Note: For more about the Uni chess team and this weekend's IHSA state tournament, including audio from coach Chris Merli and junior Gordon Ruan, click here.

PEORIA — The Uni High chess team is in second place after defeating Evanston Township 45.5-22.5 in the fourth round of the IHSA state chess tournament today at the Peoria Civic Center.

Uni had been in sixth place after beating Oak Forest 68-0, Buffalo Grove 64.5-3.5, and Glenbard South 54-14 in the first three rounds.

Only five of the tournament's 118 teams are 4-0. Uni is second by virtue of its 34.2 tie-breaker. Lincolnshire Stevenson is No. 1 with a 39.7 tie-breaker.

Five Uni players are in the top 10 of their respective boards:

• Board 1: Gordon Ruan (jr), 1st place, w-w-w-w
• Board 3: Geoffrey Beck (sr), 5th place, w-w-w-w
• Board 5: Greg Atherton (jr), 7th place, w-w-w-w
• Board 6: Brian Wang (jr), 8th place, w-d-w-w
• Board 7: Daniel Cheng (so), 1st place, w-w-w-w

The other Uni players after four rounds:

• Board 2: Alex Zhai (sr), 18th place, w-w-w-x
• Board 4: Alan Liang (jr), 50th place, w-w-x-x
• Board 8: Youyang Gu (fr), 76th place, w-x-d; Jason He (jr), 121st place, w

The tournament consists of seven rounds: four today, three Saturday. Three of the original 121 schools dropped out. There is no division of schools according to enrollment.

On Saturday, Uni will face undefeated Cary-Grove in Round 5. Cary-Grove is in fifth place with a 28.0 tie-breaker.

Uni entered the tournament seeded second. For Uni to win a trophy, the team must place in the top three.

Last year Uni finished 8th. In 2006, the team just missed winning a trophy, placing fourth.

Check back for updates throughout the tournament.