Chess is a well-known game that has been played for more than 1,500 years. It is a simple concept yet somehow extremely complex and takes years upon years to master.
South High’s Chess Club, which is run by Jesus Cisneros, a special education teacher, teaches students how to play this game. They meet in room 267 every Wednesday after school with a couple of chess boards and snacks. According to Cisneros, “We play games, sometimes people like to be timed, other people just like to do free range, but you play a game and then you switch out and play someone else that’s part of the group.”
Chess club currently has about 10 to 12 consistent members on and off. However, they also have many kids just pass by and decide to join for a day.
“We get students from all ranges, from ninth grade to 12th grade. Through kids that are just randomly walking by in the hallway when leaving and just happen to stumble upon us to consistent members. We have every and any person coming through,” he added.
The chess club welcomes all students to join. You don’t have to sign up or commit to coming to every meeting or wear a special chess uniform. You can just walk in and play a nice game of chess. “The nice part about chess is that you don’t have to look or act or be any certain way,” said Cisneros.
Currently the chess club is just teaching kids the ropes of more tournament-based chess. As mentioned by Cisneros, “Right now, we’ve just been playing, and we’ve introduced time so right now it’s been five minutes for each person, and after you play your first move, you click on your side of the timer, and the time starts for your opponent.”
Cisneros is referring to a chess clock which is a clock with two timers that start when the other stops using a button on the top. If the timers are set for five minutes that means each player has five minutes to use for the whole game. If they run out of time they lose by default. This timing is used in professional games and forces players to make quicker moves.
The South High Chess Club plans on attempting to bring in some new members next semester with a chess tournament and merchandise.
“Next semester, we plan on doing a chess tournament and just have people play other people in a competition and also use that as our fundraiser for the club,” said Cisneros. “We’re also going to resell our old shirts that we had from last year and are going to have a lot more of our kids purchasing those so we can spread the word about chess.”
“Chess is like a puzzle,” Cisneros said. “You’ve got to work your way through it and prevail at the end.”
