Rising before dawn on Thursday, April 4, eight members of the John Hancock College Prep Chess Team - Isaiah Cordova, Jesus Luna, Alfredo Banuelos-Garcia, Santino Corral, Hector Lopez, Michon Charleston, Alyssa Garcia, and Anthony Tagler - traveled to Baltimore, MD, to participate in the National High School Chess Championships. The tournament hosted 1800(!) students from high schools all across the U.S. On Thursday evening the team competed in a 6-round, 12 match (2 matches per round), Blitz (speed chess) tournament. Then on the following Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the team competed in the 7-round, 4 1/2 hours per round, national high school championships. The team did GREAT, finishing second in the country in our division! Special shout outs to Alfredo Banuelos-Garcia, Santino Corral, and Hector Lopez who each tied for 15th place in the division. Staying in a hotel along Baltimore's beautiful inner harbor, which hotel was adjacent to the Baltimore Convention Center where the tournament took place, we also sampled some of the food and culture of Baltimore - it was a great experience for all.