Reflections on the 4th Annual IPS Chess Championship

At Indy Chess, our favorite days are the ones spent watching young players discover the joy, challenge, and camaraderie of the game. Last week (Tuesday, May 12) was a perfect example, as we had the privilege of partnering with Indianapolis Public Schools to host the district’s 4th Annual Chess Championship.

Held at Northwest Middle School, the tournament brought together more than 150 students from over a dozen local schools. It was incredibly rewarding to watch these young minds put their critical thinking and strategy skills to the test, navigating tough positions on the board with impressive focus and sportsmanship.

Celebrating Our Student Competitors

The competition was close from start to finish. While every single student should be proud of the effort they put into their games, we want to recognize the top team finishers (decided by individual tiebreak points):

12th Grade & Under

• 1st Place: Christel House Academy South (3.5/4.0)

• T-2nd Place: Herron Preparatory Academy & Harshman Middle School A (3.0/4.0)

5th Grade & Under

• 1st Place: Sidener Academy (4.0/4.0)

• T-2nd Place: CFI 84 B, CFI 27A, Theodore Potter 74, and Cold Spring School A (3.0/4.0)

3rd Grade & Under

• T-1st Place: CFI 27 B and Herron Preparatory Academy (3.5/4.0)

• T-3rd Place: Cold Spring A, CFI 27 A, CFI 84 C, Rousseau McLellan 91, George Julian 57 (2.5/4.0)

A Sincere Thank You to Our Partners

An event of this size is truly a collaborative effort, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who lent a hand to make the day run smoothly:

• Northwest Middle School: Thank you for opening your doors and being such welcoming hosts for our players and families.

• Indianapolis Public Schools: We owe a huge debt of gratitude to organizer Mr. Ryan Bean, whose hard work behind the scenes coordinated logistics for more than 12 different schools.

• The Coaches, Teachers, and Chaperones: Thank you for investing your time and energy into these students. Your encouragement makes all the difference.

• Our Tournament Directors: Thanks to Indy Chess TDs Xavier Colter and Mike Gant for their steady leadership and for keeping the tournament organized and on schedule.

Looking Ahead

After the final rounds wrapped up, everyone enjoyed a well-deserved Jimmy John's lunch. It was inspiring to hear the students talking over their sandwiches about specific moves, what they learned from their losses, and what they want to practice next. Many of these players already have their sights set on working hard for next year's season—and we certainly hope to see some of these teams representing our city at the State Championship!

Thank you again to IPS and the entire local chess community for letting us be a part of this wonderful tradition. We can't wait for next year.