More than 50 kids from eight Santa Rosa elementary schools went rook to rook, queen to queen Friday at the first ever all-district chess tournament.
The play of Diego Avalos was singled out -- the Helen Lehman student on two occasions checkmated his opponent in just four moves.
Teachers touted the six-week after-school program, taught by the nonprofit Chess for Kids, as a way to promote problem solving, strategy, etiquette and discipline. The program was sponsored by the district Gifted and Talented Education program.
Staged in the Helen Lehman Elementary School multipurpose room, students played three rounds of games on rows of lunch tables. Parents were cordoned off behind a row of orange cones.
"I just want to have fun and play fair," said Miguel Huerta, 9, of Lincoln Elementary. "It's all about focus and strategy."
Most of the players Friday were new to the game, but many instructors said chess is enjoying an uptick in popularity on campuses around Santa Rosa.
A Proctor Terrace Elementary teacher has "Chess and Chow" at lunch time once a week, said Proctor Terrace first-grade teacher Linda Schmidt. "There are lots of kids doing that."
The six-week course helped shake chess?s sometimes-stodgy image, teachers said.
"Kids who might have been reluctant to try are going faithfully back," said Cathy Parker, a sixth-grade teacher at Hidden Valley Elementary.
While competition was infused into the day, there was a good deal of fun, too.
Burbank Elementary teacher Ross Hause huddled his team together before the tournament began, shot a look at his cell phone and told the team that President Barack Obama had sent a good luck e-mail.
The team didn't buy it.
On Friday, a few students were all business.
"I kept my eyes on the board and didn't fall for any of his tricks," said Jay Serrano, 11, of Burbank Elementary of his opponent.
Biella Elementary took top team honors, followed by Helen Lehman, Hidden Valley and Steele Lane.
Matthew Hyman of Hidden Valley was named top player, followed by Josh Cross of Biella and Tucker Frandsen of Proctor Terrace.
Staff Writer Kerry Benefield writes an education blog at extracredit.pressdemocrat.com.
She can be reached at 526-8671 or kerry.benefield@pressdemocrat.com.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: