Move over, golden paddle.

Looking to put your chess knowledge to the test? The school’s March Mad-Chess tournament is just around the corner, with the perfect opportunity to enjoy the game of chess in a competitive and engaging environment. 

According to senior and participant Connor Gianoli, “It’s a round robin tournament, just like the World Cup. There are groups of four people and everyone in the group will play each other. The top two advance to a single elimination phase along with the other top two of each group.”

He predicts that “with how many people we have signed up now, the tournament should be done in early April. Spring break is in the middle of it, but we should be done before Easter.” 

To sign up, look for an email from Mr. Anthony Ernst sent on Feb. 19. Within the email is a Google form to sign up for the tournament and a Google doc with all of the rules and regulations. Gianoli said, “All one needs is a chess.com account.” Sign ups are open through Feb. 26. 

Incentives for participating in the March Mad-Chess tournament are not limited to just bragging rights. Gianoli said, “There are some great prizes involved, and if basketball isn’t your cup of tea, then you can sign up for this. Though I can’t be too definitive, there will be some sweet prizes for all participants and some hefty gift cards for the top cut. There will be a nice trophy for the winner.” 

Gianoli encourages everyone to sign up, regardless of ability level. He said, “My best strategy is to learn a few openings and practice, practice, practice. As Grand Master Hikaru Nakamura said, ‘I’m not afraid of the person who knows 10,000 openings. I’m afraid of the person who has played one opening 10,000 times.'”