Teams National Finals 2018 report

The weekend of 27/28 October 2018 comprised of two events open to Juniors. 

On Saturday 27 October we held the Champions Trophy. And on Sunday, we held the Teams Nationals. 

View the Champions Trophy report

The Teams Nationals is a team event where players participate individually but their top 4 scores are summed together to form a score for their school team. We had a total of 359 players participate in this event from 71 school teams, which at a guess would be a NZ record for a single chess teams tournament in New Zealand. 

Schools from right across the country were represented from Whangarei to Invercargill. To qualify for the Teams Nationals, schools have to win the local regional event. Chess Power runs qualifier regional events in 30 cities and towns across New Zealand in Term 2 and Term 3 each year.

Each school was provided a goodie bag on arrival with personalised name badges for each team member, some freddy frogs, juices and morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea for the day ahead.

The event was held at De la Salle College in South Auckland. Here is one of the playing halls which housed the Junior and Intermediate divisions. The senior division was housed in the library.Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 playing hall
The product desk had a wide range of products including books, scorebooks, chess sets, rating wristbands, clocks, course books and more!Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 product desk
Students were offered an opportunity to add their own little piece of art to a "living canvas". The canvas was to be auctioned at the end of the tournament to the highest bidder with proceeds going to the Dark Horse Foundation. The Dark Horse foundation is a non-profit entity that works in communities and helps children in poverty or in difficult circumstances enact social change through introducing them to chess.Chess Power Teams Nationals 2018 Dark Horse Foundation canvas
Our chess coaching clinics ran through both days of the championships and proved very popular.Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 coaching clinics
Sylvia McDougall, an accomplished player from Mt Roskill Grammar contemplates her next move. Sylvia ended up with 5 wins for the day.Mt Roskill Intermediate player Sylvia McDougall
Here is a clear illustration of how Chess can be learned at a very young age!A young future competitor
The senior division showed up dressed to the nines, which was nice to see.Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018
Sometimes even parents couldn't resist jumping on a board and having some chess fun!Chess Power Teams National Finals senior division
Michael Trow from Hauraki Plains college shows that eating your veges brings certain advantages at the chess board. Michael was the top player at Hauraki Plains College and finished 23rd from 88 players on 5 1/2 points.Chess Power Teams National Finals - Michael Trow - Hauraki Plains College
Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 senior division
Chess Power Teams National Finals senior division
Raihania Edwards-Hammond from TKKM o Ngati Kahungunu o Te Wairoa produces a great smile as she prepares for her next game.Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 brings a smile
He didn't know it at the time, but Joe Wang was to produce his finest performance gaining a picket fence by winning every game and picking up a gold medal and the Junior Master title to boot!Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 - Joe Wang, Mt Roskill Grammar
Bawi Tlumang from Nelson College advertises almost the whole Chess Power badge system on his jacket!Bawi Tlumang from Nelson College advertises almost the full Chess Power badge system
Benjamin Peters from Tuakau College overwhelms his opponent and delivers an electric fence checkmate.Benjamin Peters from Tuakau College shows how to deliver the electric fence checkmate
This group of six players is a good illustration of how chess brings together people from so many cultures and backgrounds.Chess Power Teams Nationals brings together many cultures
Finlay Ross from Auckland Normal Intermediate patiently waits to start his game against Thomas Mayne from Otari School, Wellington.Thomas Maine from Otari School gets prepared for his game with Finlay Ross from Auckland Normal Intermediate
Millie Ashley from Waikowhai Intermediate gives a pleasant smile to her opponent and she starts her last game of the tournament.Millie Ashley from Waikowhai Intermediate gives a pleasant smile at the last round
Trying not to panic as our servers go down due to overloading. We had to switch to paper-entry whilst we got the problem sorted. Fortunately the issue had zero impact on the event apart from players having to learn the difference between 1-0 and 0-1.Chess Power Teams Nationals 2018 server outage
At the last round of the tournament, Rohit Mudaliar is on fire with a perfect score, 8 from 8. Renae Ghadiali faced Rohit a few rounds earlier, and now her twin sister is up against the machine.Chess Power Teams Nationals 2018 - Board 1 - Rohit Mudaliar vs Saasha Ghadiali
Each year we have a chocolate chess battle. Three chocolate chess boards are lined up - the boards are made of 64 chocolate squares and 32 pieces. 2 boys and 2 girls from each division battle each-other in a 3-minute blitz chess match.Chess Power Teams Nationals 2018 chocolate chess battle
Chess Power Teams Nationals 2018 chocolate chess champions
Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 chocolate chess joy

Certificates, medals and trophies galore as we get set for the prize-giving ceremony.Chess Power Teams Nationals 2018 prize desk
Bidding opens to auction the "living art" canvas to raise funds for the Dark Horse foundation.Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 Dark Horse foundation canvas auction
The crowd goes wild as Miu Philips from Rotorua Primary School places the winning bid of $400 for the Dark Horse foundation "living canvas".Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 winning bidder Miu Philips of the Dark Horse Foundation canvas
The winners of our various puzzles and challenges.Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 puzzle challenge winners

Teams were ranked and each player of every team earned a certificate based on the team placing.

Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 merit award winners

Best Girls Junior Division
1st - Anya Thurner (Kaurilands School)
2nd - Yolanda Chang (Kaurilands School)
3rd - Sanomiya Sathasivam (Avalon School)

Chess Power National Finals 2018 Best Girls Junior division

Best Girls Intermediate Division
1st - Renae Ghadiali (Mt Roskill Intermediate)
2nd - Saasha Ghadiali (Mt Roskill Intermediate)
3rd - Ritika Joseph (Remarkables Primary) [not pictured]

Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 Best Girls Intermediate division

Best Girls Senior Division
1st - Kirushni Suthakaran (Mt Roskill Grammar)
2nd - Sylvia McDougall (Mt Roskill Grammar)
3rd - Celia Chanwong (Mt Roskill Grammar)

Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 Best Girls Senior Division

Individual Champions

Junior Division

1st Overall - Paul He (Eastern Hutt School) 
Paul earned the Junior Master title for achieving 1st place in the whole junior division.
2nd Overall - Anya Thurner (Kaurilands School)
3rd Overall - Yolanda Chang (Kaurilands School)

Of interest, Anya flew out of New Zealand on the Monday following the event to go and compete in the World Cadets Championship in the beautiful city of Santiago in Spain. We wish her the best of luck!

Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 Best Juniors

Intermediate Division

1st Overall - Rohit Mudaliar (Blockhouse Bay Intermediate)
Rohit scored a perfect 9 out of 9 games to earn the Junior Master title but he had already earned the Junior Master title the day before by coming 2nd in the Champions Trophy!
2nd Overall - Renae Ghadiali (Mt Roskill Intermediate)
3rd Overall - John Liu (Auckland Normal Intermediate) [not pictured]

Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 Best Intermediates

Senior Division

1st Overall - Joe Wang (Mt Roskill Grammar)
Joe earned the Junior Master title for achieving 1st place in the whole senior division.
2nd Overall - JM Euan McDougall (Mt Roskill Grammar)
3rd Overall - Dylan Greyvenstein (Whakatane High School) [not pictured]
This was an outstanding result by Dylan. I believe this is the first time a student has placed individual in the Teams Nationals from Whakatane.

The Junior Master framed certificate will be sent to each new Junior Master.

Chess Power National Finals 2018 Best Seniors

Team Results

Junior Division

This division was neck and neck with Cockle Bay School and Kaurilands School ended up scoring exactly the same team points. We awarded 1st place to Kaurilands because they had a better tie-break. In case you are wondering, the tie-break is calculated as the sum of the players opponents scores.

Kaurilands School, Auckland - 1st= overall
The team consisted of JM Anya Thurner, Yolanda Chang, Immanuel Huwald, Jahmayn Williams and Orlando Chang.

Chess Power National Finals 2018 Junior division champions - Kaurilands School

Cockle Bay School, Auckland - 1st= overall
The team consisted of Lucas Xiao, Jay Zhao, Maxwell Xiao, Tejasvi Kichavadi, Lingyi Zhu, Eric Zhang, Matthew Chan and Patrick Lin.

During the prize-giving ceremony we awarded Kaurilands School 1st overall and Cockle Bay school 2nd overall. We did this because Kaurilands had a higher tie-break. However, after reviewing the results we felt that Cockle Bay deserved shared victory as they scored the same points as Kaurilands and their 5th placed player scored better than Kaurilands 5th placed player.

Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 Junior division champions - Cockle Bay School

Avalon School, Wellington - 3rd overallThe team consisted of Paisa Fetoai, Paul Wildman, Sanomiya Sathasivam, Abdul Alkawas, Aila Teni, Leonaidis Maligi-Masoe, Lynkon Foley and Saiman Deeq.

Each year we recognise one individual for all the support they give to Chess in their community. The principal of Avalon School, Dirk Winnie [pictured below], is a keen supporter of the merits of chess for social change won the Supporter of the Year trophy.

Chess Power Teams National finals 2018 - Junior division 3rd place - Avalon School

Intermediate Division

Like the Junior division, the Intermediate division was hotly contested with three teams dominating and in the end only coming a single point from each other.

Mt Roskill Intermediate, Auckland - 1st Overall
The team consisted of Renae Ghadiali, Saasha Ghadiali, Nico McKinlay, Saahir Saheb, Baraa Al-Afaghani, Kevin Dai, Adam Ali and Eric Li.

Blockhouse Bay Intermediate, Auckland - 2nd Overall
The team consisted of Rohit Mudaliar, Aanand Madhav, Ken Ruan, Mahax Panchal and Yoog Gundani.

Chess Power Teams National finals 2018 Intermediate division champions - Mt Roskill Intermediate
Berkley Normal Middle School, Hamilton - 3rd Overall 
The team consisted of Aidan Morgan, Kevin Li, Lasen Silva, Daniel Loy, Cam Sundararaj and Esandi Silva.

Chess Power Teams National Finals 2018 Intermediate division champions - Berkley Normal Middle School

Senior Division

The Senior Division was a two-horse race between Mt Roskill Grammar and Hamilton Boys' High. In the end two time winners Mt Roskill Grammar powered home to take the trophy for the third time.

Mt Roskill Grammar, Auckland - 1st Overall
The team consisted of Joe Wang, JM Euan McDougall, Aditya Manaktala, Neil Mario, Kirushni Suthakaran, Sylvia McDougall, Daniel Balderrama and Celia Changwong.

Hamilton Boys' High School, Hamilton - 2nd Overall
The team consisted of Michael Lin, Ben Wright, Max Stephens, Nathanael Loy, Andy Song and Zane Brown.

Nelson College - 3rd Overall
The team consisted of Pakham Tlumang, Sam White, Bawi Tlumang, Rico Fraser, George Fisher and Ronan Thompson.

Chess Power Teams National finals 2018 Senior division Champions - Nelson college


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