CDA Chess Club News

  What a night! Our International Chess Day Blitz tournament brought 14 aggressive players together for some seriously intense 5-minute games, and the competition was nothing short of electrifying. 🎉 Congratulations to Emerson Schwartz , who claimed the top spot with an impressive 4.5 out of 5 points . Emerson credited his countless hours of online games for his success, and it showed! His path to victory included wins over Lee, Deon, Ken, and Andrew, along with a hard-fought draw with Matt. Truly an outstanding performance! 💪 A big welcome back to Ken Erickson, who returned to club activities and tied with Travis for second place , both scoring 4 points each . It’s great to see such a strong comeback in our club! 👏 Special recognition goes out to Alec Dorenkamp for jumping into the tournament at his very first meeting and scoring an impressive 3 points . We’re excited to have you as part of the club! This tournament proved once again how the competitive spirit and enthusiasm o...

The July All-American Chess Board Derby finished in style with two exciting final rounds on July 21, capping off a lively three-week competition. Despite a few regulars away, we were thrilled to welcome new players Lorenzo and Luke, who dove right into the action, and to see familiar faces like our old friend Cory back at the boards. In total, 18 players battled it out in the final week, bringing our overall participation to 20 for the month—an impressive turnout given the busy summer season. Final Standings: Derby Champions Crowned Advanced Section: Andrew claimed the coveted All-American title with 4.5 points out of 6, navigating a challenging field and earning the top spot. Travis was close behind with 4 points, while Emerson finished third with 3.5 points, both demonstrating exceptional skill and sportsmanship throughout the event. Intermediate Section: Greg emerged as our All-American after a fierce tie-breaker, edging out Victor and Lee, who all ended the tournament with...

  Our June 23rd “Bracket Busters” Chess Tournament at Riverstone McDonald’s was a smashing success! With over 20 players, including newcomers and returning faces, the atmosphere was electric with strategic moves and friendly competition. The venue was excited as players of all levels—seasoned strategists and eager learners alike—gathered to test their skills, share laughs, and enjoy McDonald’s classics. Highlights from the Competition: A Great Turnout: We were thrilled to welcome new players Sawyer and Ben, along with Travis, who joined us after his travels to Alaska. It was wonderful to see fresh faces alongside familiar ones, making this tournament a dynamic and diverse event. Intense Matches: The brackets paired players with their closest ladder rivals, resulting in some incredibly close games. Grant faced Deon and Andrew in the top bracket, with both matches ending in hard-fought draws. Meanwhile, Emerson and Richard delivered a truly memorable game in the second bracket, wi...

The Midsummer Slam Chess Tournament has concluded, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the turnout and level of competition! Over three weeks, 27 players participated in the tournament, showcasing skill, strategy, and sportsmanship. In the 1201+ section , Andrew dominated the leaderboard with a perfect score of 6 points, earning the top spot. Close behind were Emerson, Harue, and Payton, with tie-breakers determining their final rankings. A special shoutout to Matt, who continues to amaze as the most improved player over the last three months, gaining 109 rating points to reach 1285! Abel claimed first place in the 1200- section with an impressive 4.5 points, followed by Michael and Wesley, who finished strong with 4 points each. This section saw some intense matchups, with players pushing each other to their limits. Overall, the tournament was a resounding success, fostering community, competition, and participant growth. A big thank you to everyone who joined, especially tho...

  The Spring Showdown tournament has officially concluded, and what an incredible event it was! ​ Over three weeks, we saw thrilling matches, new faces, and remarkable improvement in skill levels. Here’s a recap of the final results and a look ahead at what’s next for our chess community. Tournament Highlights The final night of the tournament was nothing short of spectacular. ​ One of the standout moments was an intense draw between Andrew and Matt, where Andrew found a perpetual check to force a draw despite Matt’s apparent advantage. ​ The crowd gathered around to witness this nail-biting finish as time expired, showcasing chess's excitement and unpredictability. ​ Final Results Section 1 (1201+) ​ Winner: Richard (5 points) – Dominated the section but dropped a game to Andrew. ​ Second Place: Eric ​ Third Place: William ​ Most Improved Player: Matt – Gained an impressive 110 rating points, moving from 1178 to 1288 in the last three months! ​ Section 2 (1200-) ​ Winner: B...

The tournament has officially concluded, and it was an exciting competition from start to finish! With ten players vying for the top spot, every match showcased incredible skill and strategy. Ultimately, Eric finished at the top of the club-rated field, emerging victorious with an impressive 2.5 points. Not far behind, Abel secured second place with a solid 2 points. Additionally, we are thrilled to welcome Lee as the newest member of the club, who made an impressive debut by winning his first game. Congratulations to all players for their fantastic performances! The competition was equally fierce in the USCF-rated section, with every player demonstrating remarkable talent and determination. After a series of intense games, Andrew clinched first place with a stellar 3 points, showcasing his mastery of the board. Close behind, Matt secured the prize for the highest unrated player with 2 points after a hard-fought final match. Payton also had 2 points to secure the second-place award. Th...

  Milo and Logan Check In The 2025 46th State Scholastic Championship brought together some of the finest young minds in the region for an unforgettable display of skill, strategy, and sportsmanship. Held under the stewardship of expert tournament directors, this event was a resounding success that showcased the remarkable talent of middle and high school chess players. Complete results of the competition can be accessed here . In the elementary section, there were 61 players. The top three finishers overall were (1st Place) Roy Li of Moscow, (2nd Place) Ryan Wu, and (3rd Place) Leo Grace of Coeur d'Alene. Other local players also showed remarkable performances in the elementary section, showcasing their dedication and skill in chess. Sophia Grace, a 3rd-grade standout, earned the 3rd-grade state championship title for her second consecutive grade-level championship, finishing 5th overall. Milo Davis also excelled, securing the 2nd-grade state championship for his third state cham...