Prateek Pinisetti: My K-12 Scholastic Journey

The 2017 National K-12 Championships underway in Orlando, Florida this week will forever be a fond memory. As a senior in high school, this time of the year passes like a blitz game: over before you know it. Between college applications/interviews, school, it seems like there’s little time for anything else. However, chess can be relaxing and a tournament is an enjoyable break from writing essays. My US Chess journey started in fourth grade, with my first Grade Nationals in fifth grade at the Disney Coronado Resort in Orlando. I got a ‘tied for trophy’ and was absolutely thrilled with my first Nationals trophy. After that I went to on to win many other trophies and placed as a co-champion in 7th and 8th grades. Here is a collage of all the times I attended this tournament through the years. There is a spot for one more picture which will complete the collage and this chapter in my chess journal. The tournament was held in the Disney Coronado three times in the last 6 years, with a picture of me in the same spot each time!

I plan to take a picture for the final time in this innocuous spot behind the blue door and the potted palms! Although my Nationals adventures may be coming to a close, I’ll always remember this tournament.

BASIS Chandler team trophy first place 8th grade with Jake Hum and Rahul Reddy, another highlight of my chess journey.

Here is the game that let me tie for co-champion in 2012:

[pgn]

[Event "K-12 Grade Championships"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.12.01"]
[White "Graif, William"]
[Black "Pinisetti, Prateek"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C04"]
[WhiteElo "2060"]
[BlackElo "1990"]
[PlyCount "112"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2017.12.06"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.12.06"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nd7 6. c3 f6 7. Nh4 g6 8. Qg4
Qe7 9. f4 Bg7 10. Ndf3 Nd8 11. Bd3 f5 12. Qh3 c5 13. Bd2 Nc6 14. g3 b6 15. Qg2
a6 16. a3 c4 17. Bc2 b5 18. h3 Bb7 19. Ke2 O-O-O 20. Qf2 a5 21. b4 cxb3 22. Bd3
a4 23. Bxb5 Nb6 24. Bc1 Na5 25. Bd3 Nac4 26. Kd1 Ba6 27. Bf1 Kb7 28. Ng2 Ka7
29. Ne3 Nxe3+ 30. Qxe3 Bxf1 31. Rxf1 Nc4 32. Qe2 Rb8 33. Bb2 Rhc8 34. Ne1 Qc7
35. Rf3 Bf8 36. Ng2 Qa5 37. Rd3 Bxa3 38. Rxa3 Nxa3 39. Bxa3 b2 40. Bxb2 a3 41.
Bxa3 Qxa3 42. Ke1 Rb2 43. Rd2 Rcb8 44. Ne3 Qxc3 45. Nf1 Rxd2 46. Nxd2 Qxg3+ 47.
Qf2 Qc3 48. Qf3 Qxf3 49. Nxf3 h6 50. Kf2 Kb6 51. Nh4 Rg8 52. Kg3 g5 53. fxg5
hxg5 54. Nf3 g4 55. Ne1 gxh3+ 56. Kxh3 Kb5 0-1

[/pgn]

The K-12 Championships are now in full swing, and you can follow Prateek's section, the 12th grade Championships here. Follow the @USChess twitter feed and our instagram story feed. Pairings and results here, and live games from the top boards here. https://twitter.com/USChess/status/939600540945797120