American students play chess in local championship

Tyric Elias, Caden Rodgers, and Sofiya Grodiychuk, 6th-graders from Kaiserslautern Middle School (in the foreground), battle against their opponents Jan. 30 in the 10th annual youth chess tournament for school-age students throughout Rheinland-Pfalz in Landau. Thirty-six students from Kaiserslautern Elementary School and KMS participated in the Palatinate Championship and competed against 19 different schools. The Department of Defense Education Activity students were divided into nine teams, four players each, seven in grades K-to-4 and two in grades 5-to-6. One team of 3rd and 4th graders placed fourth in their age category, earning an automatic invitation to the next level of competition, the Rheinland-Pfalz-Championship March 10 in Bendorf. The top four teams in each age group will move on to the last level of competition for this school year at a chance of becoming the German National champs. — Photo by Jack Woodfork