A game as old as time. Wars fought, kingdoms conquered, conflicts resolved, a world of possibilities and maneuvers which mirrors the limits people can break through to find purpose, honor, perhaps humility. Timeless battles now to be led by none other than several students in FHC’s newest Chess Club.
The club meets regularly in room 207 upstairs where their actual sponsor, mathematics teacher Mrs. Emily Harris, helps students deepen their understanding of math as well as statistics. They play chess on Tuesday and Fridays after school, from 2:30 to 3:30p.m., and several members are quite knowledgeable when it comes to playing chess.
“We have a couple [students] rated at like the 1800 to 2000 level…so there is a very big span of chess ability in the Chess Club,” Mrs. Harris said.
A person’s rating is measured by their wins and losses in official competitions. Those who achieve a rating of 2000 are given the title of “Candidate Master”, awarded to those of extreme skill and playmanship.
However, the club opens its arms to welcome anyone of any skill. In fact, according to sophomore Shane Bourquin, you don’t even have to know how to play the game to join.
“It’s not super competitive or anything. Whatever skill level you are, it doesn’t matter, ” Bourquin said. “Even if you’ve never played before, we can teach you, it’s no big deal.”
The Chess Club offers an opportunity for those who like the game to have a place to play with like-minded students. The club’s founder, sophomore Dimitry Babey actually shared his motives for founding the Chess Club and its purpose.
“So my goal when I created the Chess Club was to bring the flow of communal chess, just players and [to] have fun around the school,” Babey said.
Providing students with a community they can be a part of is just one of the many reasons the club was created, and Babey currently plans to hopefully involve the club in tournaments with other schools, an idea Bourquin happily shed light on.
“I believe at the end of the year we’re going to have a tournament,” Bourquin said. “But so far, we’re still kind of new.”
