Hawthorn Woods 7th grader takes chess trophy

Fremont Middle School seventh-grader Joey Bikus admits he was a bit nervous when he competed in the 2011 K-8 Scholastic Chess Championships in March.

Having already won the state title for seventh-graders last November, Bikus said he was probably the fourth highest-rated player in his age group at what was the state championship for middle school students, held at Illinois State University in Normal.

“I was nervous going against the top guys,” Bikus said of playing against the best of the best at the end of the tournament.

After seven rounds, the 12-year-old from Hawthorn Woods was named the middle school state chess champion. He won his first six rounds, with the seventh round ending as a draw. He was also named a Warren Junior Chess Scholar.

“I was really excited,” he said.

Bikus started playing chess in second grade, and has taken lessons and participated in a chess club outside of school. His first chess coach, Frank Swindell, helped Bikus reach a ranking of 1,200 on the United States Chess Federation scale.

“Mr. Swindell was really good,” Bikus said, adding learning chess was tough in the beginning, when he thought he would lose a lot. “Mr. Swindell made it really fun for me.”

Bikus has been working with a new coach, Ken Wallach of Buffalo Grove, for more than a year.

“He's (Bikus) a really bright kid,” Wallach said. “He's like in a zone when he's playing. He has a lot of focus about him.”

During their once-a-week lessons, Bikus plays games of chess on the Internet against opponents from around the world.

“I review his game and recommend improvements,” Wallach said, adding he and Bikus also study possible defenses and tactics. “The kids really have a lot of fun with it. And it's a game where everyone is equal. A little kid could take down a grown-up.”

Bikus said all of the practice and studying helps him have an edge over his opponents.

“It's fun. I like how it's all strategy and stuff. You have to think a lot,” he said.

The one person Bikus doesn't play against much is his brother, Jeff, a Fremont Intermediate School fifth-grader. Jeff placed seventh out of 170 players in the fourth and fifth grade section at the K-8 Scholastic Championships.

“The person who loses usually gets mad,” Bikus said.

Bikus has competed in about 60 tournaments. His United States Chess Federation ranking is now 1,750. The rankings range from a score of 100 to 2,400 and above. A player with a ranking of 2,400 is considered a senior master. Bikus is also among the top 100 chess players in the nation in his age group.

“I think he shows a lot of promise,” Wallach said.

He is proud of how well Bikus did at the K-8 Scholastic Championship.

“He earned it,” Wallach said. “He emerged victorious out of seven grueling rounds of chess.”

Bikus said playing chess has its benefits in school.

“It helps me in math a lot because you have to use your brain a lot,” he said. “I think it makes you smarter.”