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Dalton News
Chess Team Shines at National Scholastic Championship
The Dalton Chess Team proudly represented the school at the National Scholastic Grade K–12 Chess Championship, held in Spokane, Washington. Fourteen Dalton students competed in this highly competitive national event, demonstrating not only outstanding chess skill, but also teamwork, sportsmanship, and camaraderie.
Dalton fielded full teams in three grade sections and delivered an exceptional performance. We are thrilled to report that the 7th Grade Team repeated as National Champions, following Dalton’s 6th Grade National Championship victory last year — a remarkable achievement that highlights the program’s sustained excellence.
Team Results
4th Grade Team – 1st Place
2nd Grade Team – Tied for 1st Place (finished 2nd on tiebreaks)
Individual National Champions
William Safranek ‘26 – National Champion
Anson Leong ‘31 & Elliott Goodrich ‘31 – Co–National Champions
Dalton Gorczyca ‘34 – Co–National Champion
The team was coached by Grandmaster Gregory Kaidanov and WIM/National Master Beatriz Marinello. Over the course of seven rounds, students participated in structured team meetings before each round. These sessions emphasized mindset, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and game preparation, helping students approach each match with focus, confidence, and purpose.
As Coach Beatriz shared with the team, “Your greatest opponent is not the person across the board — it is your own mindset. If we master this and bring to the games calm energy, focus, and discipline, we will win regardless of the result of the game.”
Students were encouraged to raise their standards, trust their preparation, channel their emotions productively, and give their best effort at every board — principles that served them well throughout the championship.
Dalton Chess Team Participants
William Safranek ‘26
Iris Mou ‘27
Elliott Goodrich ‘31
Anson Leong ‘31
Owen Pang ‘31
Eden Klein ‘31
Maxwell Gachiri ‘34
Hudson Belelieu ‘34
Declan Campbell ’34
Gabe Chang ‘34
Brennan Campbell ‘35
Dalton Gorczyca ‘36
William Pang ‘36
Pablo Rios ‘36
The Dalton Chess Program is immensely proud of these students not only for their competitive success, but for the grit, determination, resilience, and teamwork they displayed on the national stage. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our families for their unwavering support and to the School’s Administration for its continued encouragement and commitment to the Dalton Chess Program.
Submitted by Beatriz Marinello, Director Dalton Chess Program K-12
Grades K-3
53 East 91st Street, New York, NY 10128
Grades 4-12
108 East 89th Street, New York, NY 10128
Physical Education Center
200 East 87th Street, New York, NY 10128
