Yale Bulletin and Calendar

February 29, 2008|Volume 36, Number 20

Hundreds of schoolchildren will gather in Yale ‘castle’ to compete in the ‘game of kings’

Students from around the state have been invited to “Play Chess in a Castle” at Yale on Saturday and Sunday, March 8 and 9.

The “castle” in question is Payne Whitney Gymnasium, which is serving for the second year in a row as the site of the Connecticut Open & Scholastic Chess Championships.

Last year, over 300 youngsters in grades K-12 gathered to compete against their peers in the Scholastic Championships. This year, the organizers hope to attract even more participants, as the popularity of the game continues to grow among the younger crowd.

“Chess has been called the ‘game of kings’ for centuries. But it’s a game that has a lot to teach today’s youngsters, giving them skills that they can take into the classroom and other aspects of their lives — from critical thinking to problem-solving, creativity and more,” says Jim Celone ’83 B.A., founder of Educational Technologies, which runs 15 after-school chess education programs in southern Connecticut.

Educational Technologies is co-hosting the 2008 tournament with the Connecticut State Chess Association, the Yale College Chess Club and Achievement First, a non-profit school reform group.

Both individuals and teams of students from the same school are eligible to participate in the Scholastic Championships. Students in kindergarten through elementary school compete on Saturday; middle school and high school students vie on Sunday.

The Connecticut Open State Championship, open to players of any age, will be held simultaneously with the scholastic competitions. Participants can win cash prizes, ranging from $100 to $500, and the top players from Connecticut are eligible for the state championship honors and trophy.

This year, the winning college student in the open championship will take home a Connecticut Collegiate Championship Silver Bowl. “Yale has the home-field advantage,” quips Celone.

Check-in time for both the scholastic and open tournaments is 8:30-9 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday at the Payne Whitney Gymnasium, 70 Tower Pkwy. To register or for more information, visit www.edutechchess.com or www.CTChess.com.

Anyone interested in watching the chess players demonstrate their prowess can view the action from the observation deck above the playing area.

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