McKinley Chess signup for 2017-18: UPDATE 9/1

Please continue to watch for details here on TosaChess.com!!

It looks like we will have between 35-40 kids this year.  If you haven't yet signed up, watch for an email from McKinley coming up soon.

Chess class will be held on WEDNESDAYS this year after school in the McKinley library, from 2:30-3:45pm weekly. Volunteer Instructors will be Mark Seghers and Kyle Jain.  An additional instructor, Robin Grochowski, will be available as needed - and is available for private in-home chess instruction.  We will be dividing the class based on skill level.

There will be 16 classes during the year, divided into two sections:

• Session 1: October 4, 11, 18, 25  and November 1, 8, 15, and 29.
• Session 2: January 10, 17, 24 and February 7, 14, 21, and 28.

There will be tournaments throughout the year as well - these are usually held on Saturdays.
At the end of the season are important tournaments such as Wisconsin Grade Level, and the big State Scholastic Tournament at UW-Oshkosh on March 17-18, 2018.  This year, this date doesn't conflict with Destination Imagination, so I'm hoping we will be making our first appearance at that tournament, where we'll be vying for a K-5 state championship!

MARK THE DATE! March 17-18, 2018 - State Scholastic!

Mark the dates on your calendars, March 17 and 18, 2018 - the State Scholastic Chess Tournament at UW-Oshkosh!  Assuming we have no major conflicts, like Destination Imagination in 2017, we will be bringing at K-5 team to state!

Chess in the Park

Starting June 29th, and continuing through August, we will be hosting CHESS IN THE PARK at the Landing at Hoyt Park.
This will be every Thursday evening, from 6:30 - 8:00, and is for ALL AGES!  We hope you can make it, see you then!
P.S. We are still looking for parent volunteers to help.  I hope to be there every week, but may need help from time to time.  Thanks!  - Mark

McKinley Takes Tosa Challenge Trophy

McKinley Chess Kids

Great fun had by all at the first Tosa Challenge match, held at Tosa Catholic.  In this match, 16 kids from each school played two games, head-to-head.  McKinley won the first game 11.5 - 4.5, and the second game 10-6.  The traveling trophy (shown) will go to McKinley first, and we'll keep it until Fall, when the next challenge comes up.  Great job team!
Wauwatosa Catholic were great hosts, and everything was very well run and organized by Bob Patterson-Sumwaldt of the WSCF.  Pizza was served after the event.
Interesting to note that out of the 16 kids on the McKinley team, not a single player lost both games, and 6 of them won both games.  Keep practicing over Summer, kids, maybe we will see you at Hoyt on Thursday eves!
Note: The Non-Profit WSCF creates chess tournaments and teaches kids across the state.  This organization depends on donations for its existence.  If you care about scholastic chess and would like to support the WSCF, please click here.  Thank you.

Chess Gives Mississippi Kids Hope

Great story here, from 60 Minutes:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/kids-fight-stereotypes-using-chess-in-rural-mississippi/

Tosa Challenge May 10 - McKinley vs. Tosa Catholic!

Tosa Catholic and their coach Bob Patterson-Sumwaldt (leader of the WSCF) has challenged McKinley to a school vs. school match on Wed May 10!   We hope this will be the beginning of a new tradition, and an annual tournament called the Tosa Challenge!

We are thinking there will be TWO GAMES.  Our board 1 plays their board 1, board 2 plays board 2, all the way down the line.   Game 2, we could either switch white/black and play adjoining players e.g. # 1 from TC would play # 2 from McK,   # 1 from McK would play # 2 from TC... or we just have 1-0 kids play 1-0 kids and 0-1 kids play 0-1 kids like in a tournament.

Would start after school.   After the two games, we can have pizza and parents can hang out and meet each other.

Let us know what you think!   P.S.  The winner will keep the "Traveling Trophy" until the next match...

P.P.S.   We are also thinking about a "Chess in the Park" event at Hoyt this Summer!   Watch for news here!

Kyle Does it Again - While Giving Back

(2016) Kyle and Evan - WI champs

UPDATE: Kyle Jain is joining us this year at McKinley to help me teach the class!!!
So, last year, my son Evan won the High School individual state chess championship, as I have bragged about several times.  Haha...
THIS year, another product of the Muskego Scholastic Chess Club, Kyle Jain - a 9th grader! - won it!  This is one year after Kyle won the K-8 division.  Congratulations to Kyle, and also to Matt Schladweiler, Muskego's advanced instructor, who helped to bring Kyle to the level he is now. As Kyle knows well, It's not just about playing the game.  It's about giving back.  Below is a quote from a Brookfield Academy coach (where Kyle attended last year):
"Kyle obviously played very good chess, but he also was an excellent leader for our team. He spent a significant amount of time giving instruction and reviewing games. Some participants on our varsity team did not play their best chess, but Kyle remained positive and supportive even if he may have felt disappointment. I am proud of the way he handled himself. He is an excellent teammate."
Kyle's mom said, "Kyle said more than winning he enjoyed this year because he would sit between rounds and look over kids games like what Mr. Matt would do. He felt good about helping others and said that was the best part of states this year. That made me so proud to hear. "
This is what I'd like to see one day from our best players. Not only that they become good players, and good young men/women, but that they pass along what they have learned to others.