A Strong Showing at the 2025 CCDS Chess Championship

Photo from left to right: (back row) Nico Rumboll (deputy tournament director), Alan Falkingham (tournament director), Jack Albers `26 (Loveland), Max Sun `27 (Mason), Rob Zimmerman `98 (head of school); (front row): Siddhartha Hoffman `36 (Indian Hill), Agnatveer Maan `34 (West Chester), Neel Patel `30 (Loveland), Parker Watson `31 (Loveland)

In November, the 2025 CCDS Chess Championship brought together young minds from across all three divisions for two days of strategy, camaraderie, and competition.

Friday’s simultaneous exhibition featured 35 Country Day students facing off against national chess master and multi-time city champion Russ Wilson `75 or tournament director Alan Falkingham.  Saturday's tournament included 36 Country Day students from grades K-12. All participants were guaranteed to play five competitive games.

In the Upper School division, first-place honors went to Jack Albers `26, with Sam Driehaus `28 claiming second. Meanwhile, in the Middle School bracket, top finishers were Parker Watson `31 in first place and Neel Patel `30 in second. The Lower School saw impressive results as well: Siddhartha Hoffman `36 captured first place and Agnatveer Maan `34 took second. And the overall tournament champion was Max Sun `27, who came in first place in the Upper School during last year’s tournament, and who reflected on the event with characteristic humility.

“I’ve always found the CCDS Chess Championship to be a chance to connect with others in the CCDS community. I continue to find myself surprised by the skill level of my competitors, particularly the middle and lower schoolers. I have little doubt that there will be a multitude of players who will overtake me soon.”

Middle school teacher and chess club advisor Nico Rumboll spoke to the deeper value of the event.

“I would say that chess is becoming more relevant in today’s hyper-accelerated world, where slowing down and engaging the pre-frontal cortex is great training for any careful decision-making. Seeing students take on the emotional and mental challenge of dueling against their friends and kids of other grades strengthens the community, gives them more chances for extracurricular engagement, and creates more space for kids to find themselves.”

Tournament director and CCDS parent Alan Falkingham mirrored that sentiment.

“I am thrilled by the increased interest we have seen in our chess program over the past couple of years, and it’s great to see kids who were part of our lower school and middle school clubs continuing to grow and develop their chess skills as they rise through the divisions. Chess teaches so many great life-skills … the ability to anticipate and plan ahead, the need to think critically and calculate accurately, effective time management, the clear-mindedness needed to perform under pressure, and sportsmanship — the resilience to accept defeats and learn from them and to win graciously. We saw all of that in a tournament environment, across all divisions. For example, we saw second graders battling toe to toe with our former Ohio chess champion and Country Day alum Russ Wilson for several hours, and a lower schooler scoring an impressive 3.5 out of 5 points in the tournament. Chess truly is one of those few endeavors where age and physical strength per se is neither an advantage nor disadvantage — it’s all about skill.”

It was a weekend that reaffirmed the spirit of Country Day’s community: inclusive, cross-divisional, and rooted in virtue more than purely victory.