Coach Noel Newquist congratulates top camper Haley Clark during the “Learn to Play Chess” class at the Summer Knights Camp and Tournament. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Compared to 2014, attendance doubled at this year’s Summer Knights Chess Tournament, sponsored by Madison City Chess League.

“The tournament capped the end of a three-day summer chess camp where kids in the community were able to participate in five different classes: ‘Learn to Play,’ ‘Recreation,’ ‘Beginning Competition,’ ‘Intermediate Competition’ and ‘Advanced Competition,'” league executive director Ranae Bartlett said.

In total, 72 students entered Summer Knights with 41 in rated sections and 31 in non-rated. Rainbow Elementary School hosted this tourney.

International Master Daniel Rensch headlined the instruction staff and added to the campers’ enthusiasm “to make it the most exciting chess camp ever offered to kids in this community,” Bartlett said.

Campers marveled at Rensch chess mastery, especially his memory and visualization skills while playing chess matches against multiple kids simultaneously … even playing blindfolded.

In each class, a student received the “Top Camper” award. Winners were Haley Clark in the Learn to Play class; Elizabeth Kasprzak, Recreation; Madeline Edwards, Beginning Competition; Alex Edwards, Intermediate Competition; and Constance Wang, Advanced Competition.

The top three finishers in each section earned trophies and medals. Each section also had a “Top Female” medal winner:

* K-12 Open — Lawrence Zhang, first place; Hayden Billmann, second; Joel Friedman and William Bao, third-place tie. Mercedes Zich, Top Female.

* K-12 U1000 — Edward Calinsky, first; Shreya Sunil, second and Top Female; Samuel Fellows, third.

* K-12 U500 — Vallabh Busetty, first; Ryan Shurtz, second; Sohan Mynampally, third. Catrina Holschen, Top Female.

* Non-Rated K-12 — Elizabeth Kasprzak, first place and Top Female.

* Non-Rated K-6 — Aubrey Foote, first; Kenneth Lobo, second; Alex Herrin, third. Yuti Das, Top Female.

* Non-Rated K-3 — Christopher Lobo, first; Wanghee Cho, second; Chan Kichan Lee, third. Bhavya Chalasani, Top Female.

“A Non-Rated section of the tournament allowed kids to experience a first chess tournament without any pressure,” Bartlett said. “The tournament was a great way for kids to apply what they learned all week.”

For more information, email to mccl.director@gmail.com or visit madisonchess.com.