Westhampton Beach Middle School eighth grader Alexander Pataridze recently earned a top 20 finish at the International Chess Open Graz Tournament in Austria. To earn the spot, he competed against 600 participants from 49 countries.

            Pataridze, who learned chess at the age of 6, has been competitively playing the strategy game with the US Chess Federation since the sixth grade. He has tested his skills at 24 competitions in New York, Philadelphia and Italy. 

            He plans to continue to strengthen his skills with the assistance of his coach for future competitions, including at the 57the annual New York State Scholastic Championships.

            “I have learned that once you know all of the openings, you can master the game,” he said. “You must also watch your opponent and learn their strategies.”

When not playing chess, Pataridze can be found on the tennis court or teaching himself to code.

The Westhampton Beach School District extends its congratulations to Pataridze for a job well done.

Date Added: 3/7/2025