Three-Time-Champions! That’s what Speyer’s Chess Team is…again!

Last December, we had 39 students representing Speyer at the Grade Chess Championships – there were a total of 2,405 players from 41 states (plus some from the territories and foreign countries), who played in 13 different sections. Students compete as individuals and teams to claim the title "National Champions" in their grade.

Speyer repeated our claim to this title in three grades! Speyer is now the 2023 Second Grade National Champions, Fourth Grade National Champions, and Fifth Grade National Champions! Our second grade team won by three points...the largest margin of victory in any section. This is the second year in a row that Speyer won three grade championships and the third time in the past five years! In addition, our First Grade and Seventh Grade teams battled hard and finished in second place! Meanwhile, our Kindergarten team ended in fifth, our Sixth Grade team nabbed seventh place, and our Third Grade team finished in eleventh place! And if that's not enough, students across grades combined to win second place in the K-6 Blitz tournament!

Yes, we love these accolades but the weekend is so much more than the trophies we bring home. In between games, our Dragons spend a great deal of time analyzing and studying their previous games, which is an essential part of the process. It emphasizes learning and encourages students to think about their thinking. The weekend is also about team spirit and bonding among our players — when our Speyer Chess team travels to tournaments, the experience builds community and establishes friendships across the grades.

It was truly a weekend of amazing teamwork, dedication, and Dragon spirit! We are so proud of everyone on our Speyer Chess Team and big thank yous to our Speyer Chess parents, and of course, our Speyer Chess coaches, whose support and guidance are unmatched!

GO DRAGONS!