“The winner of the game is the player who makes the next-to-last mistake” (Savielly Tartakover)

On 12 and 13 October, Shalom’s top chess team, made up of Callum M, Waylen H, Seth G, Luke R, Max C, and Harry L, travelled to St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace in Brisbane to compete in the prestigious State Inter-School Chess Championships. Shalom qualified for this event after winning the Wide Bay North Regional Finals in Term 3, facing off against the top teams from across Queensland—a formidable challenge.

The Shalom team secured an impressive 15th place out of 22 schools statewide and ranked 5th among the Regional schools. Leading the way were Callum M (3 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses), Luke R (3 wins, 1 loss), and Waylen H (2 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses), with Seth, Harry, and Max also contributing valuable victories. The team displayed remarkable chess skills against tough competition, showing how much they’ve grown as players. Congratulations to these boys for their outstanding performances—we look forward to hopefully doing it all again next year.

A special shoutout goes to our Year 12 students—Seth, Luke, Max, and Harry—who have been dedicated members of Shalom chess for many years. They have been fantastic companions and exceptional chess players. The boys ended their Shalom chess careers on a high note, winning the last two regional tournaments and competing at the State Finals. Their absence will leave a significant gap in our chess team, and they will be greatly missed. A big thank you also to Steven Love, who was excellent company and an inspiring mentor throughout the trip.

To see the results in their entirety, including both team and individual results, follow the link: (https://gardinerchess.com.au/event-result/2024-queensland-inter-school-state-finals/). If you wish to keep in touch with all things Shalom Chess, then follow our Sia Chess Group page (https://schoolbox.shalomcollege.com/homepage/6024).

If you would like to play some chess, or learn how to, you are most welcome to attend our Chess Club which meets each Tuesday at 11.25am-12pm in Beerarlem. We would love you to join us in the classy and noble pursuit of chess.

Mr Brendan Maher
Assistant Principal - Administration
maherb@shalomcollege.com