Frazer School’s Bach Ngo wins ‘Champion of Champions’ national chess tournament
Press release from the Frazer School
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Bach Ngo, a rising 12th-grader from the Frazer School, just won the 41st annual Denker Tournament of High School State Champions. This is the most prestigious scholastic chess championship of the year in the U.S. — one high school player from every state is invited to participate.
This year, 49 states and D.C. were represented. The field was incredibly strong, with seven players rated over 2400 and an additional eight rated over 2200. Including Bach, there were five International Masters (IM) in the event.
Bach tied for first place with IM Liam Putnam of New York City, but he finished ahead on tiebreakers, earning himself a $5,000 college scholarship and $650 cash. This tournament is typically called the “Champion of Champions,” as each state sends its high school state champion to compete.
With this win, Bach qualifies for the invitational U.S. Junior Championship and will represent the U.S. in the World Youth.
Frazer School Chess coach Britt Ryerson said, “Bach is an incredible role model and leader for our team. In addition to winning countless individual state titles and leading many school teams to victory, he has also mentored local rising stars and directed weekly quick chess tournaments. He has a special passion for chess, and we are lucky to have his knowledge and experience in our community.”