Fernando Mendez (left) and Fernando Spada. Photos Russell S. Harwood, chess program director at UTB

The coincidentally similar lives of two 4th grade chess champions named Fernando captured the attention of CBS news. Fernando Spada and Fernando Mendez live in Brownsville, Texas, home of University of Texas at Bronsville (UTB), which has already offered chess scholarships to both Fernandos! Watch the CBS clip!

One more thing they have in common: Fernando Spada is rated 1904 on the June 2007 rating list, and is the third-ranked nine year old in the nation. Ten-year-old Fernando Mendez is 1873 and the third highest rated ten-year old.