Evanston High Chess Placed Second at Stevenson Tournament
The Evanston Township High School team secured runner-up honors despite missing three senior players.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in eSports
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The Evanston Township High School chess team earned second place at the Stevenson Tournament on October 3. The squad achieved this result by defeating Oak Park River Forest, Highland Park, and Glenbrook South.
Why it matters
The team successfully integrated new members alongside veterans despite the absence of three seniors committed to varsity soccer. The performance comes as the program looks to build on its ninth-place finish at the previous year's IHSA State Finals.
ETHS players earned top awards across multiple boards, with Max Tornheim placing first on Board 1 and Shane Asbra taking second on Board 2. The team competed across eight boards throughout the tournament.
The players
Evanston Township High School
This is a public secondary school located in Evanston, Illinois, known for its competitive academic and extracurricular programs.
Max Tornheim
He is a student chess player for ETHS who finished first on Board 1 at the Stevenson Tournament.
Jules Guerrero
He is a student chess player for ETHS who placed third on Board 8 at the tournament.
Derek Wang
He is a student chess player who achieved a perfect 4-0 record on Board 5 for the team.
Felix de Warren
He is a member of the ETHS chess team who secured a draw during the final match against Stevenson.
The details
Max Tornheim and Jules Guerrero won their individual matches against Stevenson, while Felix de Warren secured a draw. The JV squad also participated, winning two of their four matches during the event.
Timeline
October 3, 2026: The team placed second at the Stevenson Tournament.
October 15, 2026: ETHS competes in an away match against Glenbrook South.
February 2026: ETHS finished ninth in the IHSA State Finals.
Season Trajectory
This second-place finish establishes a strong baseline for the team as they transition from graduation-heavy roster changes to the competitive winter season. The performance validates the current development strategy as the team aims to improve upon last year's top-ten state finish.
The team must now shift focus to their upcoming away match against Glenbrook South on October 15. The ability of new players to secure points across all eight boards will remain the primary metric for their continued success this season.
The takeaway
Maintaining performance despite the loss of five graduated seniors demonstrates the depth of the current roster. Consistent individual board wins are essential for the team to remain competitive in future tournament brackets.
Further reading
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Source note: This article includes information reported by Evanston RoundTable.
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