Health & Fitness
More than 300 students battle over the boards at UCS chess tournament
Area students competed April 13th in five, 40-minute games in what turned out to be the largest chess tournament in competition's 18-year history.
More than 300 students battled over the boards recently for the annual UCS chess tournament.
The students played five, 40-minute games in nine different grade level sections in what turned out to be the largest chess tournament in competition's 18-year history.
"I like chess because it is fun," said Robert Elementary fifth-grader Reese Preston. "You really need to think hard."
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The chess tournament - one of the largest in the area - is sponsored annually to give students the opportunity have fun in a local competition, according to organizer and Roberts teacher Scott Burnham.
"Chess is important because it has been confirmed to raise a player's IQ, improve standardized test scores, increase math ability, advance reading levels, fosters problem solving ability, and most importantly teaches consequences through touch chess," Burnham said. "Plus it is a life long game that can be enjoyed anywhere in the world."
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While the majority of players came from Utica Community Schools, students traveled from Canton, Novi, St. Clair Shores, Lake Orion, and Oxford just to participate.
Players won awards in two areas. Medals were awarded based on the number of wins (Gold=all five wins, Silver=4 or 4.5 wins, & Bronze was awarded for 3 or 3.5 wins). Trophies were awarded to the top players in each section.
All in all, 65 trophies were handed out with 133 medals awarded. UCS students earning trophies were:
Grade
Name
School
Place
Kindergarten
Owen Aeck
Roberts
First
Kindergarten
Tyler Harrison
Schuchard
Second
1st Grade
Nathan Wood
Roberts
First
2nd Grade
Saptarshi Deb
Roberts
Second
2nd Grade
Graham Barash
Schuchard
Third
2nd Grade
Connor Harrison
Schuchard
Fourth
2nd Grade
Nathan Miller
Roberts
Fifth
3rd Grade
Evan Aeck
Roberts
Second
3rd Grade
Keegan Forbes
Roberts
Fifth
4th Grade
Zachary Pass
Switzer
First
4th Grade
Tommy Mosley
Dresden
Second
4th Grade
Jaden Loy
Flickinger
Third
4th Grade
Gabe Whitt
Roberts
Fourth
4th Grade
Randall Novak
Schuchard
Fifth
4th Grade
Devin Smyth
Roberts
Sixth
4th Grade
Deb, Ongkon
Roberts
Eighth
4th Grade
Christopher Ryder
Schuchard
Ninth
4th Grade
Rohan Desai
Schuchard
Tenth
4th Grade
Anthony Shkreli
Schuchard
Eleventh
5th Grade
Carson Barrette
Roberts
Fourth
5th Grade
Evan Barash
Schuchard
Fifth
5th Grade
Tyler Jamil
Roberts
Sixth
5th Grade
Gregor Shovlin
Roberts
Seventh
5th Grade
Austin Kosanke
Flickinger
Eighth
5th Grade
Malika Khaira
Schuchard
Ninth
5th Grade
Reese Preston
Roberts
Tenth
5th Grade
Christian Media
Burr
Eleventh
5th Grade
Atur Ptak
Roberts
Fourteenth
6th Grade
William Harrison
Schuchard
Second
6th Grade
Josh Marwede
Schuchard
Third
6th Grade
Josua Thomas
Schuchard
Fouth
6th Grade
Zachary Werbrouck
Schuchard
Fifth
6th Grade
Sam Caldwell
Roberts
Sixth
6th Grade
Ciprian Savu
Schuchard
Seventh
6th Grade
David Rider
Roberts
Eighth
6th Grade
Dominic Polarolo
Roberts
Ninth
6th Grade
Johnny Bradsher
Roberts
Tenth
7th-8th grade
Andrew Joseph
Jeannette Jr. High
Second
7th-8th grade
Zachary Harrison
Schuchard
Third
7th-8th grade
Jeshmar Duculan
Malow
Sixth
7th-8th grade
Sean Lewis
Malow Jr. High
Seventh
9th-12th grade
Mani Veerappan
UAIS
First
9th-12th grade
Nick Hunt
Eisenhower
Third
