Many local kids advance to regional chess championships

Ken Johnston
Editor

Checkmate!

That was heard many times last Wednesday at Riverview Elementary School in Rainy River as a qualifier for the Northwestern Ontario Chess Championships was held.

Some twenty-six kids participated in the competition in an effort to qualify for the NOCC to be held later this Fall in Thunder Bay. Of those all but three qualified. In order to qualify they had to get a minimum of 2.5 points out of a possible 5 or be the top three in an age category.

In the ages 10-12 group Nick Ashworth of Riverview nearly had a perfect score of 4.5 pts. to take top spot. Jaden Chorney, Regan Arnould and Josh Wilson, all of Riverview, all qualified with 3 pts. Jordan Jenson, Adrianne McLean, Dan Usiski, Jr., Kaylan Ewald and Julian Kirkrude, all of Riverview, qualified with 2.5 pts.

In the age group 13-18 there was a tie for first between Rainy River High School student Mike Sandru and Riverview student Marty Johnston with 4.5 pts. This was Sandru’s first year competing at the qualifier, while Johnston has qualified for several years and has finished as good as 11th in his age group at the National Chess Championships two years ago. This past summer Johnston attended the nationals at Sackville, NB. and only managed to get 2.5 pts. While disappointed he is eager to return better than ever this year.

Also qualifying in the 13-18 group was Shane Ikert of Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program (Stratton), Conor Johnson of RRHS, Kam Kuzyk and Ethan Swentik of Riverview all with 3 pts. Whitney Arnould and Mitchell Seguin of Riverview and Kyle Jewitt of RRHS all qualified with 2.5 pts.

Within the normal bounds of competition the age group 13-18 would include several age categories that include under 14, under 16 and under 18. Hence all 14 of the competitors qualified since the top three in each category or those obtaining 2.5 pts. or more are eligible. That meant that Matt Morrison of Riverview and Tristan Newman of RRHS qualified with 2 pts.; Anders Moen of McCrossen-Tovell (Bergland) qualified with 1.5 pts. and Katelyn Nielson of Sturgeon Creek Public School (Barwick) and Andrew VanHeyst of Sturgeon Creek Public School qualified with no pts.

Despite scoring below 2.5 pts. organizer John Rutherford of Thunder Bay, said all qualifiers should attend the NWO Championships as they might have a good day there and advance to nationals.

It was only a couple of years ago that from the NWO tournament one would have to go to provincials before qualifying for nationals. But with the high cost of travelling to Toronto for provincials and then to Nationals afterwards many were not making the effort. Now NWO is recognized as its own province by the Canadian Chess Federation and kids advance directly from the region to nationals.

The Rainy River Legion sponsored half the entry fee for the 26 kids last week and Lifestyles Clothing donated sweat-shirts for the top players at the Riverview qualifier. The NWO chess logo will be crested to the shirts and the kids will advance as a team from the west Rainy River District.