Shining Knights Chess is smart fun for schools & kids

ImageWelcome to the website of the Shining Knights Chess Company! We partner with Elementary schools, Middle schools, and community centers to teach chess to children. We teach students of all different levels, from total beginners to national champions. We also run scholastic tournaments, where students can compete both individually and as members of their school’s team. For the more advanced scholastic chessplayers, we organize monthly adult chess tournaments to allow for stronger competition. We currently teach classes and run tournaments and camps in Pennsylvania.

To register for one of our chess events, click on the appropriate link above. If you have any questions about our chess events, feel free to contact us or look at our FAQs.

7th Annual State Warm-Up

One hundred and twenty-one players came out for the 7th Annual State Warm Up held February 22, 2014 at Mother Teresa in KOP.  This event is usually the biggest event of the year as many people get ready for the State Championship, held 2 weeks from now in Carlisle (2015 will be in Lancaster.)

       In the Under 200 section, Jay Laird won with a perfect 4 - 0 score, just edging out Justin Lam and Paul Stricker.  Lam and Stricker each had 3 wins and a draw.  In the Under 500 section, Evan Liddy and Ethan Soloway both scored a perfect 4 - 0.  Evan took first on tiebreaks.  In third place, Matthew Enders had 3 wins and a draw.  In the Under 800 section, Sriraj Kallat and Nolan McCloskey both scored a perfect 4 - 0, with Sriraj winning first on tiebreaks.  In the Championship section, Aneesh Raparla was the only perfect score, and thus won the section 4 - 0.  The section was very competitive and 2nd and 3rd were the only two other players with three wins.  These were Michael Bai and Caleb Zhang respectively.
        In two weeks, many of the tournament participants, and a few Shining Knights students who were not at the tournament will try to win state titles and trophies.  We hope they all have a good time and wish them the best of luck in their games.

December Crush

     On December 7, 2013, 91 players participated in the December Crush tournament in Conshohocken.  In the Under 200 section, Derek Qin and Bruno Basner both scored a perfect 4 - 0 (Qin won 1st place on tiebreaks.)  Shawn Beigian came in 3rd with a 3.5 - 0.5 score.  The top team was Hillside Elementary with 8.5 points.  In the Under 600 section, Harisankar Radhakrishna scored the only perfect score.  Places 2nd through 9th were all taken by kids scoring 3 - 1.  The top scoring middle school was The Philadelphia School, with 9.5.  In the Championship section, Leo Berg scored a perfect 4 - 0 to capture 1st place.  River Travis Lawson and Kian Jamasbi scored 3.5 - 0.5 to share 2nd and 3rd place.  River Travis earning 2nd on tie breaks.  Skyview, which has a team trophy in every event this fall, won the team trophy with a score of 11.5.
         We look forward to seeing everyone at the 7th Annual State Warm - Up in King of Prussia on February 22nd.   There will even be new sections for the event - Under 200, Under 500, Under 800 and Championship.
         Hope everyone has Happy Holidays!

2013 Scholastic Tournament

 

                On November 9th, 2013, 87 players met to decide the 2013 Greater Philadelphia Scholastic Championship.  In the K-12 section, no one escaped unscathed, but Teddy Willis, was nicked for only a draw and won the event with a 3.5 – 0.5 score.  Three Pocono Mountain East High School players tied for 2nd – 4th with a 3.0 – 1.0 score.  They were Andy Weng, Sean Crowley, and Alex Quirindongo.  Pocono Mountain East High School won the team competition with a score of 11.5. 

                In the K-6 section, Jeffrey Gong and David Sang, both of Skyview Elementary, scored a perfect 4 – 0 with Gong taking the title on tiebreakers.  Ram Singh finished 3rd with a score of 3.5 – 0.5.  Skyview having two players with a perfect score, it is not surprising that they won the team category with 14.0 points. 

                In the K – 3 section, Aneesh Raparla (for the 2nd time) and Chase Vitulich tied for first with perfect scores.  Seven players tied for 3rd to 9th with 3 points.  The top team was Hillside Elementary with 7.5 points.

 

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