 11th grader and third overall. CAM Academy’s Caleb Vavilin earned top eighth grader.
The community volunteers sponsoring the event are planning two more tournaments in Vancouver this coming year, a release stated. The following tournaments will take place on Jan. 27, 2024, and May 4, 2024. Information for the events will be posted at NWChess.com under their scholastic events. People can register at chessreg.com.
Those interested can also contact tournament director Terry Tate at tevata8@gmail.com for more information.
