story by Dwight Henson
photography by James Early
Beverly Hills Intermediate recently hosted the ninth annual PISD Fall Chess Tournament.
31 PISD schools, three Deer Park ISD schools and one private school took part in the event, which amounted to 220 competitors.
“It was wonderful to see over 200 students come out to play an ancient game which builds cognitive and social skills, teaches sportsmanship and is just plain fun,” said James R. Early, PISD chess coordinator.
Volunteers, campus administrators and central office personnel cheered on the chess enthusiasts as they put their skills to the test.
"We set up over a hundred tournament tables, concession stands, registration stations and reception areas for friends and family," said United States Chess Federation (USCF) tournament director Susan Metcalfe. "This chess tournament is important because it brings so many people together to create a special event for our students."
Each participant competed in five games and received one point for each win and a half-point for each draw.
The top five from each division are:
|
Division
|
Place
|
Name
|
|
Grade
|
Score
|
|
Grade 3
|
1
|
Carlos Vega
|
Genoa
|
3
|
4.5
|
|
2
|
Idunu Baruwa-Etti
|
South Belt
|
3
|
4.0
|
|
3
|
Bella Sherwood
|
Frazier
|
3
|
4.0
|
|
4
|
Manuel Mandoza
|
Parks
|
3
|
4.0
|
|
5
|
Jessie Garza
|
Genoa
|
3
|
4.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grade 4
|
1
|
Daniel Arevalo
|
Genoa
|
4
|
5.0
|
|
2
|
David Garcia
|
Genoa
|
4
|
5.0
|
|
3
|
Nelson Torrez
|
Young
|
4
|
4.0
|
|
4
|
Juan Martinez
|
Laura Bush
|
4
|
4.0
|
|
5
|
Cullen Ponder
|
Frazier
|
4
|
4.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grade 5
|
1
|
Juan Vega
|
Roberts
|
5
|
5.0
|
|
2
|
Quoc-Bao Ngo
|
Melillo
|
5
|
4.5
|
|
3
|
Richard Le
|
Morris
|
5
|
4.0
|
|
4
|
Anderson Aguilar
|
Melillo
|
5
|
4.0
|
|
5
|
Victoria Chioreanu
|
Roberts
|
5
|
4.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grade 6
|
1
|
Jimmy Bui
|
Morris
|
6
|
5.0
|
|
2
|
Jericho Urbano
|
Our Lady of Fatima
|
6
|
4.0
|
|
3
|
Jack Martinez
|
Deer Park JH
|
6
|
4.0
|
|
4
|
Cody Hernandez
|
|
6
|
4.0
|
|
5
|
Maximilio Santiago
|
Deepwater JH
|
6
|
3.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Intermediate
|
1
|
Christina Houston
|
South Houston Int
|
8
|
5.0
|
|
2
|
Alejandro Lopez
|
Beverly Hills
|
7
|
4.0
|
|
3
|
Oscar Garza
|
Beverly Hills
|
7
|
4.0
|
|
4
|
Dylan Campos
|
Thompson
|
8
|
4.0
|
|
5
|
Xavier Valerio
|
Thompson
|
8
|
4.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High School
|
1
|
Rodrigo Berlanga
|
Sam Rayburn
|
9
|
4.5
|
|
2
|
Lazaro Mottu
|
CTHS
|
11
|
4.5
|
|
3
|
Matthew Montemayor
|
CTHS
|
10
|
4.0
|
|
4
|
Blake Danner
|
CTHS
|
10
|
4.0
|
|
5
|
Timmy Phan
|
Dobie
|
11
|
3.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grade 3 (left to right): Jessie Garza, Genoa; Manuel Mendoza, Parks; Bella Sherwood, Frazier; Idunu Baruwa-Etti, South Belt; Carlos Vega, Genoa
Grade 4 (left to right): Cullen Ponder, Frazier; Juan Martinez, Laura Bush; Nelson Torrez, Young; David Garcia, Genoa; Daniel Arevalo, Genoa
Grade 5 (left to right): Victoria Chioreanu, Roberts; Anderson Aguilar, Melillo; Richard Le, Morris; Quoc Bao-Ngo, Melillo; Juan Vega, Roberts
Grade 6 (left to right): Maximiliano Santiago, Deepwater JH, Codi Hernandez, Morris; Jericho Urbano, Our Lady of Fatima; Jack Martinez, Deer Park JH, Jimmy Bui, Morris
Intermediate (left to right): Christina Houston, South Houston; Alejandro Lopez, Beverly Hills; Oscar Garza, Beverly Hills; Xavier Valerio, Thompson; Dylan Campos, Thompson
High School (left to right): Rodrigo Berlanga, Sam Rayburn; Lazaro Mottu, CTHS; Matthew Montemayor, CTHS; Blake Danner, CTHS; Timmy Phan, Dobie