How the Chess Club works
“I joined the Chess Club because I was really into chess. The World Championship had started, and there was a bunch of hype, so I thought, ‘Why not check out the chess club?’ And then I found that it was a really cool place, and that’s why I stayed,” said Rahul Godse (11). “I’ve been in the club for two years now.”
Godse began playing chess in 8th grade, and the club gave him the opportunity to continue improving. “Because there were a lot of stronger players than me, I was able to play them and learn from them,” he said. “In the club, you don’t really get taught chess like a class, but you get to play many games and learn from your opponents.”
For Godse, the club’s emphasis on improvement over winning is what kept it fully engaging for everyone. “The environment while playing chess encourages growth rather than stress or pressure. People want to learn from their games. Even if you lose, it’s not really losing, you know, it’s more like learning,” he said.
Club advisor Mr. Lucas, who is in his first year at American High School, said he chose to advise the Chess Club after being approached by the officers. “I wanted to say yes just to give them a home and also to dip my toe into some involvement at the school,” Lucas said. He also said, “It was very rewarding to see students engage in a classic game of chess.”
Advising the club has also helped Mr. Lucas connect with a broader range of students. “It’s immersed me in a number of students who I don’t see every day because they’re not in my classes,” he said. “There are a lot of students here who come from different backgrounds. Yes, it can be considered a geeky club, but it also attracts a wide variety of participants, from experienced players to complete beginners.” “It seems like a pretty welcoming club,” he said.
“It’s a game that’s associated with intellect, and so that makes it nice to see so many young people playing it,” Lucas said.
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