HAMPTON Park Primary School’s chess captain has finished a state-wide chess tournament as the highest placed girl.
Belle finished 11th overall at the City of Casey zone finals after being pitted against students from four other teams and two schools including Silverton Primary School and Harkaway Primary School.
The competition is run by ChessKids which is run by former Australian champion David Cordover for students in grades prep to six.
The schools are initially divided up into zones that they compete in, and winning schools then proceed to zone finals.
Hampton Park Primary School enrichment co-ordinator Crispian Deacon said chess was a very necessary tool to extend children.
“Chess is one of the most powerful educational tools available to strengthen a child’s mind,” he said.
“It’s fairly easy to learn how to play, most six or seven-year-olds can follow the basic rules.
“Dr Peter Dauvergne from Sydney University said research shows that some of the benefits for children to play or study chess include challenging gifted children while potentially helping underachieving gifted students, enhancing reading, memory, language and mathematical skills, strengthening problem solving skills, and raising IQ scores.”
Mr Deacon said the school runs two in-school chess tournaments each year, with interest growing among the children.
“This term 106 students from grades two to six are competing against each other,” he said.
“The students really enjoy competing against each other and learning the strategies and thinking processes that are required to be successful.”
