District Chess Tournament

 

Earlier this spring students from around the Cowichan Valley School District came together at George Bonner Elementary in a test of strategy and wits during the yearly District Chess Tournament.

Rows upon rows of tables were set out in one side of the gymnasium where students met head-to-head in this friendly competition. A sea of school colours and heavy focus on the game compliment the absolute silence as the games got underway. It did not take long for the first arm to silently shoot up in the air denoting a quick victory. Soon after, arm after arm was raised to summon the judges who verify the game and award the victory to one of the students. After a quick flurry of hands at around 10 minutes, the room empties except for a few heavily contested games. Finally, the last games come to a silent end and the room empties.

If the energy in the competition room can be described as ‘heavy’ under the silence and concentration, then the opposite side would be ‘light’. In this side of the gymnasium students burn off the steam from their repeated chess games with more active games, visiting, eating, and using their once-silent voices. This difference is crucial to the tournament and gives students a good outlet to expend their energy.

By the end of the day, with games played on both sides of the gym, the students pack their things and head off from another great event.