SCH Chess Team Wins 5th Place at 2026 U.S. Chess National Elementary K-6 Championship

The SCH chess team secured a 5th-place finish at the 2026 U.S. Chess National Elementary K-6 Championship in Baltimore. Eleven students competed last weekend at a range of levels and ages, from the rookie “Unrated” section to the elite veteran “Open” section. Competitors played seven games each, and each game can take up to three hours.

Our K6 U800 team was represented by Mazzie Notash, Felipe Fajardo, Aiden Zamani, Hugo Dybas, and Noah Chapman. SCH tied for 5th place among 42 schools nationwide. James Salata, who played in the U1000 section, was the MVP of our SCH chess team's efforts and stood undefeated after six games, and played for 1st place in the final round. As a 3rd grader, Salata is now SCH’s second-highest rated player at SCH!

Rounding the SCH chess team of 11 are: Kellan Colby (K6 Open), Shervin Medizad (K6 U1200), Grayson Wright (K6 U1000), Nicholas Chapman (K6 U600), and Jax Nickel (K3 U600).