2010 Texas Scholastic Chess Championships

1049 !!! 1049 travel to Dallas, Texas to complete in the state's scholastic chess tournament.
1049 !!! 1049 chess players making the best moves with hopes of winning the TROPHY.
1049 !!! 1049 chess players plus parents when to 400 N. Olive St. downtown Dallas, Texas.
The Royal Knights when to the chess boards to create checkmate
and win the point. This year the Royal Knights are among Edinburg's 
Canterbury Elementary and South Middle School Chess Teams.
Brownsville schools like Elgy, El Jardin, and Porter High School all
have Royal Knights in their chess teams.
Royal Knights are team leaders and top board chess players.
      The Royal Knights have always rule the K-1 Championship
division.  This year was no different: Canterbury 1st place and
Elgy 2th place by half point. Canterbury's Nathaniel
Morales lead his team by winning 6 of 7 rounds,
Nicolas Garcia added 5 points, Noel Aguilar came in
with 4.5 points more.  Other Royal Knights included: 
Aaron Trevino 4 points, Carlos J. Guzman 4 points,
Ruben Pena 4 points and Natalie Pena 3 points.
The Elgy's K-1 chess team leader Dante Guillen
scored 5 ponits and trophy. Elian de los Santos
4.5 points, and Diego Guillen won 4 games.
The Egly Chess Team won 2th place with 19.5 points
The Canterbury Chess Team won 1st place at Regional,
won 1st place at State, and at Nationals, I believe they
will win Nationals Championship. In fact, coach Ray Martinez
believes this team will be a powerhouse next year.
The Primary JV chess players played for the last time in JV.
Why? Because Royal Knights play in the championship level
and because a Royal Knight becomes a stronger chess player.
Jesus A. Martinez, Jr. 4.5 points,  Ashley Pena 4 points,
Noah Trevino 4 points, Kay Galarza 3 points,
Eduardo Heredia 3 points, and Blake Phillips  3 points.
Elementary Championship Division had some very strong
chess players. Victoria Mortera 4 points, Jonathan Olivares
3 points, Alexis Marquez 3 points, Bryan Navarro 2 points,
Jesse Leal 2 points, Julian Echevarria 1 point.
Elementary JV Division Xavier Torres 4 points,
Vanessa Guzman 3 points and Hannah Navarro 2.5 points.
Middle School Championship: Christian Muraira 4 points
Middle School JV Nathan Garcia took 4th place with 5.5
points and raising his rating to 1051, all South Royal Knights
raise their rating. Maraya Garcia 4.5 points, Abraham Cortez
won 2 points, Christina Garcia 1.5 points.
High School Division Porter took 5th place.
Team Captain Philip Martinez played against 3 players all
over 2000 points, he managed to win 4 of 7 games.
Benajamin Rovelo played an awesome tournament.
He raise his rating to 1387 and won 3.5 games.
Manuel Narcia 3 points, Andy Maldonado 2.5 points,
Alan Govea 2.5 points, Oziel Juarez won 2 points.
May your moves be awesome at Nationals--CHECKMATE!!

Top boards win Trophies at Regionals

Everyone loves a winner, everyone loves a chessplayer,
everyone wants to win.  But only those who work hard WIN.
Good job Royal Knights.
Trophy winners:
Kinder-1st division
Nathaniel Morales, Co-Champion     6.5 points   Canterbury
Joshua A. Torres, 9th place              5.5 points    El Jardin
Nicolas Garcia, 11th place               5.0 points    Canterbury
Dante Guillen, 19th place                 5.0 points     Elgy
Elian de los Santos, 21th place         5.0 points     Elgy

Primary JV division
Guadalupe Lopez, 4th place            6.0 points      Villa Nueva

Primary Championship division
Jorge A. Mares, 23th place             4.5 points         Hudson
Mateo Ramirez, 25th place             4.5 points          Martin

Elementary Championship division
Victoria Mortera, 8th place             5.5 points        Elgy

Middle School Championship division
Christian Muraira, 25th place          5.0 points        Harmony

High School Championship division
Philip R. Martinez,   9th place         5.0 points         Porter
Manuel B. Narcia, 15th place         5.0 points         Porter
Andy Maldonado, 16th place         5.0 points         Porter
Benjamin Rovelo,  21th place         4.5 points         Porter

Kinder - 1st division Rules

The Royal Knights came to Porter High School to take home
the TROPHY.  They had done the work: study openings,
endgame drills, and thinking exercises.  Now was the time to
shine ... Royal Knights to move and WIN.  Seven rounds later,
Edinburg's Canterbury Nathaniel Morales had become
the Kinder-1st division Co-Champion. He is the division's top
board and also is part of the top 100 under 7 USCF chess player
list in the USA.

For the past 8 years, a Royal Knight has won the
Regionals championship except last year.
2003- Fernando L. Mendez, 1st Regionals , 1st State
2004- Jesus A. Ochoa & Andrea Perez Co-champions Regionals
2005- Christian Muraira, 1st Regionals, tied for 2nd State
2006- Edgar Santoyo, 1st Regionals, 3rd State
2007- Ricardo Santoyo, 1st Regionals, tied for 2nd State
2008- Maverick Reza, 1st Regionals, 2nd State
2009- Jesus Guillen, 2nd Place Regionals, 7th State
2010- Nathaniel Morales, Co-Champion Regionals, tied for 3rd State
Ray Martinez, coach of the Royal Knights also trains Nicolas Garcia,
Joshua Torres, Dante Guillen, Elian de los Santos, Mychal Olguin,
and Diego Guillen.  The Kinder- 1st Championship is very special to
me because they are the  future chess masters.
They are our FUTURE....They are AWESOME!!!
Canterbury's Kinder-1st Team won 1st Place - all the best !!!!
Remember Royal Knights are WINNERS and LEADERS.

13th Annual Texas Grade Championships

This weekend, Noverber 21- 22, 2009, the big chess event happen
in Houston, Texas. It was the 13th Annual Texas Grade
Championships. The chess tournament was held at the
George R. Brown Convention Center next to the Hilton Americans.
The chess players came from all over Texas and the Royal Knights
were there to win and bring home the Trophy.
Three of my students came back home with a Trophy.
In the Texas Kindergarten division Dante Guillen took 5th place.
In the Texas 1st Grade division Nathaniel Morales took 2nd place.
In the Texas 5th Grade division Victoria Mortera took 9th place.
Only 10 trophies were awarded in each division. I am so proud
of you.....mighty Royal Knights. You are Winners and Leaders

CHESS Friday November 27

A  After  Thankgiving  Day  Chess  Workshop:
Here's your chance to play against other chess players
and practice your skills in a tournament setting.
6 hours of pure chess and PIZZA for lunch!!!
A Royal Knights chess tournament and chess workshop
"Top Boards"  and   "candidate top boards"  only
cost: $45 per student $25 per additional family memeber
time:  9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
food: bring your own snacks but lunch is on me ( PIZZA )
drop-off: early if needed--call before to set time
pick-up: if later ---call before to set time