First place in Monday’s tournament was claimed by Sloan Short, a ninth grader from Spring Hill High.  Second place went to Kaden Williams of Fouke. 

SWAEC Gifted and Talented Coordinator Chad Morris said he has seen an increase in the number of students participating in recent years.  “They've gone up a lot more in [participation] and we always think ‘What can we do to connect to the standards?’ And chess is one of those. It's all about problem solving, and what's the best strategy to pick.” 

On Tuesday, chess players of middle school age will test their skills. Next week, Morris said, SWAEC plans to host elementary school players. 

Photos by Chad Morris