Chess Club started off the school year as simply a hopeful returning interest group, but now near the close of the first quarter, their status as such has been recognized and the game of chess lives on in the hands of the passionate students involved.

While mostly a social club, Chess Club wishes to rank up to the full status as an actual fully functioning club by doing fundraisers and reaching out to the community.

“We’ll probably do a concessions stand,” president Yusuf Cifcti said .”The middle schools don’t have a chess club right now so we’ll probably go to a middle school and talk to them about chess and get a club started there.”

Even with only two meetings under their belt, they already have a loyal following from chess connoisseurs throughout each grade.

“ I did it at the middle school when [U.S History teacher Darren] McCoy was there and it was really fun whenever I went,” junior Michael Kovar said “I don’t get a lot of chances to play chess so it’s fun to have other people to play chess with after school”

Chess club is sponsored by  McCoy, formerly a middle school chess club sponsor, and a passionate leader of his group of budding strategists.

“Chess is awesome,” McCoy said “Students just want an area where they can compete, have fun, enjoy the game, learn and hang out with friends.”

The club conducts a year long competition to see who is on top as far as wins go.

“They’ll do a competition that would run throughout the year to come out with a chess master,” McCoy said.

Chess Club welcomes not only avid players, but new ones as well. Even if you are a novice the more experienced players offer helping hands, tips, strategies to depend on.

“Come see it, come check it out,” McCoy said. “it might be intimidating at first if you don’t know how to play so we’ll definitely show you how to play the game if you need to, but come check it out.”