This annual event is traditionally held in December and was initially planned for students in Grades K-12. It was held online and attracted over 2,500 students from approximately 95 schools nationwide. 

The event launched with numerous technical difficulties which mostly affected the K-5 sections and only students in Grades 6-12 were able to play all of their rounds. The event administrators could not guarantee that the K-5 sections would not continue to experience the technical problems that plagued them on the first day and canceled further play for K-5. US Chess and ChessKid apologized to all the affected players and parents.

Certainly, this event was a challenge but, despite the technical difficulties, Dalton Tigers were resilient, and those who were able to continue, returned the next day in high spirits and ready to represent their school! Dalton had more chess players participating than any other school in the country! As always, our students turned out in numbers with a total of 80 students representing Dalton.
 
Student Spotlight
Nate Shuman ’24 a member of the Dalton Chess Team since Kindergarten shared that “This past year was one that will go down in the history books. It has given so many of us grief, sorrow, change, isolation, and much more. Through this, we have had to adapt, and that is exactly what the United States Chess Federation (USCF) was able to do. Pre-Covid, chess was very popular on online platforms, making this transition more seamless than other activities. As a member of the Dalton Chess Team for 10 years now, and playing at all the Nationals, this online version was strange. Personally, I have no complaints. I was able to play my full 7 games, without any malfunctions. A few peers of mine were unfortunate with mouse-slips, so I made sure to be diligent and pay attention to not messing up. The atmosphere was very different, and playing online, not seeing each other's faces or emotions, added to the novel experience. It was nice to see everyone from across the country, come together, through these tough times, and play the game of chess. It was very convenient, and if we are not able to get back to in-person tournaments soon, I highly suggest trying an online tournament.” 
 
Leading up to the event, our chess program director put together a rigorous month-long online training program with sessions taking place on Saturdays.  Students met via Zoom from 10:30 AM-5:00 PM, with short breaks in between. The training sessions included opening, middlegame, and endgame preparation. This training, coupled with the player’s individual efforts and determination, yielded tremendous results:

• 9th grade emerged victorious and earned 1st place with a total of 19 points, 5.5 points ahead of the 2nd place team. A remarkable achievement for a team that has won every national scholastic chess championship since the students were in 2nd grade.
• 7th grade earned 3rd place just 1 point behind the 1st place team.
• 12th grade came in 5th place.

A special thanks to the Dalton Chess Community
We are so thankful for the wonderful Dalton chess community and their positivity during these unique times. Chess parents connected via the Zoom Team Room to cheer the children on and offer support. It is wonderful to see how our community, despite Covid-19, has remained positive, optimistic, and energetic throughout these challenging times. 
 
Story submitted by Director of the Chess Program Beatriz Marinello