Hvaleyrarskóli wins the upper-year chess competition

Chess lives on in the primary schools of Hafnarfjörður

The chess tournament for 8th-10th grade pupils from Hafnarfjörður's primary schools took place at Hvaleyrarskóli yesterday afternoon. Chess teams from 6 schools, comprising a total of 36 players and 12 team captains, took part. Ægir Magnússon, a chess teacher at Hvaleyrarskóli, welcomed the competitors on behalf of the school. The tournament is a joint project between the Kiwanis Club Hraunborgar and the secondary schools' youth clubs.

Ægir thanked the members of Hraunborgar for their support, and especially Gunnþór Þ. Ingason, the tournament organiser on behalf of Hraunborgar, the club's main liaison with the schools, and a visionary for the sport of chess. Guðni, president of Hraunborgar, opened the tournament, which was held for the fourth time. Grandmaster Helgi Ólafsson was the tournament director and Auðbergur Magnússon the arbiter. Guðbjörg Oddný Jónasdóttir, chairwoman of the Culture and Tourism Committee of Hafnarfjörður Municipality, played the first game of the chess tournament at the request of the tournament director.

The Hvaleyrarskóli team won the competition, with the Víðistaðaskóli team in second place. The Hraunvallaskóli team came third.

„We at Kiwanis Club Hraunborg are grateful to be able to sponsor the primary school chess tournaments here in Hafnarfjörður by providing medals, a trophy and refreshments,“ said Guðni Freyr Ingvason, chairman of Kiwanis Club Hraunborg. He thanked the competitors for their sportsmanship and good conduct and congratulated the winners. He thanked Helgi for his efficient yet gentle management and Auðbergur for his refereeing, and presented them with a book donation.

Yes, the future is bright with such chess prodigies in our ranks.