LaVerne Park Chess  Tournament and Water  FestGorgeous weather greeted  enthusiastic chess players  at the LaVerne Chess  Tournament and Water Fest  Saturday, June 27th. Picnic  benches were set up with  chess boards in the shade  next to the river. In the  lower rated division,  Amanda Davidson (mother  of several Coquille chess  players) and Phelen Van  Deren (Middle School player  from Portland) tied for  first place. A tie breaker  Blitz playoff with only five  minutes per player resulted  in a win for Phelen.

Prizes  of squirt guns were given  out with a Super Soaker for  first place. They were put to  instant use. Local players JJ  Newman (recent 3rd grader)  won fourth place. Tyler  Ogleby (recent 4th grader)  won fifth place and  Angelina Morones (recent  preschooler) won sixth  place. In the higher rated  division, Josiah Perkins  (recent 3rd grader had the  talent to compete against  other very talented individuals.  His only loss was Mark  Claiborne, Coquille’s current  coach and instructor.

Frequently Josiah was  wrapped in a towel as he  dried off after playing in the  nearby river or the squirt  gun fights. He had to compete  against his mother,  Angelina Perkins who ultimately  placed fifth in the  upper division.  Coquille’s Kaitlyn  Davidson won third place,  Sarai Perkins won fourth  place. Afterwards, more  river and squirt gun fun  guaranteed a few sunburns.  Coquille plans two more  LaVerne Park Chess  Tournaments July 18th and  August 8th. All chess players,  kids and adults, are  invited to test their skills  and have a load of fun!