Tomball ISD Host Over 250 Students in Annual Chess Tournament

TOMBALL - Tomball ISD welcomed in over 250 students on a Saturday to compete in the District’s annual full-day Chess Tournament. 

The annual Chess Tournament began as a campus event at Oakcrest Intermediate and has evolved into a districtwide event, now in its fourth year. Students are encouraged to sign up and participate in the annual tournament, which features students as young as kindergarten through high school.

“Launching a district chess tournament was about more than competition; it was a strategic investment in cognitive rigor,” said Dr. Ashley Schlafly, Director of Advanced Academics. “Chess empowers students to think critically, reason strategically and build intellectual resilience. It cultivates habits of mind essential for advanced learning, giving all students the chance to lead with logic and thrive through thoughtful challenges.”

Results from the 2025 Chess Tournament:

Kindergarten-1st Grade

• 1st - Colton Freeman, West Elementary
• 2nd - Krisnar Vekariya, West Elementary
• 3rd - Winry Meyer, Creekside Forest Elementary

2nd Grade

• 1st - Dhanvin Ashok, Willow Creek Elementary
• 2nd - Armaan Godbole, Wildwood Elementary
• 3rd - Zoya Ashfaq, Creekside Forest Elementary

3rd Grade

• 1st - Bryce Chen, Creekside Forest Elementary
• 2nd - Clara Qiu, Creekside Forest Elementary
• 3rd - Zachary Su, Wildwood Elementary

4th Grade

• 1st - Niranjan Patil, Willow Creek Elementary
• 2nd - Vikhoi Thai, Willow Creek Elementary
• 3rd - Mason Fassbender, Tomball Elementary

5th Grade

• 1st - Jimmy Ma, Northpointe Intermediate
• 2nd - Egan Lee, Creekside Forest Elementary
• 3rd - Aadhrit Rathi, Creekside Forest Elementary

6th Grade

• 1st - Prathit Vora, Northpointe Intermediate
• 2nd - Dhyuvan Ashok, Northpointe Intermediate
• 3rd - Ethan Clark, Creekside Park Junior High

Junior High

• 1st - Andrew Lee, Tomball Junior High
• 2nd - Ekaksh Mehta, Grand Lakes Junior High
• 3rd - Anay Srinath, Willow Wood Junior High

High School

• 1st - Rohan Dev, Tomball Memorial High School
• 2nd - Adam Wiley, Tomball Star Academy
• 3rd - Malachi Qaiser, Tomball Star Academy

Overall Team Awards

Elementary

• Creekside Forest Elementary

5th Grade & 6th Grade

• Northpointe Intermediate

Junior High

• Willow Wood Junior High

High School

• Tomball Memorial High School

The Tomball ISD Chess Tournament is another example of the District’s investment in high-quality instruction.

“Our district chess initiative is a natural extension of our commitment to advanced academics. By creating new arenas for analytical thinking and creative problem-solving, we expand access to enriched experiences that develop talent, foster equity, and strengthen the pipeline of future scholars and leaders.”

ABOUT TOMBALL ISD
Tomball ISD educates students to become responsible, productive citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous, and personally valuable educational experiences. Founded in 1908, Tomball ISD now encompasses 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, and is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. The district currently educates over 23,000 across 24 campuses. West Intermediate will become Tomball ISD’s 25th campus.