JumpRope by Felix Dyadyuk
At camp this week, Sonia and Zaharrii decided to play jump rope with Anderson during a beautiful sunny day. Anderson was in the middle, jumping high and laughing. It wasn't all about chess, but about having a blast and making friends too. This showed that our camp isn't just about chess, it's a cool place to hang out and have a great time. This was a very pleasing thing to witness for the campers and coaches.
Coaches vs Kids by Jane Stripunsky
This week at camp we had so many campers join in on dodgeball, having lots of fun and enjoying their time outside. One of the campers favorite things to do is to play a round of coaches vs. campers. This is where we get all the coaches to be on a team and all the campers to do the same. This causes some healthy and fun competition and brings out great spirit in both teams.
Camp Vignettes by Jonathan Zeng
Kian and Rayan - how can you tell them apart? Although there is a difference between their chess ratings, there is also a physical (but subtle) difference to tell them apart. All the junior coaches thought it was just a coincidence that Kian (on the right) always wore darker shirts compared to Rayan’s shirts (on the left). But this has been happening everyday for the past weeks, so I guess it’s not a coincidence!
Being one of the smallest and also one of the cutest campers, Anderson finally competed in his first ever bughouse tournament. In the previous weeks, he didn’t play since he would not be used to the rules yet. This week was different though. Age is just a number, as Anderson got his first ever bughouse win!
Coach Sean played a fun simul bughouse game against Leon and Jack. I guess Sean got a bit too confident as he promised them a prize if they could beat him just once. Don’t underestimate Sean though, he still dominated them beating them 4-1. He is still the bughouse master!
Campers are not the only ones who get prizes (they mainly do), sometimes our coaches receive prizes as well. Ethan had an upcoming birthday this week, so he received a nice gift from Diana. To top it all off, he also got a prize for playing with the GM camp in their bughouse tournament and winning with his partner Bryan.
Memory Masters by Ethan Modi
This week I had the pleasure of being a coach with Sean in the highest group. This was my first time coaching the higher rated players, and it was exciting. I felt like I was able to contribute more towards their success, and it was a different experience. However, one of the most memorable portions of the entire week was the memory games. The week started off with Sean asking the campers the color of certain squares on the chess board.
In the beginning the campers struggled but as the week progressed their abilities to visualize squares definitely improved. Also, later in the week Leon and Kian recited some top grandmaster games. Leon did Fisher vs Spassky Game 6, a turning point of the match, while Kian did 5 games ranging from Fisher, to Paul Morphy simuls, and Alekhine. It was really impressive!
The Enigma of the Scholar's Mate by Albert Abzalimov Chat GPT
In the realm of chess, a curious tale unfolded, where Albert, the junior instructor, found himself in a perplexing state. There was a young protégé, Stella, only six years of age, whose brilliance on the board surpassed the comprehension of all present. Thrust into the chaotic world of Bughouse, where alliances and strategies interweaved, Stella's mastery of the Scholar's Mate, a mere four-move enigma, was nothing short of astounding.
Repetitions of the bewildering event played out, as if ensnared in an intricate dance of fate. Junior Coach Albert, yearning to shield his charges from the bewitching trap, could not help but facepalm in dismay as the simple trick succeeded once more. His attempts to intercede, to unravel the enigma before his students' eyes, proved futile. The unyielding allure of the Scholar's Mate persistently held its sway.
The riddle, it seemed, could not be easily untangled. A resolute decision arose, commanding a halt to the Bughouse skirmishes. A collective plea emerged for a comprehensive tutorial on defending against the enigmatic Scholar's Mate. Yet, amid this intellectual struggle, camaraderie blossomed, uniting young minds in a realm of mirthful pursuits.
The chessboard became an arena of laughter, where kings met their fate from every direction. Amidst the amusement, a more profound essence emerged — the spirit of teamwork infused the very fabric of their chess encounters.
In the tapestry of this whimsical journey, the juxtaposition of bafflement and joy became inseparable. Stella's triumphs, though inexplicable, lent an air of surreal beauty to the chess realm. And while the Scholar's Mate continued its enigmatic reign, the echo of shared laughter and the spirit of camaraderie prevailed, making the voyage worthwhile beyond the realm of comprehension.
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