Throwback Thursday: East Region Tournament

In honor of Throwback Thursday, let's take a look back at this years East Region Tournament! Held on March 15th 2014, at the North York Central Library, chess players of all ages showed up to compete. 

 Competitors participated in 4 rounds of chess, across three sections (Grade 3 and under, Grade 6 and under, and Open). The room was silent as the competitors focused intensely on their games. Advantages were gained and mistakes were made as everyone played for the prizes given to the top player in each section. For grade 3 and under, the top player got a Starbucks gift card and the other two sections got 2 for one movie ticket deals. The stakes have never been higher. They were not only playing for shiny medals, but also for free frappuccinos or a great movie ticket deal. 

During lunch, to take a break from the rounds and to refuel for the rounds to come, pizza was sold.The chess masters then returned to their rounds to finish off the tournament. At the end of the day, everyone gained valuable experience and a day well spent. However, special congratulations go out to the top players in each category for their outstanding performance!

 Grade 3 And Under

1. Derek Chen
2. Eric Wang
3. Sivan Xu

Grade 6 and Under
1. Maxwell Tong
2. Brian Chau
3. Nelson Lee

Open
1. Benjamin Lin
2. Cindy Qiao
3. Philip Tsang

Obviously, not everyone can get a prize or place in the top three. However, everyone who showed up gave it a shot and everyone deserves recognition for their amazing work. Thank you to all of our participants and volunteers for making the East Region Tournament such a success and a fun experience for everyone involved. We'll see you at the next Chess in the Library tournament!

Executive Highlight: Jessica Cao

Introducing Executive Highlights, a series of posts where we interview and really get to know the team that improves and keeps Chess in the Library running. First up is Jessica Cao, our Vice President!

What library do you volunteer for?

 North York Central Library.

How long have you played chess?

 3 years, on-and-off.

 How long have you volunteered for Chess in the Library?

2 years.

What do you do as the Vice President?

I attend executive meetings and help run events such as regional tournaments and the annual chess festival. I also manage Chess in the Library's social media outlets. It's a lot of fun!

What other things are you involved in?

I've won titles at international DECA competitions (although I officially ended my high school DECA career this year). I volunteer for Kids Help Phone as part of the National Youth Advisory Committee. I do a bit of scientific research on the side - it's a fun job! In my spare time, I also like to upload song parodies onto YouTube and play around with photography.

Is there anything you want to say to someone who is reading this interview?

Chess in ah-mazing. Even if you're not that great at it (like me), chess is still very helpful for your memory and thinking skills. Never give it up and remember to have fun! Nothing is ever as serious as it seems to be.