Home|Sports|QC victorious at 2023 Scholastic Chess Team ChampionshipSports
The Nassau GuardianSend an emailApril 3, 2023 158 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email
Aspiring chess players from across New Providence participated in the competitive 2023 Scholastic Chess Team Championship. The event was hosted by the Bahamas Chess Federation and took place at the QCafé at Queen’s College on Saturday, March 25.
Queen’s College seized the win in both the under-16 and under-20 categories, winning the title of the strongest chess school on the island of New Providence. The second Queen’s College team was second in the under-20 division, with C.I. Gibson Senior High School finishing third.
Kingsway Academy was second place in the under-16 division, with St. Anne’s School finishing third.
The team-based event is one of the largest chess tournaments of the year, with many schools trying to defend their title as well as achieve new ones. It attracted strong students from over twelve schools and institutions, namely Queen’s College, St. Augustine’s College, Kingsway Academy, C.I. Gibson School, St. Andrew’s School, St. Anne’s, Aquinas, Lyford Cay, Windsor Academy, New Providence Classical School and other various small schools and home schools. They battled it out in the five-round competition.
The tournament consisted of three divisions: under-12, under-16 and under-20, with a new feature of the tournament this year, the addition of a combined school team section. This section was added to allow home school students and students attending schools that do not have sufficient chess players to field a team to come together to form a team.
The QCafé was filled with intense focus, as school teams faced off against each other in a bid to be crowned the scholastic team champions and best chess school on the island. As soon as a match was completed, students wasted no time and would huddle in a corner or proceed to the outside waiting area to discuss their moves and strategies in their own chess language. It was clear that chess was the common denominator, as students from different schools and backgrounds came together to share their passion for the game.
Dr. Paul Thomas, math teacher, C.I. Gibson School and coach for the C.I. Gibson Chess Club, was happy with the performance of his team in the under-20 division.
He stated: “The C.I. Gibson Chess Club has been in existence since 2012 but this academic year, post-pandemic, has been the most remarkable one. In this period, the greatest level of interest ever has been shown by our students, particularly our tenth graders. Chess at C.I. Gibson, for our 30 active members, is one way we remind students that careful thinking must always precede actions. Our chess members embrace this principle and our expectation is that they will transfer it to every facet of their lives. It is important that students play chess because the game is a useful means by which students can develop critical thinking skills, which can help them make thoughtful decisions in all areas of their lives.”
“The Scholastic Chess Team Tournament was exciting and competitive,” said first BCF Vice-President Curtis Pride. “I was impressed by the level of skills displayed from newcomers from C.I. Gibson, St. Augustine’s College, St. Anne’s, Kingsway Academy, St. Andrews and players in the under-12 division. These players give me hope for the future of chess in The Bahamas. We, as a federation, are proud to have hosted such a prestigious and successful school-based event. We know that the best way to develop our junior talent is through partnerships with school coaches. With this in mind, we are committed to providing and enhancing this tournament every year.”
QC victorious at 2023 Scholastic Chess Team Championship