Pawn to B3

At the beginning of high school, not many people know each other, and it would be even rarer if they were friends. This is what Raph and Harold thought as they stepped through their high school doors for the first time. There was not that many people to know at first so these two got into a certain game for the first couple months, chess.

Bishop to B5

Chess filled every hole that they needed, for it allowed them to connect with others, while also developing some more IQ skills.

Knight to F6

When the club fair came around, they immediately entered and were already beating most of the upperclassmen who had been there for years. They found that they had understood more about school the more they played, and over time they began to find their people that also liked chess.

Queen to E2

Then, skip to march, when the Chess Club was hosting a tournament, the winners,( if freshman) would be the next club leaders and the best chess players in the school. They worked hard, and used their brains until their brains didn’t brain anymore but they achieved the dream.

Queen to E7, Checkmate

Harold got first and Raph got second, securing their spot. On top of this they had seen that their GPA had gone up dramatically, like they found the final piece to the puzzle of high school.

Chess has no downsides, only benefits. Here at the iSchool, we are proud because of our class’s diversity, and the Chess Club just makes that better, from bringing people together to improving your grades.

As co leader Raph says, “You’re gonna see a lot more games being played, a lot more people being there, a lot more ways to make chess more fun and inclusive for other people.” Raph, now the chess leader is obviously planning so much more for the Chess Club, but what does that mean? Well this means that there are going to be more opportunities that could maybe lead to a trip or funded possibilities.  It also goes to show how much thought is put into the Chess Club, and as it seems there is a lot more this year now that Raph and Harold have taken over.

Now after talking about the future and the leaders of Chess Club, it might have been answered already but what exactly is Chess Club? Well, Chess Club, as you imagine, is a place where people come together to learn and to grow. To play and to improve. It allows people to exploit their inner chess grandmaster like Raph and Harold. As a member of the Chess Club said, “hang around and we play chess once in a while. Maybe we watch videos on how to play chess so you’re improving your skills in every club. “What is there that doesn’t make you want to join Chess Club, especially since they are keeping it fun and professional like it would be if it was a real chess team.

As I said before ,the Chess Club has a yearly event where they host a tournament usually with prizes, but if the leaders of the club are seniors, then the winners will be the next in line to carry on the club. It also adds a competition that these club members will always remember, as Harold said, “then my game with Jaden with the real stand out at the end where we tied he had a knight and with that took my queen, and boy was it intense“ It feels like the competitions are what bring the icing to the perfect cupcake, and also brings in a sense of playing in an actual tournament. IF you would like to join the Chess Club or check it out, the club is on Wednesdays from 4:00-5:00 after school, in 401.

On top of all this, chess improves your IQ! Statistics show that if you start to play from an early age, your average GPA will be better than it would be if you didn’t. This is shown by Venezuelan studies, “A major study in Venezuela involved 4,000 second-grade students participating in a structured chess program. After just 4.5 months of instruction, researchers found a considerable increase in IQ scores with an average of approximately 10 points” with chess now showing to possibly increase IQ, then that means that there is a greater chance for people to join and experience the wonders of Chess Club.

It’s not just me who sees the benefits of Chess Clubs. Schools all over the world have Chess Clubs, and they are not just normal clubs in the eyes of chess masters. A group called the Indermaur Chess foundation  did an article on the Chess Clubs around the world and what they found sounds promising, “Students playing chess can improve academic skills such as concentration, reasoning, creativity, and problem solving. Numerous studies have confirmed that chess improves academic performance” This could mean that not just our Chess Club are the ones who realize the academic potential that comes this the Chess Club. As the quote itself said, students improve concentration, reasoning and problem solving, which checks off all of the boxes that students need to achieve greatness in any school.

With this comes a power of people and the power to know people, as an article about the social additions of chess said, “Chess is the same in every language. People of all ages play chess. People from all walks of life play chess. It doesn’t matter where someone grew up or what kinds of degrees they have. I’ve met a remarkable cast of characters through playing games with random strangers at public parks in New York City. “ This person writing the article demonstrates how chess is everywhere and everyone knows it. It is a common ground for every person no matter where they are in the world.

Chess Club is a place to experience your smartest plays or desires. It allows you to trick and to laugh in one place. You are able to connect with the people that share those same feelings. If you are bored of it then you can try a new format and learn it all over again. It is a place to hone up your school skills in a different way that you might not ever expect.

As a great mind said before, “Chess is the gymnasium of the mind” by Blaise Pascal