By Jurry Taalib-Deen
Journal Staff Writer
For three consecutive weekends in April, starting on the 13th, Phillip Johnson III, 12 years old, battled some of the best chess players in his age group, during the Toledo Area Great Lakes Chess Tournament.
The first round started at Highland Elementary on the 13th; on the 21st, matches were held at Ottawa Hills Elementary; on the 26th, Jones Leadership Academy hosted; and on the 27th, the day Phillip officially won first place, the tournament concluded at St. Rose Church in Perrysburg.
A student at Jones Leadership Academy, Phillip is one of the players on the school’s chess team, coached by Warren Woodberry.
The 12 year phenom is no rookie when it comes to the game of chess. The veteran player started learning the game at the tinder age of five, from his father, Phillip Johnson II.
“I wanted to teach him how to play because my father taught me how to play the game,” Phillip II told The Toledo Journal. “He won his first trophy around six years old, and we have a special place in the house for his medals and trophies.”
Entering the last day of play, on the 27th, Phillip III was 3-0. “I don’t like to depend on just one piece,” he said. “But my favorite ones are the Knight and the Rook.”
When he began the last game to determine who would earn first place, he was unaware his opponent was also 3-0. “Even though I didn’t know my opponent was undefeated, I had butterflies entering the last match, but the first three matches, I wasn’t nervous at all. I had confidence in myself, and kept telling myself I was going to win,” Phillip III said.
Entering that last match, Phillip III said he kept his opponent confused by attacking from all over the board, instead of from one area. “Even if I wouldn’t have won, I would have still been happy,” he said.
An elated father shared that his son had the highest score of the tournament. “Some kids had byes,” meaning, they didn’t have to play an opponent for a particular round, “Which lowered their score, and had losses, but my son played every round, and was undefeated” Phillip II said.
He also praised Mr. Woodberry for being an excellent teacher. “I wish I would’ve known about him earlier in Phillip’s life. Mr. Woodberry is a master teacher of the game of chess. He not only teaches them about the game, he teaches them about Black history, and how to carry themselves,” Phillip II said.
Phillip II said when he was growing up, it took him a long time to finally beat his father in chess, but his son, Phillip III, has already achieved that milestone by beating him numerous times.
“I’m not going to give up,” Phillip II said, while laughing. “I’m going to keep trying until I beat my son again.”
