Term 1 Chess Competition

On Thursday 13th March, the Ballarat High School library buzzed with quiet intensity as 28 students took their seats for the after-school Term 1 Chess Competition. With a 10-minute time control, players had to think quickly and strategically, leading to some exciting and hard-fought games.

The competition saw a fantastic mix of newcomers eager to test their skills and seasoned competitors who have become familiar faces at these events. The level of play continues to improve and it’s clear that chess at Ballarat High is going from strength to strength.

After six rounds, Max Thekkan claimed first place with 5.5 points, demonstrating excellent composure under pressure. Methuja Dissanayake followed closely with 5.0 points, while Sam Song secured third with 4.5 points. Across the board, there were upsets, comebacks and plenty of memorable moments.

With rising participation and increasingly competitive matches, Chess at Ballarat High is in great shape. Congratulations to all who took part—we look forward to the next tournament!

Age Group top place getters:

Year 7/8

1st Methuja Dissanayake

2nd Vincent Perconte

3rd Lance Lijo Kurien

Year 9/10

1st Sam Song

2nd Teo Glaude

3rd Shan Deviro

Year 11/12

1st Max Thekkan

2nd Alberto Biju

3rd Nuaym Haque

Other Chess News:

Across the Begonia Festival long weekend, we had 3 Ballarat High School students participate in the Begonia Open held across 3 days at the Ballarat Tech School. This event attracts some of the best Australian players including one grandmaster and a few international masters. 

Participating were Sam Song (Year 10), Methuja Dissanayake (Year 7) and Lishanth Gobi Anand (Year 8). They represented themselves honourably and a special mention should go to Sam Song who finished 29th in a field of 236.  A huge performance and testament to his skill and concentration. The effort required to play across the 3 days should not be discounted, as each of the 7 games usually go well over 2 hours! 

Congratulations to all.

Ballarat High School Chess Club

Mr. Colgrave & Mr. Pompe