Chess is a game full of unexpected surprises that can be both rewarding and disappointing. In chess, being perfect and winning all the time is impossible. Gordon Ruan was reminded of those truths yet again at this year's IHSA state chess tournament, as he relates in this first-person feature.

The Uni High chess team finished in 11th place overall and first among small schools today in the 118-school IHSA state chess tournament at the Peoria Civic Center. Three Uni players ended the day in the top 10 of their respective boards: Gordon Ruan (7th place, Board 1), Alex Zhai (10th place, Board 2), and Geoffrey Beck (4th place, Board 3).

The Uni High chess team is in second place after defeating Oak Forest, Buffalo Grove, Glenbard South, and Evanston Township in the first four rounds of the IHSA state chess tournament today at the Peoria Civic Center. Five Uni players are in the top 10 of their respective boards: Gordon Ruan (1st place, Board 1), Geoffrey Beck (5th place, Board 3), Greg Atherton (7th place, Board 5), Brian Wang (8th place, Board 6), and Daniel Cheng (1st place, Board 7). Three more rounds will be played Saturday.

[AUDIO included] For the past two years, Uni's chess team has placed in the top 10 at the IHSA state tournament. Now ranked second in Illinois, Uni will challenge for the championship Friday and Saturday at the Peoria Civic Center.

In a showdown last week between the two top teams in the East Central Illinois Chess League, Normal U-High defeated Uni at Parkland College, handing the Illineks their only loss of the league season. Uni finished second in the ECICL behind Normal U-High. Next up: the IHSA state tournament Feb. 8-9 in Peoria. Uni placed eighth in the state last year.

With the IHSA state meet just a month away, the Uni chess team began the new year by winning the 14-team Illini Classic on Jan. 5, then five days later swept Charleston in a league match. Uni is 8-0 in the East Central Illinois Chess League.

Playing against competition from some of the biggest and best schools in Illinois, Uni High placed second in the 16-team West Chicago Invitational Chess Tournament on Saturday. Only Niles North, the tourney champion, defeated Uni. The strong performance bodes well for Uni's chances at the IHSA state tournament scheduled for Feb. 8-9 in Peoria.

The Uni chess team played its last league match of 2007 Thursday night at Parkland College, defeating Danville in a two-round contest by a combined score of 116-0. The Uni squad is 7-0 and will resume league play after winter break. The IHSA state finals are scheduled for Feb. 8-9 in Peoria. Last year the team finished eighth overall and first among small schools.

After a three-week break, the Uni chess team stayed undefeated by sweeping Mahomet-Seymour and Heyworth in one-round matches on Thursday, winning 58-0 in each match. The chess team is now 6-0 in the East Central Illinois Chess League.

The Uni chess team defeated Georgetown Ridge-Farm in two rounds on Thursday, winning by a combined score of 111.5-4.5. The chess team is now 5-0 in the East Central Illinois Chess League.

The Uni chess team, featuring some of the top players in the state, recorded a two-round victory Thursday over Notre Dame de LaSalette, a private boarding school in Georgetown. Uni won the rounds by a combined score of 109-7.

In an impressive tuneup for the 2008 IHSA state meet later this winter, the Uni chess team placed second Saturday at one of the most challenging events of the season, Bloom Trail High School's Knights of the Round Table Tournament. Junior Gordon Ruan won all five of his games in the top section and finished second overall out of 288 players.

Thursday night, the Uni chess team defeated Bismarck-Henning in two rounds, winning the first round by 58-0 and the second round by 49-9. The chess team is now 3-0 in the East Central Illinois Chess League.