Akela Chess Classic – February 2018

On February 3rd at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 48 Cub Scouts faced off and matched wits in a five-round touch-move chess tournament, the Powhatan District’s 13th Annual Akela Chess Classic.  Fourteen Tigers and Wolves competed in the younger-Cub bracket, and 34 Bears, Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts competed in the older-Cub bracket.  Awards were earned first-, second- and third-place by rank.  In all there were 2 first-place, 2 second-place, and 3 third-place awards issued to the Tigers and Wolves, and 4 first-place, 4 second-place, and 8 third-place awards issued to the Bears, Webelos, and Arrow of Light Scouts.  One Tiger and one Webelos Scout won all of the games they played.

One week later, on February 10th, again at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 18 Boy Scouts competed in the Akela Chess Classic Boy Scout Tournament.  Eleven Scouts competed in the 10-12-year-old bracket, and seven Scouts competed in the 13-and-up bracket.  There were 1 first-place, 1 second-place and 4 third-place awards issued to Scouts in the 10-12-year-old bracket, and 1 first-place, 2 second-place, and 2 third-place awards issued to Scouts in the 13-and-up bracket.  One Boy Scout in the 10-12-year-old bracket won all of the games he played.

Great sportsmanship was observed throughout both tournaments, with Scouts shaking hands before and after each match, concentrating and keeping library-quiet during their matches (imagine that!), and making new friends across chessboards in the “skittles” room between rounds.  Congratulations to all Scouts who participated in the Akela Chess Classic, a true battle of the mind.

Congratulations to our tournament winners, and all participants!