Downingtown sixth grader wins national chess title

NORFOLK, VA. » Karthik Murugan, a student going into sixth grade at Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center in the Downingtown Area School District, won the National Elementary Championship title in the 118th Annual U.S. Open Chess Championship in Norfolk, Virginia on July 30.

The U.S. Open Championship is an open National Chess Championship that has been held in the United States annually since 1900. This is a national tournament conducted by US Chess Federation.

There were 78 players from 18 states, including: California, Florida, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut, etc., who played at Scholastic US Open.

Karthik won 3.5 out of four games, undefeated, and won the Elementary Championship nationally in Scholastic US Open.

His hard work and preparation paid off.

“I feel amazed; I never expected this would happen,” Murugan said. “I was very nervous before the last game that I played head on head with an opponent who is 130 points above me. I played my best game and did ‘checkmate’ on

my 18th move. It feels great to win.”

Earlier this year, Karthik won Mid-Atlantic Scholastic

Chess Championships in Baltimore, Maryland.

Karthik started playing chess at the age of 8 – playing for last 2.5 years. He has played 107 USCF (United States Chess Federation) rated tournaments, and a total of 511 games.

Murugan has now won over 50 trophies. He was Mid-Atlantic K-5 champion in 2017, World Open Under 13 Years, second place in 2016 and won first place in Pennsylvania State sections in 2015, among other titles.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Karthik Murugan, a student at Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center in the Downingtown Area School District, holds the trophy he won at the National Elementary Championships in Norfolk, Va. on July 30.