Shapovalov A.V.

Before the start of the school chess championship, each participant said which place they expected to take. Seventh-grader Vanya said he would take the last place. By the end of the championship, everyone took different places, and it turned out that everyone, except, of course, Vanya, took a place worse than they expected. What place did Vanya take?
Since each of the schoolchildren (except Vanya) took a place worse than they expected, none of them took the first place. Therefore, Vanya took the first place.

## Answer

First place.