By SUSANNA CONINE-NAKANO – Web Staff
On Thursday afternoons, Clarke Central High School social studies department teacher David Cleveland’s room is quiet with numerous students playing chess. All of the students are taking their time thinking about their next move.
Juniors Allie Martin and Maggie Sproston enjoy a game of chess at a recent meeting. Photo by Maria Velasquez.
“We hope that more will want to come and play and learn and not fulfill the stereotype. We have some really cool kids that come and play,” Cleveland said.
The newly established chess club meets every Thursday afternoon in Cleveland’s room for an hour to improve their chess skills. There are no requirements for joining the club, there is a broad range of members with and without previous experiences.
“We have kids who have never played before and we take kids who have been playing their whole life,” Cleveland said.
The club consists of approximately 10 to 15 students who come regularly. On club days, the club has opened their doors to as many as 30 students. Most meetings are student led.
“I am just a resource. They teach each other, they play with each other, they show each other, ‘Hey you just made this move, let me show you a better move,’ so they are a team they are working together,” Cleveland said.
The chess club’s latest victory includes winning at the Athens Chess Tournament held at the University of Georgia Continuing Education Center on Jan. 12. Two teams from CCHS made it to the semifinal round with one team winning the tournament. Senior Nour Burjak, junior Mohamad Burjak, junior and founder of the club Dian Guo, junior Jesus Ramirez-Lepe, freshman Denny Mannakulathil and freshman Michael Jurado were on the winning team.
“The best thing is that we just won our first tournament and it’s exciting to see them use their skills to win and make a little money. It’s great,” Cleveland said.
Cleveland believes chess will help students because it is a strategy decision making game. In chess players have to analyze decisions and make rational choices.
“Chess takes people and teaches them how to think through consequences. You always hear with chess, think three or four moves ahead and what it means that every piece can move and you have think if I do this what is going to be the consequence,” Cleveland said. “You have to imagine each move in your mind and it takes some real brain power and some kids don’t know how to do it, but we teach it to you.”
Guo and Mohamad Burjak have been playing since middle school and agree that the game of chess is fascinating. They joined the chess club over their love for chess.
“It’s quiet challenging and you have to think about every move, but it also is a lot of fun to beat someone,” Guo said.
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