Check Mate

This school year the girls joined the Math and Chess Club. They learned to play chess at my parents house over the course of a couple of visits (Mom and Dad still don't have cable, and the children NEVER seem to miss TV there - amazing - anyhooo.) and were excited at the prospect of learning strategies and going to tournaments. Unfortunately, I didn't ever really hear about 90% of the tournaments, and the ones the girls made sure I heard about were in early February when, ahem, we were a bit ... preoccupied.

Our school got a last minute opportunity to host the last tournament before state (kids must attend 2 tournaments to go to state) and I was able to get the three big kids signed up. The day ended up crazy ... Enrichment planning meeting for the birthday dinner that morning, hosting dinner for the new bishopric and their families for dinner before bishopric training that evening, I still had a lesson to prepare for Sunday, and a handful of other things I had hoped to accomplish in a single day ... ha! when will I learn.

For the schools very first tournament hosting, it was hugely successful, and TONS of kids were there ... 80 maybe? Which from what I understand from other parents who actually know what's going on, is big for most Kansas tournaments. And the kids who attended were really good. There were lots of very high scores. Each child played 6 rounds of chess. And if you win or loose or draw, (hee hee) you are awarded points. For their very first tournament ever, our kids did well, especially considering the competition. Their Chess teacher, said she hopes that kids get at least one point or half point at their first tournament. Becca got a half point from a draw (she was playing 4-6th graders); Emily got 2 points (K-3rd); Sam got 2 points (K-3rd).

They had a really good time and want to attend tournaments next year. We've already placed an order with a friend who's attending state for a nice portable chess board with large weighted pieces like they use during club meetings and at the tournament. And GR is looking up legal chess moves to teach the children to improve their strategies.

And for those considering your first tournament here are some survival tips, cause you'll be there for at least 6 hours, possibly longer.

1. Take a laptop and something to do on it. I did the Relief Society newsletter and updated the ward website, but don't count on having wireless access. Some parents were playing games, others watched tv shows or movies (bring your headphones), others caught up on work.
   
2. If you don't want to mess with the laptop, take a book, a couple of magazines, hand sewing/crocheting/knitting, note cards for writing letters, etc. You basically want something simple you can take in a tote bag to keep you busy while your child plays any of their six games. You want it to be simple, because you are going to be distracted and interrupted on a fairly regular basis throughout the day. Think 40ish parents plus all those kids in the commons area of an elementary school sitting at the cafeteria tables.
   
3. Bring bottled water. A couple for each person in the family.
   
4. Bring a cooler of snacks and lots of them. Boredom = hunger = paying $20+ over the course of the day for JUNK at the concession stand. Bring a variety of healthy snacks and let the kids pick 1-2 things from the concession stand to round out the day and make it fun, plus the money raised supports the host schools chess club.
5. Check in to what the team is doing for lunch. Our team was hosting, so they provided pizza for all the kids from our school and their parents. Other teams/parents could purchase pizzas to be delivered. Others brought lunch, or sent a parent out to a fast food joint.
   
6. Have your kids bring a "church" bag of simple activities. Mine were pretty content to play chess between rounds, talk with friends and generally goof off a bit, but books, coloring books, puzzles, hand held games, etc. are good time busters between rounds, and keep your kids within arms reach rather than running the halls in an unfamiliar area.
7. Make sure your kids know about some of the basic legal moves for tournaments ... ask one of the more experience players in their club, or do a google search. It will help level the field just a smidgen and they won't feel quite so new and awkward.