WA-BC Intermat 2016

Take Defeat in Stride

The 2016 Washington State vs. British Columbia International Annual K-12 Chess Match (Intermat) was organized by Chess 2 Inspire (BC) and Chess 4 Life (WA) in this great new location: University of British Columbia - Pharmaceutical Sciences Building.

Both teams consist of two players per each grade, playing two game rounds, against each same grade opponent.  In the first round WA played black and lost 9-17.  In the second round WA played white and also lost 10.5-15.5.  The defeat was not very subtle.

Naomi won her first game and lost the second game to her friend and perennial chess opponent, Luke.  Ethan lost both rounds, though he was very satisfied with the high quality of the games.  Between games we got pizza lunch, organizers made great efforts for everything to work out smoothly.

While kids played, we enjoyed the University of British Columbia tourist attractions.  Before lunch we went on a free campus tour with guides, joining prospective students and their parents.  The highlights were the UBC Botanical Garden, the Asian Garden, and the Rose Garden.

After lunch we visited the UBC Museum of Anthropology, devoted to world cultures, with an emphasis on the First Nations of the Northwest Coast. The museum has a splendid collection of totem poles, a mind-boggling array of artifacts from around the world, and a number of changing exhibits, including one from Papua New Guinea and some striking art by a First Nations artist.

just click >>> Photo album: 2016-05-14 WA-BC Chess Intermat <<< just click

In the end we even tried to descend very long steep stairs to Wreck Beach -- North America's most famous and busiest nude ("clothing optional") beach.  In the middle of this endless descent we got an email that both kids finished their games, so we had to go back up these long stairs -- empty-handed, so to speak... another crushing defeat of the day.  It was just not meant to be.

Arriving home, we found Naomi's birthday present delivered at the front door -- Huffy Ladies 26" Nassau Blue Cruiser Bike, whose assembly from a heap of parts packed in the box took a few hours next day.

This was a weekend of most pleasant memories.

Odle Middle School Chess Team Succeeds in Nashville

We are on the map

Following its triumph at the State Elementary championships, the Odle Chess Team continued its winning ways both nationally and internationally.

At the US National Chess Championships in Nashville, Odle sixth graders WCM Naomi Bashkansky, Brian Chen, James Lai, Aidan Lawler, and Richard Yang took home a well-earned 5th place in K-6  section, while at the National K-6 Blitz Championships, the Odle team took Second Place in the nation, just edged out by a powerful New York team.

On the international front, the annual Washington vs. British Columbia Scholastic Chess Tournament was held recently.  Each team consisted of two representatives from each grade K-12. Three Odle students helped lead the Washington team to a convincing 29-23 victory: Naomi Bashkansky (6th grade), Richard Yang (6th), and Derek Zhang (7th).

Reprinted from the Northwest Chess blog post by John Lawler and Ludmila Bashkansky

http://www.nwchess.com/blog/2015/05/odle-middle-school-succeeds-in-nashville/

Here are some photos from the event: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B0-OrKmx7CBjZkZCc2hSNlVONUU&usp=sharing

WA - BC Intermat in Vancouver

Meeting once a year for 6 years...  for a game of chess!

On Saturday, May 3, 2014 the annual Washington State vs British Columbia International Scholastic Chess Match (Intermat) took place in Vancouver, BC, Canada.  Each year top 2 rated players from each grade in WA compete against the top two BC players from same grades.  The event is sponsored by Chess4Life and BC Youth Chess.

Thus, once a year, Naomi (WA) plays a game of chess with Luke (BC), for 6 consecutive years already!  Sometimes they also meet at other local tournaments, and at the World Youth Championship in Brazil they played ping-pong, as Naomi played chess in the girls section.  

Chess makes you persistent and dedicated to meeting other players!

Photos: 2014_05_03 Vancouver BC WA Intermat

BC won big this time, good for them!  And for us it was a nice opportunity to stroll again down Vancouver's picturesque waterfront and visit again the famous Granville Island Market.

Dead Heat over 49th Parallel

Yankees go home with the trophy

On Saturday, May 5, 2012 the annual Washington State vs British Columbia International Scholastic Chess Match (Intermat) took place in Richmond, BC, Canada.  Each year top 2 rated players from each grade in WA compete against the top two BC players from the same grades.  The event is sponsored by Chess4Life and BC Youth Chess.

The Venue

Crossing the border provides the flair of adventure for the kids.  The border guard addresses us in French, to press the point.  This year’s event is held in the sprawling Lansdowne Centre‎ shopping mall.  The food court sustains our bodies and the Chinese medicine shop blows away our minds.

Dried snakes are best Chinese medicine against any imaginary illness

The Drama

The match consists of two rounds, as two pairs in each age play white and black.  Naomi drew in both rounds.  At the end of the first round WA led by just 1 point.  Then BC started the second round very strongly, by winning many early games.  However, WA caught up in the late games and trailed by only 1 point just before the last game end.  It was Ethan’s game to end last.

The drama reached its peak as Ethan played an equal endgame against his second BC opponent.  The outcome of this international match was hanging in the balance!  Ethan had to win in order for WA not to lose the whole match.  But Ethan did not know that.  He did not have time to follow other games results.

Both players were in deep time trouble, with just a few seconds left for each (+5 seconds per move).  All other players and accompanying persons have crowded around the table, biting their nails collectively.  But Ethan was concentrated on the game, not feeling the pressure of being the last hope for the American team.  He saw an opportunity in his opponent’s time trouble nervousness.

The opponent made an illegal move and Ethan got 2 minutes time addition.  Then he pressed on until the opponent made a crucial mistake.  Ethan took advantage and won in a checkmate!  Everybody applauded.  Naomi ran up to Ethan and hugged him.  

After the drama

Thus, the match ended with a 26-26 tie.  This is the first such result in its 20+ years history.  In a tie, the rotating trophy changes hands, so WA took the trophy home for half a year.

See these dramatic Ethan’s endgame videos:

• The beginning of the end
• The end of the end

Results: http://www.bcchesshistory.com/bcwa2012.html

All photos: 2012_05_05 WA vs BC Match In Vancouver

WA and BC scholastic chess teams at the Intermat