As I walk in to the cavernous competition area, I enter on the side of Tables 50-73. The area is deserted, with a few exceptions. Table after table, the space is clear and there is no sign left of who was competing there not so long ago; you can't even tell that chess games were being contended there. But as I cross the room, more and more players are there, still in the midst of their games. First a dusting, then a cluster here and there. By the time I reach the far side, Table 4, where Northside is taking on one of the highest-rated teams this year, the room is dense with players, intent on games that have been underway for two-thirds of their allotted time. Yes, they have been playing for over an hour and twenty minutes now in this third round -- litttle more than a half hour left. Northside 's players are almost all knotted up in tight games. Some hardly look to have left the opening yet. Coach Paul Kash of Whitney Young walks up as I type this, and corroborates my observation: "they make us sit way over here as our teams are fighting it out, and we are riddled with tension". His team and ours are in the tensest, most interesting contests remaining. Most of the other matches were more like the first rounds -- mismatches maneuvering teams into place for upcoming rounds. But ours is tough.
Except Isha has just won her game as I type this out!
We just scored the first win of the match. Root for the rest of the team. Let us hope we can keep adding wins to Isha's opener!
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