SEEING a turnout that more than doubled the tournament’s previous record, over 100 student chess teams showed up at Alfred Sangster Auditorium at University of Technology, Jamaica, on May 15 to compete in a series of mettle-testing matches across the four competition categories of Gifted Chess Foundation’s 22nd Annual Scholastic Team Chess Championship.

In the Primary-Prep Open — the main event showcasing their best players regardless of age or gender – St Andrew Prep edged out Hillel Academy, in a tiebreaker, to claim bragging rights as the strongest primary or preparatory school team nationwide. Emmanuel Christian Academy secured the third top spot.

Immaculate Conception Prep steadily dominated competitors to earn the Top Primary-Prep Female Team title, ahead of brilliant second- and third-place respective finishers Creative Kids Learning Academy and St Andrew Prep, .

Holy Childhood Prep proved to be the most impressive Under-8 team in the country, followed by St Andrew Prep and Morris Knibb Prep.

Through another tiebreaker St Jago High overcame Campion College’s ‘A’ team to become the Top Junior High Team, while Campion College’s B team rose to third place.

Showcasing a diverse breadth of talent, Campion College ultimately ran away with the Top Junior High Female Team title.

Also landing among the top five performers in the various tournament categories, very strong showings were made by Hopefield Prep and Sts Peter and Paul Prep in the Primary-Prep Open category; Emmanuel Christian Academy and Alpha Primary in the Primary/Prep Female category; Emmanuel Christian Academy and Reach Academy in the Under-8 category; and St Catherine High and Wolmer’s Boys’ School in the Junior High category.