By Spencer Cerceo ‘25
The Brother Rice chess team made history by hosting its first ever school-wide Blitz Chess Tournament. With a total of nine players in the tournament, junior Enrique Miranda defeated his opponent to come out on top, winning all four of his matches without a loss.
Miranda said, “What was going through my head was I have to win. I’m going to put my 100% and win the first ever Brother Rice Blitz Tournament. I was excited and nervous that day, but when it came to the match starting, I really didn’t care how I felt. I just knew that I had to win.”
Miranda entered the Brother Rice Blitz Chess Tournament with the goal of winning. His determination paid off, as he dominated the competition with a 4-0 record, making himself the tournament’s first champion.
Junior Sean Sloyan said, “The tournament was a nice way to play against each other one last time. I had a lot of fun and hope to see more people as a part of the team next year.”
The Brother Rice Blitz Chess Tournament was the perfect way to close out the season. It allowed the students to continue improving their skills and also have a little fun for one last meeting of the year. The team hopes to expand next year to be able to compete in even more tournaments. and have another year full of success.
Brother Rice Chess Coach Sean Kirchman said, “We have laid the foundation for next year to be an even more successful year, and I expect Brother Rice to be able to host multiple Chicago Chess Conference tournaments that will highlight the competitive chess scene at our school. I also expect more wins and consistency given the experience that our players have gained.”
Coach Kirchman believes that this year’s success is only the beginning of an outstanding chess team here at Brother Rice. Kirchman is optimistic for the future with the returning players bringing in more wins, and he is excited for new members to join the road to victory.
Photo Credits: Coach Sean Kirchman
