Young chess sensation is math champion

Chess involves a lot of calculations. Math, too, does not only involve calculation but in fact is totally about calculation.

This is perhaps the reason why chess and math have something in common.

For mathematicians, however, 8x8 is simply 64. But for chess players, 8x8 means more than 64, but 32 light squares and 32 dark squares with coordinates A to H and 1 to 8. Huh!! Haha, of course, that's to romanticize chess a bit.

Well, this post is just another proposition that chess indeed helps kids excel in academics, probably not only in mathematics.

More than academics, chess teaches kids to be competitive. Chess is a competition in the first place.

See the value? Chess helps kids excel in academics and helps them become competitive.

A good example is the country's very young chess sensation seven year-old Stephen Rome Pangilinan who recently emerged CHAMPION in the individual written category of the 2010 Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Match Challenge Division Meet in San Jose Del Monte Bulacan.

Stephen Rome,who made a distinctive mark in his young chess career by ruling GM Susan Polgar's Under 8 international competition in Las Vegas last year, also placed Second Runner-Up in Team Oral Category and 1st Runner-Up overall.

Just recently this kid emerged champion in the 6th Xavier School Chess Invitational Grade School Division; 2nd Place in the Under-10 Division of the Grand Finals of Dir. Relorcasa Age-Group competition; and 3rd Place in the Women's and Kiddies Division in the 3rd Gathering of Kings and Knights tourney.

It's indeed inspiring to see young kids who are excellent not only in chess but also in school.

Congratulations to Stephen Rome and his parents!! Keep up the good family team work!!