Madison City Chess League teams compete in Atlanta
Madison City Chess League members competing in Atlanta were Will Bao, front from left, Maanasi Limaye, Constance Wang, Josh Lin, Mercedes Zich and Om Badhe and Alex Edwards, back from left, Jonah Tuttle, Jenson Wilhelm, Erin Kueck, Boone Ramsey, Michael Guthrie and chess league director Ranae Bartlett. (CONTRIBUTED)
MADISON – Twelve Madison chess players joined more than 1,300 competitors at the National Junior High Chess Championships in Atlanta on April 26.
The national tournament was open to students up to ninth grade.
The group from Madison “was the largest delegation from any city or school system in Alabama to compete in the junior high nationals,” league director Ranae Bartlett said.
In the K-8 U1000 section, the Rainbow Elementary School team with Boone Ramsey, Jenson Wilhelm, Constance Wang, Mercedes Zich, Jonah Tuttle and Will Bao won fourth place. This Rainbow team competed against 41 other teams, mostly from middle schools from across the United States.
“In the K-9 U1250 section, every individual student that competed in this section from Madison improved their personal ratings, showing they could compete with some of the best students up to ninth grade in the country,” Bartlett said. These students are Om Badhe, Mill Creek Elementary School; Josh Lin, Madison Elementary School; and Michael Guthrie, Rainbow.
Rainbow also had three students compete as a team in the K-8 U750 section: Erin Kueck, Alex Edwards and Maanasi Limaye. “In round 2 of the tournament, every Rainbow student in all three sections won his or her game — a personal record for the Rainbow team,” Bartlett said.
“Madison elementary students represented us well,” Bartlett said with determination.
National tournaments differ from state and local tournaments. The competition level is much higher in national tournaments. “The tournament lasts for seven rounds over three days, and each game can last up to four hours,” Bartlett said.
Madison City Chess League meets on Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hogan Family YMCA. The league is designed for youth and adults who already know how to play chess. League membership is free for all Madison students in grades K-12 who can play chess.
For more information, email to rbartlett@madisoncity.k12.al.us or visit Facebook/MadisonCityChessLeague.
