Ridgecrest student blitzes the competition at national chess champtionship

Kyle with his chess coach, Emil Anka,
and the trophies Kyle won at Nationals.
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

Kyle Haining, who attends Ridgecrest Elementary School, participated in the 2012 National Elementary (K-6) Chess Championships with more than 2,200 students from around the country in Nashville, TN, earlier this month.  

In the main tournament Kyle played in the K-6 Championship section with 189 other students and came in fourteenth place.  

In the National K-6 Blitz Championship tournament Kyle competed with 192 other students and came in first place. (Blitz is a form of speed chess wherein each player gets 5 minutes to make all of his or her moves.)  

In the National Bughouse Championship tournament Kyle and his partner Noah Fields, from Tacoma, competed with 37 other teams and won first place.  (Bughouse is a chess variant played by teams of two.  Pieces captured from one’s opponent are given to one’s partner, who may then play the captured piece on his or her board.)