Released on = July 6, 2006, 7:37 pm

Press Release Author = The Delphian School

Industry = Education

Press Release Summary = Local Chess Master, Clark Harmon, took on fifteen members of
the Delphian School's Chess Club simultaneously. They gave him a fight, but the
Master emerged victorious.

Press Release Body = On Tuesday, May 9th, the Delphian School's Chess Club had the
honor of hosting Chess Master Clark Harmon of Amity for a "Simul," a match where a
Master plays a large number of lesser opponents simultaneously. In this case Harmon
challenged fifteen of the Delphian School's players--which meant he had to play
fifteen different chess games at the same time.

In a remarkable display of concentration and ability, Harmon moved down the line,
pausing for just a few seconds in front of each board before making his move and
going on to the next.

The Delphian School's chess coach, James Horton, had chosen his fifteen players
carefully. Ranging from second to eleventh grade, each of the students had regional
and state scholastic championship experience, and each was eagerly looking forward
to the match. However, they were facing a man who has been the official State Chess
Champion nine times over in his career, and is currently ranked third in the state.
Slowly but surely, Harmon ground them down. One by one he checkmated his young
opponents, shaking their hands and congratulating them for their courageous play.

Lindsay Price, the current fifth grade regional champion, was among the last
survivors. She was thrilled and beamed, "I can't believe I lasted so long!"
Christopher Kevorkian, who tied for second in high school at the Chess for Success
State Championships this spring, also did very well--he was a pawn up on Harmon and
had a good position going into the last stage of the game. Still, Harmon found a way
to prevail.

Of all the school's players, Ben Jacobs came the closest to succeeding against
Harmon. Jacobs, a junior at Delphi, was the regional high school champion as a
freshman and has state and national chess championship tournament experience. Jacobs
had managed a strong lead as the game wound into its final phase. Unfortunately for
Jacobs, by then all the other games had concluded and now Harmon could put his full
attention on him.

With a crowd watching this final game, once again Harmon came away the winner. But
he congratulated Jacobs on his fine play, admitting that at one point he had
considered offering him a draw.

Harmon was impressed with the club's talent and spirit. After taking such a beating,
one might expect dampened enthusiasm. But as third grader Brett Horton put it
afterwards, "I want to play him again. He should come back every month!"

The Delphian School is an independent, co-educational day and boarding school
offering college preparatory, English-as-a-Second-Language and summer programs for
elementary through high school students. The Delphian School is licensed to use
Applied Scholastics(TM) educational services (http://www.AppliedScholastics.Org).

Company Name:
The Delphian School

Web Site Address:
http://www.delphian.org

Contact Information:
Bruce Wiggins, Director of Public Relations
The Delphian School
20950 SW Rock Creek Road
Sheridan, Oregon 97378
800-626-6610
brucew@delphian.org

Category:
Education


Web Site = http://www.delphian.org

Contact Details = Bruce Wiggins, Director of Public Relations
The Delphian School
20950 SW Rock Creek Road
Sheridan, Oregon 97378
800-626-6610
brucew@delphian.org