Lydia Lo
Students from seven Carroll ISD campuses said “checkmate” earlier this month at the 2019 Texas State Junior Chess Team Championships, which was held at the Southlake Tutoring Academy. Over 200 players came from all over the state to participate, including 17 from Southlake.
The tournament was divided into three competitions — the Championship section, the Reserve Under 800 section and the Novice section. According to MySouthlakeNews.com, individual trophy winners included first place Championship winner Oscar Li from Johnson Elementary, first place Reserve winner Satvik Chenna from Johnson Elementary and second place Reserve winner Terry Liu from Carroll Elementary. Novice winners included Carroll Elementary student Clement Wang for first place and Johnson Elementary student Yahan Gajanayaka for second place.
“As an after school program, we have been running the chess club and chess classes on a weekly basis,” Southlake Tutoring Academy owner Jean XUE says. “They all did amazingly well. We have the best coaches and some of the best players in the DFW area."
Five Carroll ISD teams placed high on the team competitions as well. Oscar won third place in the Championship section alongside his teammates Kevin Liu, Caleb Lo and Arjan Suri, while Satvik and Terry also took the top spot in the Reserve Under 800 section along with Carroll Elementary student Ryan Yang. Durham Intermediate student Gavin Li and Johnson Elementary student Sparsh Thakore won ninth place under the Reserve Under 800 section.
Finally, Walnut Grove Elementary students Nathan, Carter and Brandon Leal won ninth place under the Novice section and Rockenbaugh Elementary students Jaden and Austin Xu and Johnson Elementary student Brandon Chen won 13th place in the same competition.
“We’re extremely proud of them,” Jean expresses. “Most of them have been with us for about five years, ever since we started the chess club. We’re very lucky to have them with us.”
The Southlake Tutoring Academy hosts the chess club after school Monday and Tuesday. If you would like to learn more about them, call them at 682.477.4089 or visit SouthlakeTutoringAcademy.com