Perry Hall Boy Wins BCPS Chess Championship

Perry Hall youngster Maverick Irwin started playing chess just two years ago at Cromwell Valley Elementary Regional Magnet School.

As a third grader, he showed promise placing fourth two years in a row at the Baltimore County chess championships.

But 2013 was his breakout year.

Irwin, and his team from Cromwell Valley, took home top honors at the Baltimore County chess championship.

"This year, he began competing on the State chess circuit and went from being an unrated player to a United States Chess Federation player rated more than 1000," Elizabeth Irwin, Maverick's mother, explained in an email. "He's claimed lots of State trophies in the nine months he's been playing on the state circuit.  

"If not for the BCPS encouragement of this activity, he wouldn't have achieved in this way," she continued. "Chess is good for development of math skills, problem solving skills, spatial relations, etc."

Irwin will attended Perry Hall Middle School in the fall where Elizabeth said she hopes to generate enough interest in the sport to start a chess team.

>>> Keep up with all Perry Hall, White Marsh news by following us on Twitter and Facebook and by signing up for the daily newsletter.