Tournaments

Sign up now for the IAC's Muskego Melee on Dec 1 by going to http://ia-chess.com and/or sign up for the WSCF's Nicolet High School tournament http://www.wisconsinscholasticchess.org on Dec 8!
If in doubt, I'd recommend the Muskego tournament for more advanced players, and the Nicolet tournament for everyone!
I'll be there to help during the morning of Dec 1, and the full day on Dec 8.  See you there!

Parents - please note - here are the 5 OPENING PRINCIPLES your kids should follow every game:

1.                  Control the Center

2.                  Develop your Pieces

3.                  Castle As Soon as Possible

4.                  Protect your Pieces

5.                  Be a good SPORT

Online Tournament - Sunday 10/28 6:30 pm

We are having an online chess tournament for McKinley kids - Sunday 10/28 at 6:30pm on Chesskids - hope to see you there!
Only spots for 16 kids!  Registration happens right before the tournament - open at 6:15... click on PLAY then click on Fast Games and you'll see the McKinley tournament.

Upcoming Chess Tournaments!

Tournaments are recommended for anyone who has completed the ChessKids QUEEN level lessons (and understands the material) - or of course for anyone who has competed last year in tournaments.

Tournaments are usually on SATURDAYS from now through March, culminating in the big state tournament at UW-Oshkosh in mid-March.  Also, McKinley has our OWN tournament on March 2 this year!  We will be asking for volunteers and baked goods as the time draws nearer, but we are locked into the calendar!

The Wisconsin Scholastic Chess Federation (WSCF) started scholastic chess in Wisconsin and has been going strong since 2003, providing tournaments in schools all over Wisconsin.  Mr. Seghers, head coach at McKinley, is a volunteer board member.  The WSCF will be running most of the tournaments we will be going to.  While the WSCF has tournaments just about EVERY Saturday, we like to play as a team where we can, so there are RECOMMENDED tournaments I like to suggest as a coach, so we can all play together as a team, in addition to our kids vying for individual accomplishments.  The IAC also offers some tournaments throughout the year - these tend to be USCF-rated, so you may need a USCF rating to play in them- each tournament is different.  Some offer both rated and non-rated play.

Last year our McKinley kids won quite a few tournaments, starting with the Milwaukee Folk Fair tournament - this year being held on November 17 at State Fair!  This is our first recommended tournament of this season. 

Here is a list of the tournaments we will be looking at (more will be added soon):

• Holiday Folk Fair - Nov 17 - State Fair - More Info Here
• Muskego Melee - Dec 1 - Lake Denoon Middle School - More Info Here
• Nicolet High School - Dec 8 - More Info Here

Chess is ON for this Thursday

A couple parents asked about chess this Thursday the 25th - since there is another event there in the evening.   CHESS IS ON as usual in the library this week - see you then!

More Parent Volunteers needed!!

We need more parent volunteers to help during weekly class!  No chess knowledge required.
Please follow link below to help out!  Thank you.

>>> SIGN UP FORM

WSCF holds first Annual Awards Banquet and Gala

On November 1st WSCF will hold a fundraising event at the Tripoli Shrine Center.   As well as a fundraiser WSCF will be honoring past Presidents and Board members and giving awards to individuals and clubs.  Festivities begin at 6:30 and will conclude between 9 and 9:30.

Individual awards to be given will include Club Leader of the Year, Club Chess Coach of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Chess Club of the Year and to who has contributed the most to scholastic chess in Wisconsin.

Don't miss some amazing silent and live auction items! All proceeds from this event will benefit WSCF and the kids who participate in our chess programs. 

There will also be a cake contest.   Each club is encouraged to submit a 3 layer or more cake for silent auction. The club whose cake receives the highest bid will be awarded $100 (with at least 10 entries) or 10 chess sets.

Tickets are $55 each. Or, you can purchase a table of 8 for $400!  All Proceeds go to WSCF to help further Wisconsin Scholastic Chess.

You will have a choice of 3 entries:  bacon wrapped meatloaf, chicken marsala or vegetarian.

Register here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/52DDSQW

Click here to make payment or http://www.wisconsinscholasticchess.org/donation/. or checks can be mailed to WSCF, 639 N. 25th Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53233.

If you're purchasing a table or would like to discuss sponsorship or donor opportunities, please email wscfbanquet@gmail.com.

If you would like to contribute with silent and live auction item, please email wscfbanquet@gmail.com as well. 

Our Goals for the Season

Our three goals this year are:

1. Learn / Improve our Chess
2. Have Fun!
3. Hold onto McKinley's State Grade School Championship!

This year, mark your calendars, the state Scholastic Tournament is at UW-Oshkosh the weekend of March 23-24.  This does not appear to conflict with either Orchestra or Destination Imagination (yayyy!).

McKinley Begins a New Season Oct 4!

Our new season of chess begins after school in the library, from 3:30-4:45 every week.  Returning from our championship season will be instructors Mark Seghers, Robin Grochowski and Kyle Jain.  Also returning from last year is nearly our entire team.  Should be a great season!

If you haven't turned in your form and money yet, please do so, so we can get an accurate head count.  Thank you! - Mark / Mr. S

Sign up to Volunteer for 2018-19

Hi, we're looking for volunteers for 2018-19 class organization.
For each chess class, we could use 2 parents to help with sign-in and sign-out, and then during class, to walk around and keep kids on task.
Here is the link to sign up!   Thanks!  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0e4baeaf2babfb6-class1

Chess for the New Year

Hello Parents -

We will be starting a new year of chess at McKinley this year, I'm happy to say!  This year, we must move to Thursday after school - library location.  We hope this change doesn't inconvenience too many people.

I will be at Forms and Fees day this week with a table to recruit players.  As with past years, we will accommodate NEW players as well as returning players.  Also as in the past, I'll have a signup genius page for parent volunteers - I'd like to have 2 per class.  Fees for the full year (Oct thru Mar) will stay at $50, and I hope to have our own tournament again like we did last year (date TBD).  Returning again from our State Champ team will be instructors Robin Grochowski and Kyle Jain, and of course myself as coach.  Our goal this year will be to 1) have fun, and 2) hold onto the elementary state championship for another year.  If we have fun, and inspire some kids to learn chess, that's a successful season!  Chess teaches kids so many things - that's what it's all about - learning, growing, competing, being great sports, and having fun.

I'd also like to have a parent "board" to help with decisions, as we did last year.  We will be having an organizational meeting at my house on 85th St, sometime in September.  We'll have games for the kids (including my giant chess board on my patio bricks) and we can plan the year.

I welcome any and all questions.  If you'd like to be part of the "board" this year, please let me know.  Your commitment would be one meeting at the outset, then just emails here and there to take votes.  I'll have the Signup Genius page up soon for weekly volunteers, and we'll have a tournament schedule soon.  See you at Forms & Fees!

State Champs in 2018 - can we do it again?

  
I've gotten a few emails and thought it was time to send the word - we hope to have the chess program again this year at McKinley!  Getting confirmation now from the school.

Same format, but I think we may change the day.  Last year we were Wednesday after school, but this year, that day is difficult for Mr. Kyle.  This year we may do after school on a different day.  After I receive confirmation from the school, I'll send an email out to parents to gauge interest and to gather info on what day may be best.

Last year was fantastic - can we keep our title another year as Wisconsin State Champs?

Mr. Mark Finishes his Chess Board!

Last year, I had a 5x5 chess board built into our new patio.  This year, I found the right pieces! 
If you're looking for a game, swing by my house on 85th St!   Have your parents email or call first.

We'll probably have the organizational meeting at my house, so kids can play while we babble...


Evan on his way to beating Dad...

McKinley wins showdown with Roosevelt

On May 9, McKinley visited Roosevelt for the annual Wauwatosa Challenge, which gives a huge traveling team trophy to the winning team.  Based on the players we had, we divided into K2 and K8 sections.  McKinley dominated K8 and all top 5 individual trophies, and won the event.  Special congrats to Ishaan who won K8, going 4-0, and Maneesha who took 2nd place in K2, going 3-1.
Tosa keeps the trophy in the library!

Louis and Ishaan for 1st Place

McKinley Keeps the Bling

A fun event - thanks to Roosevelt!

McKinley is State Elementary Champion!

Great weekend - with the help of Evan Seghers as amazing game analyzer, and powerful lessons throughout the year by instructors Robin Grochowski and Kyle Jain, and some awesome supportive parents, faculty and staff, the 16 kids from McKinley Elementary win the Wisconsin state elementary championship this weekend held at the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh. 
In a tight race with Golda Meir and many other Wisconsin elementary schools, the McKinley players finished strong to get it done!  Many key wins in the last round.
These kids from Tosa played their hearts out.

Participants in order of finish were (top four scores counted for team win)

1. Ishaan Pattankar (5 out of 6) - trophy

2. Max Kuhn (4.5) - trophy

3. Louis Liu (4) - trophy

4. Charlie Des Plaines (4) - trophy

Zach Brunow - medal

Henry Riordan - medal

Connor Dee

Jack Sanders

Marissa Brunow

Derius Lucas

Kate Flint

Henry Rommelfanger

Elliott Engbring

Lukas Marik

Matthew Jaworski

John Des Plaines

Ishaan won the 6th place individual trophy also.

Golda Meir and ASA Clark this Sat the 24th!

Saturday 2/24, there are two tournaments, Golda Meir and ASA Clark.

If you are USCF rated (a handful of our kids - Kate, Henry Riordan, Ishaan, Louis, etc), you can

1)  join Ishaan Pattankar at ASA Clark school - go to IA-chess.com to register - this gives you strongest opponents, OR

2)  you can register for Golda Meir - go to www.wisconsinscholasticchess.org to register - we have two (Jack, Isabella) already in the K12 U800 division I believe.  Let's get a full team!

For most players on the team, best to go to Golda Meir.  For those USCF and for best practice for state, ASA Clark is the choice.
For Golda, I have emailed a sheet which shows the WSCF rating and recommended division for each kid on our team.  Some of the kids who are 600-800 rated may want to join the K12 open to make a team there.  We can also switch the morning of the tournament. All players in K12 divisions are expected to take notation.  I will spend my time where most of our kids are (probably Golda), and will visit the other location as well, to check-in with players there.  If we have teams at both, I'll split my day.

McKinley Takes K3 in Inaugural Tournament

In our first tournament, McKinley players did really well!
Here is the link to results.

Christine and Tim Brunow coordinated the food, and created some great signs for doors and hallways, Maura Riordan coordinated school logistics, Heidi Engbring got us all matching T-shirts so we all looked like one big team!  Several parents cooked baked goods which made profit for the club!   So many people to thank I don't know where to start or end.  Several other parents pitched in with setup and cleanup.  Special thanks to coaches Robin Grochowski and Kyle Jain who volunteered all day long to help kids with games while Mark was helping in the tournament room.  With all the help, we started on time, and were done and cleaned up by 3:30.  Thanks to Principal Jean Hoffmann for her support of the club- she has been great!  Also thanks to custodian Lourdes for her help the morning of the tournament.

Attending were nearly 100 kids from several SE Wisconsin schools including Golda Meir, and several New Berlin and Muskego Schools.  With how smoothly the tournament run, he reputation we earned will spur even more interest for next year if we have a tournament again.  This tournament was also significant because New Berlin schools attended a WSCF event for the first time in a few years; it's great to see them again.  Hopefully some of us can return the favor at their excellent Elmwood tournament coming up, a week after state- Golda Meir has a great one in a couple weeks too - I'll send something later about that.

We divided the McKinley kids into three divisions, placing some of our kids in the K-12 division to play against older kids.  Right before the tournament started, however, one of our players got sick and had to go home, leaving us short on a team in that division.  Oh well - this happens!  The remaining team members did very well in K-12,  fighting hard, with Ishaan Pattankar winning a 5th place trophy, and other players like Henry Riordan and Kate Flint winning games against older and stronger players.  With only 3 players, we took 2nd place as a team to Golda Meir, who had 7 players in their K-12.

McKinley kids really shined in K-3 especially!  Nolan Krueger and Charlie Desplaines both went 4-1 to take 2nd and 3rd place out of the 27 players in this division.  Many of our K-3 players won 3 out of 5 also - Brady Malloy, Manisha Kumar, Miles Jahr - Brady and Miles in their first tournament!  We took home 1st place in K-3, beating the Muskego and Orchard Lane and Poplar Creek teams.

Zach Brunow led our K-6 players with 3.5 out of 5, with Connor Dee winning 3 out of 5 and many others with 2.5 or 2 wins.  We took 2nd place in K-6, being edged out by a half-point by Golda Meir's strong K-6 club, but beating a large club from Muskego.

We were surprised at the level of competition that showed up for our tournament - we'd had a USCF-rated division that we had to cancel since there were only 7 players - these players then went into the rest of the mix.  Also, we brought in New Berlin to a WSCF event for the first time in a few years - these kids are also tough.  This was a great TEST with State only a month away.  The kids really got a wake-up call and will now kick their practice into gear!

McKinley Tournament - 104 Pre-registered

Our first tournament is tomorrow, Feb 10!  Pre-registered, we have about 104.  We should end up around 110, I think.  This is a great size for a school's first tournament!  Hopefully this will become an annual event.
For parents, here is a good article which discusses tournaments.  In our tournament, there are four divisions: three of them are Wisconsin rated (WSCF) and one is US rated (USCF).  Make sure your child is registered in the correct division tomorrow when you check in and pay.  Most kids should be in the WSCF division that aligns with their grade.  A 2nd grader would be in WSCF K-3 for example.  A fourth grader would be in WSCF K-6.  We have some kids who are USCF rated and should play in the USCF division (Kate, Max, Henry Ri, Ishaan, etc).
Thanks to all those who are volunteering!  Email me any questions!   Mark

State Tournament Info

So far, we have 16 kids (plus two from Whitman!) who have registered for State Scholastic on March 17-18 in Oshkosh at the UW-O Reeve Union.  We have a block of rooms at Comfort Inn & Suites - when you reserve, mention McKinley Elementary.  $79 includes breakfast.  Indoor pool & whirlpool.  (920) 230-7378

I'll be there Friday night.  You can go early on Saturday but please be there at the Union an hour before game time.  All tournament information is available online:
https://wischolasticchesschampionship.blogspot.com/ - it's a new website I created since it's all been email to date.

I'll be creating a "Text Group" for the tournament for all to use.  We'll have a room to congregate where parents can hang out and we can go thru games.  Evan Seghers will be there to help me.  Watch the web site here for more information as the time draws near.

State Scholastic Roster!

So far, we have 14 kids going to STATE on March 17-18 in Oshkosh!
RSVP as soon as possible if you're interested - this is, of course, for experienced tournament players.  You still have time to play in a few tournaments before the big event.  Success is a function of two things - numbers AND skill level - it's critically important that everyone PRACTICE before this event - we have a decent chance at a trophy as a team if we are all prepared, and we all play our best.

McKinley takes K12 Nonrated at Wisco Lutheran

Congratulations to the McKinley Chess Club for a great showing at the IAC's tournament on Saturday at Wisconsin Lutheran High School.

This tournament offered USCF-rated divisions and a K-12 (all school-age) non-rated division.  We had 5 kids in the non-rated, and 4 kids who are USCF rated who participated in the K6 rated division.

The K-12 Non-rated team of Zach, Charlie, Marissa, Nolan and Manisha took 1st place for the team, and not only that, both Zach and Charlie both won all 5 of their games - Zach took 1st on tie-breakers and Charlie took 2nd place!

In the tough K-6 rated division, our four-person team of 4th graders Max, Kate, Ishaan and Henry took 2nd place, being edged out just barely by the 8-person team Horizon Elementary in Pewaukee.  It was a strong showing for these newly-rated players.  Max took home the 2nd place trophy for being the top finisher on tiebreakers with Kate and Ishaan.

              

     

4th and 7th grade = the hardest years

Since many tournaments are K-3 or K-6 or K12, we often times see that kids get discouraged in the 4th grade (their first year of K6 competition), or 7th grade (the year they can no longer play in K6 division and have to face high schoolers).  Also, the 7th grade is the year many kids, sadly, give up chess.
It's these years that we have to help kids understand they are LEARNING and REBUILDING years.  Humps they have to get over.  Challenges, to rebuild their skill level so they can compete with kids who may be older.  2nd Grade is often the best year to start for a kid, because they get two years in, before the dreaded 4th grade dropoff, haha.
The STATE tournament is K-5 and a few tournaments are K-4 or K-5, but this is rare.
Age is really irrelevant where chess is concerned, it's really about the increase in the skill level of the pool of kids I'm talking about.
Kids who are USCF rated often play in "all ages" tournaments against people 40-90 years old!  My 3rd grade son played against a 50 year old drunken Russian guy in a tournament once.  He smelled of Vodka and "trash talked" the whole game.   My son won.  He was taught to "play the board, not the player."  Good advice!

Chess Nationals in Nashville

In our 2nd year of the program, there may be some kids who want to try NATIONALS!   It's an amazing tournament every year.

This year, the K-6 Scholastic Nationals will be held on May 11-13, in Nashville, TN at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel (the usual spot).  It's an incredible place if you've never been there.  Like a city under glass.

Here is information on the tournament: http://www.uschess.org/tournaments/2018/elem/

The divisions for us would be one of the following: (bold most likely)

• K-6 Championship 
• K-6 Under 1400 
• K-6 Under 1000 
• K-6 Unrated 
• K-5 Championship 
• K-5 Under 1200 
• K-5 Under 900 
• K-3 Championship 
• K-3 Under 1000 
• K-3 Under 700 
• K-3 Unrated 
• K-1 Championship 
• K-1 Under 500 & Unrated

The rated (championship) divisions are TOUGH, and are usually won by kids who are super-serious about chess (and probably taught daily by masters or above).  However, a good sized team can do well.  The Unrated divisions are for kids who are not yet USCF rated.

Let me know if there is any interest here.  There are buses that usually head down from Milwaukee, or parents can drive or fly.  It's a really fun trip!

Tosa Catholic canceled - Wisco Lutheran HS instead!

The Tosa Catholic tournament has been cancelled!  Those who are interested in a tournament should go to the Wisconsin Lutheran High School tournament - it's very close by!
330 N Glenview (on the North side of the hospital area, on 84th/Glenview). 
Either email Mr Seghers, or go to http://www.ia-chess.com/registration/tournamentinfo.html?id=52 to register - thanks.

NOTE: If you are USCF registered, you should register for either K-3, or K-6 rated.  If you are NOT yet registered, you can register K-12 unrated.  I'd like to see if we can get a team together.  Depending on who registers, we can switch at the door if we'd like.

Chess for 2018!

Chess Class begins again tomorrow, Jan 3, after school in the Library, as before.  See you there!!

Important dates coming up:

Feb 10 - our own tournament at McKinley!  I will have an online signup form for volunteers - I'm looking for one person to oversee the logistics - I will help!  Please reply if you would like to be the person to coordinate volunteers for food, setup, cleanup.  I hope most serious players can make it to our own tournament.  Let's represent McKinley!

Mar 17-18 - K5 State Championship - UW Oshkosh!  Please begin to RSVP to me on this one.  I would like to get 10-15 kids if we can - we all play on the same team- this is a rare and amazing opportunity!  Several hundred kids attend this tournament from all over the state.  I can get reduced room rates at the Country Inn and Suites.  Some people head up Friday night, or you can drive up in the morning on Saturday.  6 Games over Saturday and Sunday.  Home by 4-5pm Sunday.

Apr 21 - State Grade Level tournament - UW Milwaukee Student Union - play against only kids in your grade!  A big annual event!

Other tournaments coming are below.  Our last class will probably be at the end of March, or early April, prior to Grade Level. Tournaments to consider: 

• Tosa Catholic - 1/13! - our crosstown rivals! - sign up www.wisconsinscholasticchess.org - watch for separate email on this one.
• Evangel - 1/27 - sign up www.wisconsinscholasticchess.org
• Golda Meir - 2/24 - sign up www.wisconsinscholasticchess.org
• Kalahari Resort - 3/3 - sign up www.wisconsinscholasticchess.org
• St. Monica - 4/14 - sign up www.wisconsinscholasticchess.org