Scholastics
GIRL POWER! COLORFUL
PIECES MAKE AN APPEARANCE.
(PURPLE AND PINK IF SEEN
IN LIVING COLOR)
THE HUNTER COLLEGE ELEMENTARY CHESS SCHOOL TEAMS
PREPARE FOR THEIR GAMES AS THEY SNACK AWAY.
Not only were there players coming from multiple locations
across the country and abroad, but the strength of the players
were also quite varied. The younger sections had a lot of newcomers while the 18 and younger section was represented by
young girls and teenagers alike. By the end of the tournament, Anupama Rajendra from Kenosha, Wisconsin, truly
shone. At 11-years-old, she could have played in the 12 and
younger section, but instead she toughed it out with the older
girls in the 18 and younger section and managed to dominate
the boards, winning the first place trophy. When I asked her
34
Chess Life — July 2012
what her secret was for this year, she replied that in the previous year she had felt a lot of tension, but this year she felt calm
and collected.
As serious as some of the games were, however, the atmosphere of the tournament was full of excitement and fun. On
Friday the 20th, for instance, eight teams played for the honor
of being named the best bughouse team while some of the other
girls competed in a blitz tournament. Even on the days when the
tournament was at its most serious, one could still find some
girls giggling over bughouse games in the skittles rooms. What
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