Trophy for Corpus Christi, check
Chess Strategy
Deanna Ramirez, 11, and her three teammates are proud of the trophies they won at the recent Susan Polgar World Open Chess Championship for Girls in Las Vegas.
So proud they wanted the city to have one, too.
So proud that when Mayor Henry Garrett reached for Deanna's trophy, she kept her grip on it, making sure he got the right one - the second-place team trophy, not her individual award.
"These young ladies put Corpus Christi on the world map," Garrett said as another of the four elementary school chess whiz's handed him the trophy they brought for the city.
In addition to placing second as a team, each of the girls placed in different events in the competition that included 72 competitors from the United States, France, Mexico, Peru, Mongolia and Poland.
"The girls represent different schoolss and want to give this trophy to the city," said Bert Quintanilla, a chess instructor and father of team member Kennedy Quintanilla, 6, a first-grader at Windsor Park Elementary School.
By the mayor's June 6 proclamation three sisters, Deanna, 11, her two younger sisters, Courtney Ramirez, 9, and Kimberly Ramirez , 6, all students at St. Patrick's Catholic School, and Kennedy were designated as official representatives of the city at the tournament.
They gave council members chrome chess piece lapel pins, and handed each a poker chip with world champion chess grandmaster Polgar's photo on it.
"This is a $1,000 chip, right? asked Councilman Jerry Garcia, pinching it while spurring laughter among city officials.
They are real $5 chips, Quintanilla said.
"It was also a profitable trip then," said Councilman Mark Scott.
The girls, all straight-A students, each received a certificate from the mayor.
"We play as often as we can, people that play chess get better grades," said Deanna as they gathered in the hallway to chatter about their moment of recognition.
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