USCF Certified Chess Coach

Yeah for me!

"May 31, 2013
 Congratulations Coach Porth!
 You have passed the test with a 97.5% missing question 23. We will be following in a couple of weeks with a letter, certificate and a card for your wallet. Also, we will be adding your name to our list on our web site I hope in the next couple of weeks. If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask. Congratulations again and thank you for your support of chess!"

USCF Certified Chess Program

Integrating Chess Tournament and Day Camp

Integrating Chess Tournament 

I am starting to fret!  There is only one week left before summer break and lot's of games to play.  Also, I have two students that planned a simultaneous exhibition next Tuesday, but the schedule was changed away from the normal block schedule.  Consequently, time will be an issue and kids are still occasionally absent.  Here are the results so far with shaded squares representing completely finished matches.

Championship	1	2	3	4	5	Totals
Andre	x		2		2	4
Emmett		x			2	2
Anthony	0		x	2		2
Keegan			0	x		0
Josh	0	0			x	0
2nd Group Winners	1	2	3	4	5	Totals
Nash	x	0	1	2	1.5	4.5
Ryan	2	x	2	1		5
Wyatt	0	0	x	1		1
Guillermo	0	0	0	x		0
Franzi	0.5				x	0.5
3rd Group Winners	1	2	3	4	5	Totals
Riley	x	1	2f		1	4
Jon	0	x	2f	1	1	4
Michael	w	w	x	w	w	0
Connor		0	2f	x		2
Joel	0	0	2f		x	2
4th Group Winners	1	2	3	4	5	Totals
Carter	x	0.5	2		1	3.5
Xavier	0.5	x	1	0	1	2.5
Yuri	0	0	x	0		0
Mat'ka		1	1	x	1	3
Nic	0	0		0	x	0

Chess Rage Day Camp

In other news, our BCSD Chess Rage Day Camp is a go with 14 elementary and middle school participants. This will be the first camp our club has hosted, though it has been offered for the past two years!  Players will receive chess instruction and engage in fun chess activities June 10-14th, 9am - 2 pm.  Each camper will get lunch, chess set, t-shirt, and a medal.  

I have five counselors that will each receive $50 for the week and community service.  Counselors include:  Desmond Porth, Dylan Porth, Anna Murphy, Andre Murphy, Tanya Wilkerson, and possibly Tyler Avila and Keegan Crowson.  We figured a $105/week cost which means this camp is a great deal compared to other Wood River Valley camps.  Any left over money will support and reduce tournament fees this next year.  

A typical day will include:  

Time	Activities
9:00 - 9:15	Welcome Activities and Daily Harkness Table Discussion
9:15 - 9:30	Counselors play students (fill out evaluation)
9:30 - 9:45	Lesson and Demonstration
9:45 - 10:15	Practice Lesson and Play
10:15 - 10:30	Memory Boards
10:30 - 10:45	Break with snack and juice
10:45 - 11:00	Lesson and Demonstration
11:00 - 11:30	Play
11:30 - 11:45	Scavenger Hunts, Kickball, Cricket, Capture flag
11:45 - 12:00	Workbook Problems (pawn mower, mate in 1/2, guerilla warfare, What would BF do?)
12:00 - 12:30	Lunch Provided (PB/Bologna/Turkey sandwiches, hot dogs, fruit, chips, milk or juice)
12:30 - 1:45	Stations (each counselor has lesson or activity - 15 min. rotations)
1:45 - 2:00	Play
2:00 pm	Parents pick up

*Friday culminates with a tournament from 9 - 12 pm.  Parents pick up at 12:00 after Awards Ceremony.

Integrating Chess Class Tournament

With numerous absences, Group 1 games remain unfinished, however, all other groups finished their games allowing us to place players in the Championship rounds.  Jon Reigle learned that recording games is rather important and lost to Wyatt Wilson with a forfeit.  In their second game, Wyatt learned that pre-arranging a result also earns a forfeit.  I will keep both players in the tournament because this is an educational tournament.  In a formal tournament both players would be withdrawn.  This week the final groups will be each competing for a medal for winning the final groups.  The top group will additionally win a signed chess board.

Championship	1	2	3	4	5	Totals
Andre	x		1			1
Emmett		x
Anthony	0		x			0
Keegan				x
Josh					x
2nd Group Winners	1	2	3	4	5	Totals
Nash	x	0				0
Ryan	2	x				2
Wyatt			x
Guillermo				x
Franzi					x
3rd Group Winners	1	2	3	4	5	Totals
Riley	x	1				1
Jon	0	x				0
Michael	w	w	x	w	w	0
Connor				x
Joel					x
4th Group Winners	1	2	3	4	5	6	Totals
Carter	x	0.5					0.5
Xavier	0.5	x					0.5
Yuri			x
Mat'ka				x
Lauren					x
Nic						x

Results from first RR groups:

Group 1	1	2	3	4	5	Total
Franzi	x	0	1	1		2
Josh	1	x	1	1	1	4
Nic	0	0	x			0
Joel	0	1		x	1	2
Lauren		0		1	x	1
Group 2	1	2	3	4	Total
Keegan	x	1.5	2	2	5.5	1
Michael	0.5	x	1	0	1.5	3
Yuri	0	1	x	0	1	4
Guillermo	0	2	1	x	3	2
Group 3	1	2	3	4	Total
Connor	x	1	1	0	2	3
Mat'ka	1	x	0	0	1	4
Nash	1	2	x	0.5	3.5	2
Emmett	2	2	1.5	x	5.5	1
Group 4	1	2	3	4	Total
Carter	x	0	0	0	0	4
Andre	2	x	1	2	5	1
Ryan	2	1	x	1	4	2
Riley	2	0	1	x	3	3
Group 5	1	2	3	4	Total
Xavier	x	0	1	0.5	1.5	4
Wyatt	2	x	1F	0.5	3.5	2
Jon	1	1F	x	1	3	3
Anthony	1.5	1.5	1	x	4	1