Rye High School students Connor Galvez, Zachary Ramsey, Kasper Hurst and Tayga Vural took third place in the New York State Chess Championships in Saratoga Springs on March 9.
The annual state tournament brings together more than 2,000 K-12 chess players from across New York state. It is America’s longest-running tournament and also one of the most competitive in the nation.
Although Rye high school does not have a team, these four players joined together to represent Rye, under the coaching of Felix Lopez, a chess expert who has coached several teams to national championships. Lopez coaches through a Pelham-based organization called Chess in Motion.
Galvez, Hurst, and Vural are all freshman, while Ramsey is a junior. The quartet will follow their success with a trip to the U.S. National High School Championships in April 6 in Baltimore.