Ten excited chess enthusiasts ventured out to the east on Thursday the 23rd of March to represent our school in the CSEN Chess Competition.
Many of the students had not played at an in-person tournament and were not sure what to expect, but they were all nonetheless excited for what was ahead. Our students battled valiantly throughout the day, with much time of reflection between games used to understand where things went wrong and how not to repeat those same errors.
At the end of the day, Heathdale finished 3rd overall out of seven schools, with five of our students receiving awards to recognise their top 20 finish and a spot in the State Championships.
Students left the tournament with a greater love for chess, stronger relationships with one another and a thankfulness for the opportunity they had experienced.
"There are many things I love about chess. Some of these things would include that it is game is ageless and can be played by anyone at any time, chess requires you to think through each move you make and use your brain to win not only physically but also psychologically, and the enjoyment and pride you get once you win a game of chess." Joshua B. 10D
"The best part of the competition was getting to meet new players and seeing how other people play. You meet a variety of players who all have different styles of play, and trying to combat that makes it interesting." Alister G. 10Y
"My best piece of advice to new players playing chess is to really think through moves before playing them. Even better players can often make simple mistakes, but carefully considering the consequences of a move can help to avoid mistakes and blunders. Also, just continually playing games will always help you to improve, so if you want to get better, just keep practicing." Isaac M. 10S