The District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) held its seventh annual State High School chess championships on Saturday, May 4 at the Office of State Superintendent of Education headquarters (OSSE) in Northeast D.C.
There were five schools, Georgetown Day, Maret, The SEED School, Jackson-Reed High School and two-time defending champion Sidwell Friends High School in competition.
The competition was fierce, with all eyes on Sidwell Friends. In the end, it came down to Jackson-Reed coming away with its first-ever championship, defeating Sidwell Friends.
“We are just elated that we have won the state championship,” said Patrice Arrington, the director of Athletics at Jackson Reed. “Our sponsor, Mr. Patrick Moore has done a fantastic job of preparing the chess club for competition. That we were able to defeat Sidwell Friends, the two-time champion, making it even more gratifying.”
Moore, who also teaches at Jackson Reed, has been instrumental in the program’s rise.
“I am very proud of the team and how they have worked hard to improve their skills in the game of chess,” said Moore. “We have some exceptional young people. We faced great competition, and I am proud of the individuals [and] for the team as a whole. We encourage others to come out and join in this competition which is growing.”
Chess has quickly gained popularity in the District, nationally and internationally.
Thanh Can of Jackson-Reed placed first overall in the competition. Can’s teammate, Zack Benski, who finished fourth overall, was a recent member of the DCSAA Ultimate Frisbee Championship team.
Horace Fletcher, a former teacher in District of Columbia Public Schools and a chess enthusiast, attended the championship and left impressed.
“I was able to start a program years ago on the elementary school level,” Fletcher, who learned to play the game at an early age, told The Informer. “I was very impressed with the organization of the event. I did not know what to expect when I got there. So, when I saw the clocks on the table and the score sheets where they kept their own scores, I was really impressed. It says a lot about where chess has come.”
He also shared the benefits of learning chess at an early age.
“There are so many plusses for the young people who participate. They learn life skills, planning and looking ahead to their future. It is very encouraging to see this in the system,” Fletcher said.
The DCSAA will hold its first-ever middle school championship this Saturday at the same location beginning at 10 a.m.