GRASS VALLEY — Sixty-one students from 29 schools and homeschool programs throughout the region gathered at Magnolia Intermediate School on Oct. 3 for the Fall 2026 Gold Country Scholastic Chess Tournament, a five-round, US Chess Federation-rated competition organized by Magnolia Intermediate and Arete Charter Academy’s chess coach, Donald Walsh.
The tournament brought together young chess players from schools throughout Nevada County and neighboring communities, with students representing public schools, charter schools, private schools and homeschool programs. For many students, the tournament provided an opportunity to compete against players they would not normally meet at their own schools.
Students competed in three sections based on grade level: Grade School for kindergarten through fifth grade, Intermediate for sixth through eighth grade, and High School for ninth through 12th grade. In addition to individual awards, schools competed for team trophies, with the top three schools in each section recognized.
Participating schools and programs included Magnolia Intermediate, Ghidotti Early College High School, Bear River High School, Forest Charter School, Arete Charter Academy, Seven Hills Middle School, Olympus Junior High, Newcastle Elementary, Alder Creek Elementary, iLearn Academy, Grass Valley Charter, Nevada City School of the Arts, Horizon Charter, Del Oro High School, Nevada Union High School, Rocklin Academy, COA Middle School, Nidahas Pasala, Visions in Education, Caughlin Ranch Elementary, Alta Sierra Elementary, Feather River Charter School, Lyman Gilmore Middle School, Colfax Elementary, Cottonwood Charter, Ridgeview Elementary, St. Albans Country Day School, Sierra Hills, and Theodore Judah Elementary.
Grade School
The Grade School (K-5) section was won by fifth-grader Yuktaa S. of Theodore Judah Elementary. She finished undefeated with a perfect 5-0 record.
Marcus B. of Cottonwood Charter and Emmett Boucher of Nevada County Home School each finished with 4 points to tie for second place. Allan G. of Rocklin Academy and Viraaj Baid of Theodore Judah Elementary each scored 3½ points to tie for third.
Other Grade School competitors included Micah Wijono-McClymont and Mason Wijono-McClymont of St. Albans Country Day School; Logan Morey of Colfax Elementary; Sasha W. and Minka W. of the Nidahas Pasala homeschool program; Dustin Harms of Grass Valley Charter; Jesse Bethancourt of Arete Charter Academy; Sasha Siretskiy of Visions in Education; Tobias Mack and William M. of Nevada City School of the Arts; Durga S. of Alder Creek Elementary; Daxton P. of Forest Charter; Spencer M. of Alta Sierra Elementary; and Matthew Morfin of Sierra Hills School.
One of the Grade School competitors was just 5 years old. Sasha S. managed to win two games.
In the team competition, Theodore Judah Elementary finished first, followed by St. Albans Country Day School in second and Nevada City School of the Arts in third.
Intermediate
In the Intermediate section, Artemii Lebedev of COA Middle School finished first with a perfect 5-0 score.
Five players finished at 4-1: Nathan Cook of Arete Charter Academy, Koda Andrea Jefferson of Feather River Charter School, Zayn Shahid of Ridgeview Elementary, and Magnolia students Brady Mathias and Samuel Stalcup.
Seven players finished at 3-2: Brandon Flores of Olympus Junior High, Tilton Taylor, Beckett Guevin and Oliver C. of Seven Hills Middle School, Austin Song of Olympus, Colton P. and Bently Darneal of Magnolia, and Verona Voellinger of Arete Charter Academy. Tournament tiebreaks were used to determine medal recipients.
Other Intermediate competitors included Bradley Robertson and Nico S. of Magnolia; Jesiah Giove, Nainoa Giove and Jackson Payne of Newcastle Elementary; Rumi K. and Anias K. of the Nevada County Homeschool Chess Club; Jackie Bethancourt of Arete Charter Academy; Leonard Edward Erhart VI of Lyman Gilmore Middle School; Oliver Costa of Seven Hills Middle School; Dylan Adams of iLearn Academy; Allan Kaptoge of Olympus Junior High; Jubal Rancher, Yuba Merry and Kavi A. of Forest Charter; Ellis Carpenter of Grass Valley Charter; and Bronson C.
In the team competition, Magnolia Intermediate finished first, followed by Seven Hills Middle School in second and Olympus Junior High in third.
High School
In the High School section, James Keiser of Ghidotti Early College High School went undefeated at 5-0 to take first place.
Alexander Hartmann of Forest Charter and Mason Hotchkiss of Ghidotti Early College High School each scored 4 points to tie for second. Jackson Hodgson of Ghidotti Early College High School finished third with 3½ points.
Other high school competitors included Stanlee Farmer, Noah Lawrence and Ella Walsh of Bear River High School; Ronan Rodriguez of Feather River High School; Benjamin P. and Andre Leon Vallieres of Forest Charter; Jasper Levinson of Ghidotti Early College High School; and Elliot Lacy of Nevada Union High School.
Ghidotti Early College High School won the High School team competition, with Bear River High School taking second and Forest Charter School taking third.
Building a Regional Scholastic Chess Community
The tournament was supported by a number of volunteers who helped with everything from directing games to keeping the event organized. Student volunteers Kayla Lukenbill and Judah Koopmans assisted during the tournament. Rick Rice, who runs the Nevada County Library chess club, also volunteered, along with Kylie Griffis, a teacher at Deer Creek, and Jennifer Walsh, a school psychologist with the Wheatland School District. Arthur Braden, a master chess player who runs the Auburn Chess Club, was the chief tournament director. Donald Walsh, the tournament organizer, also assisted in directing the tournament. Jasper Levinson (student) and Kristen Dees (parent) also volunteered. Many parents and students chipped in after the tournament by putting away chairs, chess sets, and breaking down tables.
Donald Walsh said he hopes that by organizing local scholastic tournaments, students will have an opportunity to play challenging games, meet other young chess players and learn from both their victories and losses.
With 61 students representing 29 schools and homeschool programs, Walsh hopes the Gold Country Scholastic Chess Tournament series will continue to grow into a regular opportunity for students throughout the region.
Schools throughout the region are encouraged to share information about upcoming Gold Country Scholastic Chess tournaments with their students and families. Students do not need to attend a school chess club to participate, and schools can compete for team awards with as few as three players. School announcements can help families learn about opportunities that might otherwise be missed.
The next Gold Country Scholastic Chess Tournament is planned for December 12, 2026.
More information about upcoming events, registration and local scholastic chess opportunities is available at www.goldcountrychess.org.