Let me start with the attached photos. The photos are of the Weibel Elementary School Chess Team at the March 31. 2018 head to head tournament with the NorCal House of Chess.
If you look to your left on the photo below you will see Phiona Mutesi with our team. Some of you may have seen the movie ‘The Queen of Katwe.’ This highly acclaimed film details Phiona's struggle for success in chess coming from a very humble background in the African Nation of Uganda.
Phiona is presently a student in a college in Seattle and was in the area this week. Ted Castro invited her to speak at the NorCal House of Chess were our team members met her. The next day, April 1, she provided a truly inspiring story about her struggle to escape the poverty in the district of Katwe.
Our Weibel Elementary School went head to head against the NorCal House of Chess. Each of our 15 players competed against a NorCal student with a similar rating—once as white and once as black. Many of the top players from both the teams were gone for Spring Break. Carl Moy, the present organizer of the CalNorth Youth Chess Age Level Championships, wanted to get rid of some of his left-over trophies. He convinced Ted and myself to go ahead with the match as he thought it would be a great practice for next week’s State Championships. The time control of game, in 75 minutes with a 5 second delay, is the same as it will be at the States. I could not stay do to a family event.
The hard work the Weibel Team has been doing this year paid dividends. Weibel won the team match 16 to 14 despite a big comeback from NHC in the second round. From what Carl tells me—all had a great time. In the end, that is what it is all about. Thank you Carl! |
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