Akira Anad, 11, plays chess with her dad Vivek Anad during the Mississippi Scholastic Team Cup Chess Tournament on Saturday at the Colvard Student Union at Mississippi State University. The event, hosted by the Mississippi Scholastic Chess Association, drew dozens of K-12 students from across the state to compete at the organization’s largest annual chess tournament. Cadence Harvey/Dispatch Staff

Dylan Gilmore, 12, scratches his head as he ponders his next move during a match Thursday at the Mississippi Scholastic Team Cup Chess Tournament. Gilmore said he has been playing chess since age 5 and has a chess rating of 473. Cadence Harvey/Dispatch Staff

Britten Whittington, 12, shakes hands with an opponent after winning a match Saturday afternoon during the Mississippi Scholastic Team Cup Chess Tournament. Whittington, a student at Armstrong Junior High School, began playing chess last year. Cadence Harvey/Dispatch Staff

Graham Marcy, 4, admires a table of trophies Saturday afternoon during the Mississippi Scholastic Team Cup Chess Tournament at MSU. Marcy’s older brother, Henry Marcy, placed 5th out of 17 competitors in his age category at the tournament. Cadence Harvey/Dispatch Staff

Spendana Hebbar, 9, and Kris Chander, 8, review their team standings, posted outside of Foster Ballroom Saturday afternoon during the Mississippi Scholastic Team Cup Chess Tournament in the Colvard Student Union at MSU. Hebbar was one of the top competitors in her category for the tournament. Cadence Harvey/Dispatch Staff

Henry Hince, 8, records the final result of his second-to-last chess match Saturday afternoon during the Mississippi Scholastic Team Cup Chess Tournament in the Colvard Student Union at MSU. Hince, who has been playing chess for about three years, joined the Annunciation Catholic School chess club last year. Cadence Harvey/Dispatch Staff