SHS Chessmen Compete in National Tournament in San Diego
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- Written by Katharina Horn
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Most are not aware that the game of chess is as competitively demanding and time consuming as any mainstream sport. The reality is that chess is more than a classic board game; in fact, those who play chess competitively and therefore have an ELO rating know that the game of chess entails practice and determination in addition to weekend-long tournaments and six-hour-long games. Junior Mahiro Abe, sophomore Eric Zhang, sophomore Dexin Li, and senior Morgan Lawless are the four players from Scarsdale High School's chess club who attended the 2014 National High School Championship in San Diego held in April. Although Scarsdale High School does not have a developed chess program with a dedicated chess coach like some High Schools do, these four players led the Scarsdale team to tie for 10th place out of 51 High Schools.
These young players are all highly ranked on the ELO rating system, which accounts for all chess players, from Grandmasters, who have ELO ratings of 2600 and above, to beginners, who have ELO ratings closer to zero. ELO ratings are not rankings in which players are competing for specific place; there is no limit to how high a player's rating can go, though no grandmaster has yet achieved a rating of 3000. A player simply gains or loses points based on performance. Mahiro Abe has a rating of 2203 (Master level), Eric Zhang has a rating of 2084 (Expert level), Dexin Li has a rating of 1785, and Morgan Lawless has a rating of 1521. To give perspective, they all fall above the 96th percentile for chess players grades K-12 in the nation. Mahiro holds 21st place for all players age 16 in the nation, and Eric Zhang holds 30th place for all players age 15 in the nation. Needless to say, Scarsdale has talent as far as chess is concerned.
MAHIRO ABE
Regular rating: 2203
Junior ranking: 156 out of 39688
Age 16 ranking: 21 (only top 100 shown)
Mahiro started playing chess by chance, when he was taken in by the friendly environment of an after-school chess club he attended in second grade. Since then, he has filled his room with twenty to thirty chess books, and has recently become a Master, or a chess player with a rating above 2200.
He has also won first place in Japan's Chess Junior Championship, a tournament he is not likely to forget although he admits chess is not as competitive in Japan as it is in the United States. "I was traveling behind one person going into the fourth or fifth round. When I was paired with this person, I was in a bad position and down on time, but managed to turn the tables and win with a few really good moves that my opponent missed," explained Mahiro.
His prominence in Japan led him to represent Japan five times in the World Youth Chess Championships, an experience he says shaped the way he played chess and continues to play chess. "It's really cool that I got to meet a lot of people from different countries who have the same passion of playing chess," he said.
Mahiro's strengths are his impressive concentration and his strong base of fundamentals that stem from his extensive daily practice. "Even when it seems like the game is going to go on for another forty moves or something, I don't lose concentration," said Mahiro. He also has a bounty of diverse chess books. He tries to read a chapter a day; if he reads a chapter from one book on one day, he reads a chapter from another book the next day in order to vary the topic. He also has online lessons once a week, plays chess games on the internet, and watches top players' games. Once or twice a month, he attends an old and famous chess club in NYC called the Marshall Chess Club for a two-day tournament over the weekend. He plays four games, each around three to five hours long. Once or twice in a span of two to three months, he travels to Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Massachusetts for larger tournaments.
Hard losses as well as gratifying wins and hard practice have shaped Mahiro's chess career. Around two years ago, when his rating was already over 2000, he was in a winning position and up a Knight against a kid who was only eleven years old. "I don't know how to explain it, it was like I just made him win," said Mahiro. "I couldn't get out of my seat for a few minutes after that loss. It was such a shock, it was so vivid. I remember it before every tournament. I'm confident I'll never make that kind of mistake again." After the tough loss, Mahiro became more cautious as a player in a good way.
One of the top points Mahiro has focused on this year is his determination to win the game and not settle for a draw. "Some players play for the draw if they are playing against a stronger opponent," admitted Mahiro. "Although that isn't necessarily bad, to keep playing chess you need that determination to win every game." Sometimes giving up is subtle - choosing a safe, inconsequential move over a more complicated one - so Mahiro has to work hard to avoid giving in to a tie. Perhaps his drive will lead him to surpass his title of Master, which he regards as a benchmark instead of an ultimate goal, and to achieve the title of Senior master, which is the title just before Grandmaster.
Mahiro guesses that he has spent more time on chess than any other extracurricular activity in his life ... and he hopes to keep it that way. Although he humbly expresses doubt that he can play for a college that is a "chess stronghouse," he hopes to play at least a few tournaments every few months as he gets older regardless. "I'm really determined to win, but even if I don't win, playing good chess makes me really happy," explained Mahiro, "I see no reason at all to quit."
ERIC ZHANG
Regular rating: 2084
Junior ranking: 357 out of 39688
Age 15 ranking: 30 (only top 100 shown)
Eric Zhang is not the typical chess player. Although he describes his practice as minimal, he has an undeniable love for the game and "plays with his heart." And while his coach used to tell him to sit upright and focused when playing tournaments, he is a fan of Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, who sits in awkward and nonchalant positions. Perhaps the most unique aspect of Zhang is his almost superstitious belief in chess destiny. "Most players study a lot, but I rely on my passion and my destiny," noted Zhang. "When I start out with a win, I know I'm going to have a good tournament, and I believe that nothing is going to stop me. When I have a bad start, I know I'm going to have a bad tournament, so I let it happen and look forward to the next one."
From the time he started learning the basics of chess at five years old and playing competitively two years later, Zhang's unique approach has certainly worked for him. He has achieved the Expert level and is 100 points shy of Master, his next goal. His most memorable tournament was the time he placed 9th out of 200 kids age 14 in the 2013 Junior National Championship held in Florida. He has traveled as far as Florida, Virginia, and Philadelphia to attend tournaments.
Although he identifies his weakness as his game openings, which need to be studied, he has a useful ability to function under pressure. In tournaments where there is an unbearable silence except for the touch of clocks, which serve to keep the time for players who lose the game if they run out of time, functioning under pressure, especially time pressure, is essential. "For me, that kind of pressure is really fun," said Zhang.
Zhang's love of the game is almost palpable. "Chess has helped me in countless ways. It makes me feel special, it gives me confidence. I relate chess to everything I do in life - I know that I may lose a few games or have a bad day, but it's important to focus on the next game or to have a better day the next day," he said. Clearly, he plans to play for the rest of his life.
DEXIN LI
Regular rating: 1785
Junior ranking: 1444 out of 39,688
Dexin Li is a girl in a predominantly male sport that is not split by gender. Thus it is fitting that her mentor and idol has been her coach Rusa, who was the US Women's Champion in 2005. Rusa has pushed Li, who struggles with confidence problems, to not only better her strategies, but also believe in herself.
One of Li's most memorable tournaments was the New York State Scholastic Championships, where she broke 1400. "I remember in the last game I played really hard, and my face was all red," Li recalls. Like many serious players, Li gets emotionally invested in her tournaments, which makes her wins even more gratifying.
She is planning to increase the number of tournaments she plays in order to break 2000 and earn the Expert title. She will do so using her ability to concentrate for long periods of time as well her strategy of waiting until the middle of the game to start attacking her opponent to gain an advantage. If she keeps up her practice, which includes weekly meetings with Rusa, reading tactic books, and going over her games on a computer program called Test Base, Li will certainly reach her goal.
MORGAN LAWLESS
Regular ranking: 1521
Junior ranking: 2971 out of 39,688
Morgan Lawless was introduced to chess in first grade. Since then, his parents have been the perfect kind of parents: supportive, but not pushy. "My dad always tells me the second you stop having fun is the second we're going to stop going to these tournaments," said Morgan. Lawless has developed into a player who genuinely has fun playing.
Schoolwork often gets in the way of Lawless's practice. However, he manages to attend group chess lessons on a weekly basis and study tactic books when he has the chance. He also uses the ICC (Internet Chess Club) and chess.com to play against different people online. He attends local tournaments at the National Scholastic Chess Foundation in Westchester.
Lawless's chess strategy is marked by his desire to try unconventional, fun moves. "I like to do risky, stupid things that other people would say, 'You shouldn't be doing that,'" said Lawless. "But I like to use them because those moves are really fun." Perhaps that is why his favorite Grandmaster is Nakamura, whose aggressive play is entertaining to watch.
As Lawless's coach used to say, "The hardest thing to do in chess is win a won chess game." In other words, converting one's advantage into a win is more difficult than it seems for Lawless and other competitive chess players. Lawless is also hoping to work on studying more tactics, so that he can calculate possibilities with a clearer and quicker mind.
He plans to play chess for the rest of his life, whether it is in tournaments or just for fun. "Chess is an extracurricular that I've always done and I absolutely love it. Winning a chess game is the best thing ever because you feel like you've earned it; after sitting there for hours and hours, finally winning feels really good."
Vaping: Is the Latest Trend Among Teens Safe?
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- Written by Stacie M. Waldman
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Have you heard your teenager mention hookah pens? How about vape pens, e-hookahs, hookah sticks, or e-pens? The action of smoking one is called "vaping."
Though they go by different names, they're one in the same. Hookah pens are slick, convenient, portable, colorful, flavorful e-cigarette-type devices becoming increasingly popular among pre-teens and teens. Cigarettes are known to be cancer causing and drugs are illegal, but teens of today are finding new ways to circumvent both the unhealthy and unacceptable with the use of hookah pens.
Why are teens drawn to hookah pens?
Hookah pens are marketed as being nicotine free if desired (unlike cigarettes and e-cigarettes) as well as tobacco and tar free. In other words, they are being marketed as safe. They are sold with different "juices" touted as containing only propylene glycol, glycerin, flavoring, and water; or the same ingredients that are in your salad dressings and shampoos. Flavors are tempting and seductive: cotton candy, mountain dew, sensual vanilla, chocolate candy bar, jungle juice, mocha latte, energy, and bubble gum among others. The pens are cheap, disposable, and don't need to be cleaned or maintained. Youtube videos show people doing tricks with the vapor created by heating, inhaling, then exhaling the pen juice in the vaporized form. Companies that produce hookah pens have come up with savvy slogans and terms such as "live loud, make clouds," "make your own smoke art," "fresh, outdoor clouds," "sun filled clouds," "airbending," and "vape towers."
Are hookah pens safe?
The perception is that they are much safer than cigarettes and even risk-free due to the seemingly innocuous ingredients in them. They are being aggressively marketed this way as well. However, questions abound and they are not even recommended for smoking cessation purposes. Jon Ebbert, MD, Assistant Director of the Mayo Clinic's Nicotine Dependence Center, told Science Daily, "...vaping creates a vapor cloud that resembles cigarette smoke. As of right now, there is no long-term safety data showing the impact of repeated inhalation of propylene glycol or glycerin on lung tissue."
Propylene glycol and glycerin, while common and shown to be safe in foods and beauty supplies, have not been extensively studied in humans in their inhaled forms. Hookah pens haven't been around long enough to be scientifically studied and they are essentially unregulated. Most pens are manufactured in China and there is limited quality control. Recourse (such as suing a company) would likely be limited if they are found to put your health at risk. Companies cite "a study" on their websites that showed that hookah pens were safe but the study has no citation, likely because the study was not published and/or publishable.
Is vaping addictive?
Nicotine-free hookah pens aren't likely to be addictive, but may be habit forming. According to a New York Times article published this past March, "...health officials worry that...[it]will lead to increased nicotine use and, possibly, prompt some people to graduate to cigarettes". Is the hookah pen industry eluding lawmakers by promoting their nicotine-free hookah pens to teenagers with the thought that young "vapers" will eventually graduate to the more addictive nicotine-laced hookah pen juice? There is also a legitimate concern that refillable vape pens can be used to surreptitiously smoke more dangerous products with no incriminating odor.
Can you purchase them legally if you're below 18 years of age? How are they purchased?
That depends on where you try to purchase them. Hookah pens are often labeled as nicotine-free and tobacco-free and they are relatively new to the marketplace. It is unclear whether they are safe or dangerous. Therefore, many states and counties do not yet have laws around the sale and use of these devices. It is unclear whether your child would be sold a hookah pen at a store. One thing is clear, however. The hookah pen business on the internet is booming and it is very easy to purchase them online with discounts offered for bulk purchases. They're cheap- between $6-10 for the disposable pens and $20 and up for the non-disposable ones. Of note, one of the larger hookah pen manufacturers and distributors just received financing to the tune of $4.7 million in order to expand its presence across the United States.
With funding like this and investors and celebrities picking up on the trend, expect that hookah pen use will only be increasing in our schools and in our area.
Have you heard of hookah pen use in Scarsdale? Share your thoughts below!
Class of 2014 Gets it Right
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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As senior class advisors Kendra Claussen and Oren Iospovici noted, there was little drama surrounding the graduation of the class of 2014 and very few bumps along the way for this congenial class during their progression through four years at the high school. ... no drunken homecoming dance, stairwell gridlock or pranks before Junior Olypics to mark their passage. This class seemed to have done it right and enjoyed four years of exploration, education and fun, making the most of their time at Scarsdale High School.
Even the weather was perfect for the commencement ceremony on Friday June 27 at Dean Field –fair skies and manageable temperatures obviated the need for the ambulances which two years ago carried fainting observers from the stands during a heat wave.
The cooperative class of 356 students convened at the gym at 9 am for their last photo opp before lining up in alphabetical order to parade across the span of SHS and onto Dean Field where they were greeted by parents, grandparents, teachers and administrators.
After "Pomp and Circumstance" from the high school band, School Board President Suzanne Seiden thanked the parents for "getting students into these seats today," and told the graduating seniors that they have made lifelong friends with classmates who will share their joys and sorrows in the years to come. She encouraged the students to relish and preserve these relationships with their fellow students as well as teachers, deans and coaches. Telling the students they have "learned how to learn" she encouraged the to be engaged citizens, to demonstrate "non sibi", to care deeply about the lives and others and last to seize each and everyday.
This graduation marked retiring Superintendent Michael McGill's last in Scarsdale and he gave his farewell remarks, providing insight into his own educational path and providing some sage advice to the graduates.
We learned that McGill's father was a dean at SHS while he was growing up in Chappaqua. Despite his father's passion for education, it was not until 11th grade that McGill became excited about school when an English teacher changed his life and helped him make sense of the world. Ultimately this passion for education led McGill to follow his father into the family business, education. He told the SHS students that they had received an education that is "second to none," and lamented the fact that many in the U.S. do not have the same opportunity. He urged the class to help others in the U.S. to receive great educations, saying, "How else will we make the promise of democracy real? How will you change the world?
He then provided some more personal parting words of wisdom to the young audience:
He said:
-Persevere in finding love, as love endures.-Endure calamity and emerge stronger from the experience
-You don't need to have an answer to every problem
-Let things come to you; serendipity can yield pleasant surprises
-Kiss your parents and tell them you love them (which brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience.)
He ended by telling the departing seniors to "go the distance, take it one game at a time, believe in yourself and remember that the game ain't over till it's over. You are the shining class of 2014. You are Scarsdale. Much is expected of you. Go forth, be good people and make the world a better place."
Class Advisor Kendra Claussen and Oren Iosepovici said it was difficult to be funny when things had run so smoothly. After pausing for a "selfie" with Dr. McGill they reminisced about Jr. Olympics, the carnival, the senior class play and four years of an outstanding experience for the class the advisors.
Class Vice President Julia Feldstein thanked the faculty and staff for "supporting us, educating us and teaching us independence," and parents who "shared the journey" and passed on their "values, work ethic and passion." Class President Chris D'Silva claimed that "We are the best class the school has had in the visible past and the foreseeable future." He boasted that clubs exploded with activity and there was "never a boring school day." He said, "we connected as a community," and remembered two classmates who passed away, Tyler Madoff and Allana Calder saying "we all felt a sense of loss .... They are truly missed." (The class remembered Madoff by pinning blue ribbons to their graduatio robes.) D'Silva encouraged his classmates to "keep what we have built – to never forget the relationships and what we have learned." He ended by saying "Together we changed the school, now we can change much more."
Principal Kenneth Bonamo recalled radio personality Casey Kasem the man behind "The American Top 40 show" where he played and counted down the top songs on the radio. Bonamo sent out a pre-emptive "long distance dedication" to the class of 2014 telling that that "we have prepared you well enough that you might succeed." Echoing Kasem's signature sign-off after he played the #1 song he said, "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars." He advised the class to "honor your past as you seek your future."
With that, Dr. McGill and Principal Bonamo certified the class of 2014 and they filed forth to receive their diplomas. After 356 students shook hands with the principal, were photographed in front of the flag, everyone returned to their seats to toss their hats aloft. The ceremony went off without a hitch – just like the class of 2014's four years at SHS. Hats off to you.
If you have a photo of your grad you would like to add to the photo gallery, please email it to scarsdalecomments@gmail.com.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Questions Not to Ask – or Answer—in Scarsdale
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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The competition practically begins when the child is in the womb. Parents, often well-meaning, strike up a conversation by asking nosy questions that in any other circumstance would be rude to ask. Asking a pregnant woman how much weight she has gained, or asking the mom or a toddler why he or she is so small are just two of the inappropriate questions that make new mothers grimace.
And it only gets worse as the children get older. Parents compare athletic prowess, academic achievement and even popularity. Nothing is off the table.
So what topics should you avoid?
Here are some of the questions that I was hit with during my three children's journey from nursery school to graduation. Often caught off guard by prying acquaintances and strangers, I rarely came up with a clever response at the time and usually ended up spilling the beans and divulging something I didn't want to broadcast.
Be prepared and be a good friend. Here's the list of my top questions not to ask and definitelynot to answer.
(To the parents of a 4 year-old)
Q. Will you be holding your child back or sending him/her to kindergarten next year?
(To the parents of elementary school kids)
Q. Is your son/daughter trying out for travel soccer (baseball, or basketball) as the case may be – followed up with the question that strikes even more dread, Did your child make the team?
Q. Do you dress her in those same pants everyday or does she insist on wearing them?
(To the parents of sixth graders:)
Q. Did your son/daughter get in to advanced or honors math?
(To the parents of seventh graders)
Q. Is your son/daughter invited to so and so's Bar or Bat Mitzvah this weekend?
(Here's one I got from a pushy friend on the train whom I did not intend to invite to my daughter's bat mitzvah)
Q. Tell me the date of your upcoming Bat Mitzvah so I can mark it on my calendar.
(To the parents of high school students – the questions grow more intense!)
Q.Is your son/daughter going to be in Civ Ed?
Q. Was your son asked to the St. Vincent's dance?
Q. What did your son/daughter score on the SAT's or ACT's?
Q. Which SAT II's is your child taking?
Q. Is your son/daughter applying early decision to college?
Q. So – where is your son/daughter applying to college?
Q. Has you son/daughter gotten in anywhere yet?
And even graduating college does not stop the questions .... they want to know:
Q. Does your child have a job yet?
Q. Is your child 'off the payroll? Living at home?
Q. Are your kids "seeing" anyone? Engaged?
Q. When is your son/daughter having a baby?
Pretty soon your kids will start getting these same questions about their own children and the cycle will begin again.
What questions do you dodge? Share them in the comments section below:
Child Safety, First and Always
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- Written by Jamie Kayam
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As the parents of two very young children, my wife and I often size up up how to keep our kids safe....s ometimes, perhaps too much, but our concerns are almost always justified.
Bike Helmets: While driving in our car locally from Post Road onto Mamaroneck Road we were astounded to see a young girl (no more than 10-years old) riding her bike downhill towards the intersection next to a crowd of aggressive cars, without wearing a helmet! Her father and another young girl appeared just after her, not a helmet in sight.
According to Helmets.org, New York State requires all bike riders under the age of 14 to wear a helmet.
In the neighboring Town of Greenburgh (including Edgemont and Hartsdale), they've taken the issue even further by requiring all bike riders to wear a helmet no matter their age, while in the Town of Eastchester helmets are required for all bike riders under 19.
In Greenburgh you may have even observed street signs that advertise the local law, yet in the Village of Scarsdale there's no public effort to build awareness for wearing a helmet. The only place in Scarsdale we've observed helmet mandates was once on the Bronx River Parkway when it was opened for bike riding, and only at a checkpoint where a Westchester County Police Officer was present.
If you've got a kid with a bicycle, or even just a scooter, get a helmet and make sure they always wear it when riding.
Child-Safe Windows: We just made quick friends with our new neighbors; they've got kids, we've got kids, so we went next door for a party.
I trailed my 3-year old inside as he bolted upstairs to follow the noise of kiddie chatter so he could get in on the action. While downstairs I (neurotically) locked their front screen door. On the second floor of their house I immediately observed open windows everywhere, completely accessible to the children. I immediately started closing windows.
It's been 23 years since the musician Eric Clapton lost his son Conor, who had fallen out of and apartment window. A two-story house might not be as tall, but all it takes is one fall.
We have a variety of child safety locks installed throughout our home's windows, specifically on the second floor, ranging from inexpensive locks you can buy at Home Depot or online, to more custom "chain door-guards" that limit the range on windows that require winding a handle to swing open. We also remove all winding handles when not in use to prevent our kids from accessing those windows.
Additionally, if you've got a home alarm system, it can be helpful to add secondary magnet strips to all sliding windows so they can remain slightly opened while appearing "closed" to the alarm system, this way when a slightly-opened window is opened even more, the alarm will sound. In our house, when a window or door is opened, we know.
If you've got kids in your house, get child safety locks installed on every window and use them, and if you're in a house without them, don't take your eyes off of your kids.
Electricity: The other day I heard a scream from another room and ran in to find my and our son, who had just gotten electrocuted. Luckily our kid's science experiment was short-lived as the circuit breaker cut the power from an extension cord we had forgotten under our bed — I only discovered the power was out later when, downstairs, I found our refrigerator wasn't on.
My mother likes to joke that when I was a kid, I stuck a key in an electrical outlet and got shot across the room. While that's probably an exaggeration, some argue I'm still recovering.
If you've got little kids you need to put safety covers in all open electrical outlets, and make sure all accessible extension cords are covered as well.
Street Access: The NY Post recently reported that on Father's Day, 6-year old Tess Burstein, was accidentally hit and killed by a car in Watermill, NY, while crossing the street — without adult supervision. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family in grieving, and we should also take this moment to pledge not to let our young children have access to any street without supervision.
No matter how calm or quiet a road may seem, it is not safe for little children.
Does your young child play in your backyard? Do they have access to the street out front or neighboring properties? Consider installing a fence or gate to keep them safe.
Sharp Objects, Cleaning Products and Medications: We have a beautiful set of butcher knives that had always sat in a block on our kitchen counter — but no more. Now that our son has the ability to reach the counter, those knives have been moved to higher ground.
We've also installed child safety locks on kitchen cabinets where we store hazardous cleaning products, and have moved all bottles of medications to higher shelves. Hire a handyman or just do it yourself, these are easy projects that you should not put off.
We also have gates to close-off access to rooms and stairs, but as our older son has now gotten tall enough to scale the fence, we've taken the time to install keyed-locks on desk drawers to keep him out of the things he shouldn't have access to.
It doesn't end: We just retired our changing table for our 10-month old. A few weeks ago while I was changing his diaper, he squirmed out of my grip and then fell chin-first into the table's wooden frame and bit his tongue open with his first two teeth. Now I change him on our bed. I noticed at his daycare they use a much larger changing table that is cushioned from corner-to-corner and lacks any hard material that could harm a baby.
A good friend who's got kids a decade ahead of ours likes to remind me that as they get bigger so shall the problems. I'm sure he's right. But with a couple of fearless babies in our house we've got to be ever-vigilant in protecting them now, and it's not easy — they always seem to find the weakest link, but it's our job to keep trying.
Take child safety seriously!
This article was contributed by concerned Greenacres dad Jamie Kayam.
