Chess: a sport dedicated to mentally challenging one’s opponent in a battle with an equal opportunity on both sides. Unlike most sports, planning and mental discipline drive players to success. On Jan. 25, WeGo was the place to be for intense chess strategy, as the Wildcats hosted the Upstate 8 Conference Tournament. In a stellar performance, the team secured a second-place finish.
The team’s success at the UEC championship has been months in the making. West Chicago Community High School’s chess team meets every Tuesday, from 3-4:30 p.m. With about 10-15 members, the club often sets up about five boards with two people on each one. While the rest watch the ongoing games, the members often practice for their matches against other schools, enhancing their strategic knowledge on the board.
Freshman Elmer Hernandez Lopez contemplates his move. As this is his first year of playing chess for WEGO, it is challenging to conceal his emotions to the opponent, and yet every move made determines the final outcome of the match, thus making it better for players to hide their thoughts.
Chess Club members play double chess, a variant where teams of two players battle one another while being able to place back the pieces one’s teammate captured. “
“Critical thinking is needed in double chess while also strengthening social skills,” Coach and former student Lam Truong said.
The team is young this season, and include sophomores Joel Kuriakose, Jacob Forness, Leonardo Bodin, and Anderson Campbell, most of whom started playing as freshmen. Senior Daniel Kuriakose is a returning member and pivotal part of the team.
“Skill is the result of practice,” Brayan Tecuanapa, a senior member of the chess team, said as he demonstrated his growth by multitasking during matches and playing two games at once.
Chess, a game of strategy, originated in India around the 6th century. Its objective is to checkmate the opponent’s king while also protecting one’s own pieces. A set of white pieces makes up a row of pawns, and behind them sit the more powerful rooks, knights, bishops, queen, and king.
Nehemiah Mains, a sophomore who joined the team this year, pretends to experience an emotional moment right after being checkmated. Although this round was just practice, chess is a game about resilience. Players must be able to weather the highs and lows that come with competitive play.
Mains and freshman Dylan Aguilar shake hands prior to starting a game. A single round of chess can take up to an hour, with players tracking each move on a scoresheet to review their strategies later.
Truong offers guidance to newcomer Alan Alfaro during a match against Hernandez Lopez.
“I help analyze everything and help improve our players to become a better person on themselves,” Truong said.
With their strong performance at the UEC Championship, the Wildcats are ready to build on their momentum. Next weekend, the team will compete at Sectionals, hoping to punch their ticket to the IHSA State Tournament.
