Chess tournament gets a big draw

Apr. 27—Chess clubs from private schools around Odessa participated in a chess tournament April 27 at St. Mary's Central Catholic School gym.

The Odessa Christian club is called OCS Checkmates and St. Mary's is called SMCCS We Love Chess.

Fourteen of the Odessa Christian School "Checkmates" Chess Club members participated and 11 Saint Mary's "We Love Chess" Club members participated. There were a total of 25 participants. The tournament began at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and awards were presented at 3 p.m.

Fourteen players went to the playoffs.

Contest winners for official Chess Club T-shirt contests:

— OCS — Aurora Valenzuela

— St. Mary's — Zayden Janssen

Good sportsmanship winner:

— Saint Mary's — Audrey Hinojos

Tournament winners:

— 1st place: OCS — Auden Valenzuela (7th grade)

— 2nd place: St. Mary's — Ishaan Lopes (6th grade)

— 3rd place: OCS — Jake Moody (7th grade)

— 4th place: OCS — Sam Roe (5th grade)

In between chess matches, the clubs enjoyed getting to know each other during lunch and through playing some other games, which allowed them to run around and take a mental break.

Chess Club Teachers were SMCCS Penny Arnold with former ECISD teacher, Sylvia Garcia, and her teenage grandson, Tristan Garza as an assistant.

OCS Chess Club Teachers: Deborah Johnson and Jessica Kolb and Johnson's former Gifted & Talented Program students (now PHS students), Erica Chavez and Valerie Cervantes as assistants.

St. Mary's Principal Pat Salcido and Assistant Principal Elaine Randolph were in attendance as was Principal of Odessa Christian School Pam Walker.