This Week’s Epic Showdowns
This week’s bughouse & blitz tournament was not like any of the other weeks. After the 4th round, there were four teams tied for first, each team having 3 points. After the 5th and final round, there were just two teams left tied with 4 points. Because of this, there was a final 6th round between the top two teams: Emma and Nikos vs. Kian and Pavel. The game was very interesting to watch when Pavel had given Emma a check with the knight, not realizing that he had checkmated her. Emma knew she was in checkmate, but she did not say anything since Pavel did not claim a checkmate yet. The game ended when Emma waited out the clock, causing her to flag. Kian and Pavel won this week's bughouse tournament. Everyone had a good laugh after the game about what had happened!
During this week’s circle of doom dodgeball, there were many campers that did well. On Friday, there was a playoff match between Sonia and Nikos, both having 3 wins. Nikos was much taller, and he had a good ability to catch balls. Sonia, one of the youngest and shortest campers, had the ability to dodge fastballs due to her speed and small size. It was an intense round. Each person started with 2 lives. After Sonia got hit first, she thought she had lost but we all reminded her that she had one life left. Miraculously, Nikos got hit twice right after, so Sonia was able to secure the title as circle of doom winner for the week!
The Campers vs The Coaches
Coach Choco definitely loves being pushed by the campers (Sophia, Hermione, Serena). There were tons of kids playing dodgeball this week, but there were also many campers at the playground. These campers definitely had to work together to push Coach Choco.
Another coaches vs. campers moment this week was when the campers tickled and poked coach Alex everyday. It doesn't seem like he’s enjoying it by the looks of his face, but at least the campers are having fun and that's what matters!
In the afternoon, one of the options campers have is to play a simultaneous exhibition against one of the coaches. It is an excellent opportunity for the students to get experience playing a much stronger opponent, and study the mistakes afterwards to learn what they could have done better. Winning or even drawing is extremely challenging, so the competition is called “simul survival”: the camper who wins the prize often does eventually lose, but holds out in brave resistance for the longest amount of moves. Here, Gunnar is the last man standing against Coach Albert, with Albert already having defeated Zakhar, Benji, Tony, and Daniel. The students look on excitedly to see if Gunnar will break the moves record for the week and claim the prize.
Paparazzi's Flashbulb Checkmate Hubbub
By ChatGPT and Albert Abzalimov
In chess camp's silent domain, oh what a hoot,
Paparazzi showed up, cameras to boot!
Not for celebs or stardom they came to find,
But for kiddos pushing pawns, how truly kind!
With clicks and flashes, they descended en masse,
Documenting kids making moves with sass.
Checkmates and castles, oh, what a show,
Like Oscars for chess, don't you know?
Campers posed, their game faces on,
Paparazzi snapped, like it's the break of dawn.
Serious stares to triumphant glee,
Chess camp turned red carpet, fancy and free.
Who would've thought, in a game of tactics and schemes,
Paparazzi would dive in, chasing their dreams?
Capturing moves, each pawn and knight,
Turning chess camp into quite the sight.
And as the sun set on this quirky scene,
Chess and paparazzi, an oddball dream.
A lesson learned in this peculiar play,
Even intellectuals can have their flashy day!
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