At an April 18 chess competition at ERHS hosted by the Chess Club, minds engage in a silent war on a checkered 8×8 battlefield with 16 pieces each: a king, queen, rooks, knights, bishops, and pawns. The goal in chess is to “checkmate” your opponents king by putting the king in a position where it cant evade capture. The competitive nature of chess is known for its ability to promote strategic thinking.
When senior Trevor Bateman the president of the club was asked about what his favorite part about chess was he says that its “fun and connects people from no matter where you are” and another club member freshman Justin Jones says he enjoys the “strategy element” which is a very common feeling for many as chess is known for its strategical play and how it helps improve cognitive skills.
The chess club meets in Ms.Burtons class (room 134) every Thursday 3:30-4:30. Ms.Burton says they’re “actually very independent” which goes to show that this club is a fun environment for anyone who wants to play chess and is filled with responsible members as said by Ms.Burton herself. If you’re a beginner and have never played chess before good advice from Sophomore Darren Gao is to watch a Youtuber GothamChess who interviews well known players, teaches people how to play, and much more. Another bit of advice from the president of the club Bateman is “start and make your goal to have fun don’t make it a competition with yourself until you get good, just start off with having fun because it won’t be as nerve-racking and you’ll enjoy it more.” The winner of the chess tournament ended up being sophomore Sebastian Zeller who says “This was a great win after losing in a disappointing manner last year.”
