Students Excell in Chess Competition!
On December 12-13, 2020, Middle and Upper School students competed in the National Chess K-12 Showdown. Each participant played seven matches, competing against players in his or her respective grade level. Due to COVID-19 concerns, this online tournament replaced K-12 Grade Nationals, which are typically held annually, live, in December.
The K-12 Showdown attracted over 2,800 players from across the United States. Gulliver Prep fielded teams in grades 7-11, with three of those teams placing in the top five in their respective divisions:
Gulliver’s ninth grade team was comprised of Max Brand, Gia Burke, and Michael Sheehan; the trio took third place.
The 10th grade team of Pierce Garbett, Ian Gill, Nicolas Parody, Jaedon Rich, and Alec Vila finished in fourth place.
Gulliver’s 11th grade team, comprised of Matteo Akl, Mark Liberman, Nicolas Puttre, and Eli Rich tied for first place and finished as co-champions in their division.
Currently under the direction of Mr. Randall Smith, Middle School Mathematics Faculty member and Department Chair, Gulliver Prep has a long tradition of excellence at the state and national chess level. In the past 20 years, seven of its teams have finished first in the state and six of its teams have finished first in their division at the national level.
