Kids, teens, kings, and knights filled the multi-purpose room at Taylor Elementary School on Saturday during this year's Scholastic Chess Tournament.
The event— hosted by SLO Chess Club— invited kids of all experience levels from K-12 to compete in several chess tournaments throughout the day.
The winners in each age category received trophies and prizes.
One of the tournament's participants was local 6-year-old chess champion Dylan Fanoe, who organizers say has already won the SLO County Chess Tournament two years in a row.
Kyle Borges, a 6th grade teacher at Taylor Elementary School, says the game of chess has helped his students to develop their skills across several different areas.
“I've seen a lot of my students grow in their math scores and just their engagement and their focus with school, and they're willing to come to school and willing to try and fail and lose and learn from that," Borges said. "Seeing the growth there in third graders, sixth graders, fourth graders, fifth graders, all of these different students, different abilities, coming together, helping each other and growing. It's beautiful, and to be the facilitator of that is so rewarding.”
Through Saturday's tournament, organizers say they hope to promote the educational value of chess and show that any person can enjoy it.
