On Friday, 5^th April, 7 students competed in the first interschools chess tournament of the year. The event, hosted by Black Square Chess and held at Launceston Church Grammar School, went for the entire day and was filled with both wins and losses.

The team, consisting of students from Years 7-10, competed against players from 5 other schools. There were 7 rounds of competition, with each awarding the students with a point for victory, half a point for a draw and no points for a loss. The top 4 scorers of the team contributed to our team score, with a maximum of 4 points available per round.

Halfway through the day, things were looking hopeful, with Riverside High sitting in third place. After some difficult matches, however, other schools pulled ahead. After 7 rounds Riverside placed in 4^th with a score of 16 and a half points.

All players gave every match their best effort, but our top scorer was Fletcher, who scored a total of 5 points, only losing two games. His final match against the champion was a nail-biting round, that was lost with only 23 seconds remaining on the clock.

The students involved said that they enjoyed the day and have a renewed competitive spirit. They came away with a new desire to hone their chess skills and to bring a stronger, more tactical team for the next tournament.

Crystal Coleman-Cox