Saint Patrick junior Mike Granata finished eighth on the first board at the Illinois High School Association State Chess Tournament on February 11, 2006 in Peoria. Two weeks earlier, Granata placing second overall as an individual in the Chicago Chess League.

Granata won six of his seven matches against the top players in the state, with his other match ending in a draw. Granata defeated Timothy Foote of Normal, Sean Rogerson of Rich South, Kevin Kroeger of Richwoods, and Vinay Soni of Hinsdale South in his first four matches. Granata then played to a draw with C.J. Kaufman of Heyworth before scoring victories over Eddie Panico of O’Fallon and Peter Dimopoulos of Prospect in his final two matches.

Saint Patrick has a long history of excellence in chess. In 1977 Saint Patrick was the runner up in the IHSA’s State Chess Tournament. Almost 30 years later Mark Grishaber, a member of that 1977 team, is in his 6th season coaching the Shamrock chess team. Grishaber knows the history of Saint Patrick Chess better than just about anyone, and he knows that Granata is something special, “Mike’s the best player that we’ve ever had. We have had four state champions on other boards, but this is the best anyone has ever done on board one at the State Championships” said Grishaber.

Grishaber first saw Granata play chess as a seventh grader playing with the Chicagoland Knights Community Chess Club, which meets on Tuesday nights at the Borders Books and Music near Harlem and Irving. Each Tuesday night Granata teaches the game of chess to beginning players from 6:00 to 7:00 and then plays against the grand masters of the club.