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Westhampton Beach Middle School student Alexander Pataridze recently competed in the International Chess Open in Graz, Austria, finishing 12th in world among players aged 14 and under in his tournament group.
The event drew hundreds of participants from dozens of countries, with the eighth grader squaring off against competitors from Austria, Armenia, Hungary, Poland and Italy.
Pataridze has been playing since he was 6 years old, competing with the U.S. Chess Federation since sixth grade. He has played in 24 tournaments in New York, Philadelphia and Italy.
“I have learned that once you know all of the openings, you can master the game,” Alexander said of chess. “You must also watch your opponent and learn their strategies.”
Alexander’s performance in Austria came at the tournament’s 31st edition. It was held from Feb. 15 to Feb. 21. He is now preparing for his next competitions, including the 57th Annual New York State Scholastic Championships this month.
Outside of chess, Alexander plays tennis and teaches himself to write computer code.
