1st Annual Boy Scout Akela Chess Classic – February 11th, 2012
On February 11th the 1st Annual Boy Scout Akela Chess Classic was held at Potomac Baptist Church in
February 2012 Chess Tournament
Lowe’s Island, VA. Organizer and sponsor Roger Claff decided to create a tournament for Boy Scouts this year after having had so many successful Cub Scout tournaments. In addition, the new Chess merit badge approved in 2011 has an optional “tournament” requirement and the Akela Classic provides the boys with an excellent opportunity to fulfill that requirement and make headway toward this unique merit badge.
Twenty-one Boy Scouts participated in this year’s tournament, most of them Cub Scout alumni from years past. The scouts were split into two age groups, 10-12 and 13 and above. The tournament was run in the classic “Swiss” style of tourney play. Each scout played in each of the 5 rounds, receiving 1 point for a win and a half-point for a stalemate or draw. The tournament was “touch-rule” meaning if you touch a chess piece you must move that piece. This is often challenging for scouts who are not familiar with this style of chess play.
Six scouts from Troop 55 competed in the tournament: Liam G. (Bears), Trey M. (Bears), Daniel D.(Bears), Daniel R. (Dragons), Joshua O.(Bucks) and Tim F. (Sharks). Four of the scouts also brought home trophies: Daniel D. 2nd Place 10-12 division, Trey M. and Tim F. 3rd Place in the 10-12 division and Liam G. 3rd Place in the 13 and older division. A superb showing from Troop 55!
Action Shot of Chess Competition
Many of the boys also recorded their games and replayed them with the tournament co-host and chess instructor, Peter Snow, to fulfill one of the Chess Merit badge requirements.
Mr. Claff, ardent scouter and chess proponent, closed the tournament with a personal anecdote on learning chess from his father in 5th grade and how his father “cleaned the board up with me” but he never gave up and kept learning, practicing and playing. Claff encouraged the boys to keep trying and keep playing and said that he hoped he’d see us all at next year’s tournament.
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Ted Reuss
Uniformed Adult Leader
Troop 55, Great Falls, VA
