This Wednesday International Master John Donaldson, the head of the oldest chess club in the US and the finest teacher in the nation, visited our school and played a 20 board simul against Miami Country Day’s deluxe chess players. Among the spectators were pacifist Monks, showing an interesting juxtaposition of peacefulness and the warlike game atop the board. This event has been going on for years and the result has always been the same: everybody loses. This year this changed in a major way, maybe because MCDS strayed away from regulated simul rules- allowing collaboration and digital notation.  Whatever the reason senior, Albert Katz (with the help of a group of seniors including Alec Warner, Ian Gonzalez and Bharat Chandar) managed a win against the seasoned opponent. Senior Bharat Chandar, also with the help of the aforementioned seniors, managed a draw via the three move repetition method. Even with the untraditional help, this is nonetheless an impressive feat.

Because of Donaldson’s aid given throughout the week leading up to the simul, the MCDs chess team was able to bring home 4^th place from the State championship this weekend (and the U1000 division to win 3^rd). Suffering from exhaustion, hunger and sub-arctic temperatures, the team managed to beat out the majority of other Florida schools in two grueling 8 hour sessions. Even though IM Donaldson was not there, he was there in spirit and his lessons carried the team to an impressive finish. Senior, Ian Gonzalez says “If it weren’t for Donaldson, I would have had no idea how to face the opening my round 5 opponent did. Thanks to his help I was able to roll him over and destroy him in an eye blink.” It took commitment and fortitude for the players to help the team and for that they are congratulated.

Even though IM Donaldson lost one of his 20 simultaneous games, he is still revered around our campus, and he is truly a representation of how this school goes above and beyond.