Essex Elementary Students Are the Kings of Chess

Essex Elementary School students just did their best to put their school on Maryland's chess map.

Teams from Essex won two of five tournament team divisions at the 2013 Maryland State Elementary School Championships held March 9 at Towson's Dumbarton Middle School.

The tournament, sponsored by the Maryland Chess Association, attracted more than 87 teams from across the state that competed in five team divisions, according to a statement from Baltimore County Public Schools.

Based upon player rankings, teams were assigned to varsity and junior varsity divisions for elementary school (grades kindergarten through fifth grade) and primary school (kindergarten through third grade). New and inexperienced chess players competed in the novice division.

Essex Elementary teams claimed the top prizes in the elementary school junior varsity and novice team divisions.

"Chess offers these kids so many benefits in terms of helping them become better students and better thinkers," Robert Gray, fourth-grade teacher and Chess Club coach, said in a statement of his Essex students. "The kids had a great time competing and observing other teams. Winning was a bonus."

Baltimore County's Cromwell Valley Elementary Regional Magnet School won the primary school junior varsity division, while Sparks Elementary School student Bodie Breza claimed top honors in the individual elementary school novice division.

Winners received trophies from the Maryland Chess Association.

The complete tournament results can be viewed on the association's website.