Chess tournament is cool, and 'good for the brain'

Chess can be beneficial to the mind, and Saturday about 60 brains will be getting a workout at Jacks Valley Elementary School's annual chess tournament.

"When I started doing this I hooked up with Derrick (former Douglas County Deputy District Attorney Derrick Lopez)," said special education instructor Steve Rosenbloom. "He supplied me with research. Chess helps math scores, even raised IQs in one study I saw."

Rosenbloom, who has helped organize the annual chess tournament for six years, said even penal institutions use chess as a way of making the inmates realize there are consequences for their actions.

Sixty students have signed up for the JVES Chess Club this year, he said.

"It's a way cool game and kids get into it very, very quickly," Rosenbloom said. "It's good for their brain and they really love it."

This will be the fourth year that Lopez will help with the tournament. Others who volunteered are about 10 parents of children at the school who helped Rosenbloom with training the students. Volunteers are needed during the tournament to be scorekeepers, judges, game monitors, pizza and soft drink sellers.

The tournament is open to all JVES students.

"You do not have to be an expert to enter, but you do need to know how to play," states tournament information.

This is the first year that all tournament players must be accompanied by an adult.

"We are making this requirement because we are not free to supervise players when their matches are over. It is important that the kids be supervised so as not to disturb other players," said a tournament information sheet.

The tournament lasts from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Players are competing in two divisions: junior division, grades kindergarten through third; and senior division, grades fourth through sixth. First-place, second-place and third-place trophies will be awarded in both divisions.

The tournament will run in a double elimination format - each player remains eligible to win first place until loosing two games. For more information, call Rosenbloom at Jacks Valley Elementary School, 267-3267.