WEIBEL CHESS CLUB FALL NEWSLETTER (TEAM POSTED EARLIER)

   

WEIBEL CHESS TEAM NEWSLETTER, FALL 2016

THE 1989 WEIBEL CHESS TEAM IN 2016

The first Weibel Chess Team, 1989, on the left and on the right that same group in 2016. From left to right: Micah Fisher-Kirshner (1st Grade), Jennifer Cheung (2nd Grade), Alan Kirshner, Ratham Kumarappan (1st Grade), Tov Fisher-Kirshner (Kindergarten). Ratham died in a car accident that summer while visiting India--a horrid end for a wonderful young child. Micah & Jennifer live across the street from each other in the Glenmoor District of Fremont. Micah's son and Jennifer's daughter are both entering Kindergarten in the Fall.

The Team took fourth place in the K-3 Championship Section. We were thrilled. Tov is proud of his big brother as you can see his finger pointing first. Micah won the K-3 Championship Section, the first of his four State Championships. It wasn't until 2008 that another First Grade student won that section. In 1990, the Weibel Chess Team won the first of its many State Championships.

LE FAMILY VISITS THE CHESS HALL OF FAME

Every few years Weibel gets a family that is really into chess. The Le's are this seasons chess family. Nikko reached a high of 1455 in Second Grade and his brother Louis who is entering Kindergarten this year seems to be following in his big brother's footsteps. As a pre-schooler last spring he reached a regular rating of 500. I just received this note and photo from them: "St Louis! Chess Hall of Fame. Boys came to visit Chicago so we detoured to The Sinquefield Cup. Nikko watching the top GMs in person upstairs

Sporting their Weibel Shirts :)"

WEIBEL CHESS AGAIN RECEIVES NATIONAL ATTENTION

Chess Life magazine arrived today with Weibel again receiving national attention (albeit, minor) in two articles. Weibel was noted as having a touch of an impact on the creation of Bay Area Chess as well as a nationally renowned chess program. Jorge Barrera in his article "Many Happy Returns" on the KFC All-Girls Nationals and Anupama Rajendra, three time champion, wrote: "Weibel Chess, from Fremont, California, always has a strong showing, with much enthusiasm and team pride." The Weibel School helps foster that team pride by featuring our trophies in the office at different times during the year.

END OF THE YEAR AWARDS BANQUET

On Friday, May 27 2016, the 180 member Weibel Chess Club and Chess Team had their end of the year Awards Banquet. Loads of great food, awards, trophies and certificates for all, plus a bonus of door prizes for every student. We had another great year of chess both in learning skills and winning major tournaments. We are most proud of our sixth Girls National Championship title. This would not have been possible without all the great volunteers, our wonderful instructors, the Weibel Elementary School staff and our unbeatable students. A special call-out goes to the NorCal House of Chess for providing our trophy winners with extra prizes. The first picture you will see (I hope) is of our Under 10 Girls National Championship Team. This will be followed by the photo of Aaron Hu obtaining his MVP award. Rithwik Narendra named Rookie of the Year is next. Two players tied for the most improved players--Nikko Le and Elena Xu. Two other players received the Scott Ferguson Memorial Scholarship financial reward and plaques--Stanley Ko and Zayaan Khan. This award has been provide by Scott's parent's since his untimely death in 1994. The recipient is that individual that most represents the Weibel Chess program of developing a love of chess, fun through chess, high academic achievement and is just an all around great person. The final photographs are the winners of the Club and Team trophies for having obtained the most extra credit points during the 2015-2016 chess year.

WEIBEL CHESS TEAM HEADING TO NASHVILLE FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NATIONALS

Photos and results of the Weibel girls success at this year's All-Girls Nationals are linked from:
http://www.CalNorthYouthChess.org/photographs.html. I meant to post this earlier in the week.

The full Weibel Varsity Team will be heading to the Elementary School Nationals in Nashville next weekend - May 6-8, 2016
. Once again we will face formidable foes especially our neighbor school a couple of miles north. While around 450 girls from around the country competed in Chicago the Elementary School Chess Nationals have already registered almost 2200 players. I make no predictions only that we will have a wonderful group of skillful chess players that I know will do their best to bring home another championship.