Rochester chess player wins state junior championship
3/30/2009 8:20:02 AM
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN
Alex Cheng, an eighth-grader at John Adams Middle School in Rochester, was crowned champion on Sunday in the junior high school division of the Minnesota State Chess Association state tournament.
Cheng went undefeated in the first five rounds and played to a draw in the championship. It was a showdown with Wes Cannon, a Lake Harriet ninth-grader, who also was undefeated. After two hours, neither player was able to establish dominance on the board so they agreed to a draw. The two were declared co-champions, but Alex was designated the top player on tie-breakers.
Players in senior and junior high school divisions participated in the weekend tournament at Robbinsdale Cooper High School. There were about 140 players in the junior high school division, and about 25 schools fielded teams.
John Adams middle school chess club members were novices in the state tournament last year and placed seventh. The team finished fourth this year.
Rochester high school players also participated, and the Lourdes team finished ninth and Century 11th in a field of 26 teams. Century junior Michael Lust placed 23rd out of 157 players and received a trophy for being the top high school junior.
Source: http://news.postbulletin.com
It’s nice to see chess continue to grow.