The Hidden Valley Chess Club is a rather small club that has a lot of interesting activities.

Chess is a popular pastime for many people. As one of the most widespread mental sports across America, it probably comes as no surprise to see a dedicated community centered here in our high school as well. Chess Club is typically organized to meet every Monday and sees an average of 5-6 students attending each meeting.

Club Sponsor Mr. Harris speaks about how he started sponsorship, “We have some great chess players here at the High School that were interested in forming a club; I too have liked to play chess, so I figured, why not?”

The members of Chess Club thoroughly enjoy their time, and they stay busy. Each session they discuss new chess strategies. Their leader, Alex Smith (12), then demonstrates how these moves can be executed with an AI bot on Chess.com.

“I really enjoy the puzzles at the beginning, as it helps me look at chess in a different way. I usually play the same sort of strategies each time, so it helps me see new ideas,” second-year member John Paul Stamps (10) talks about his favorite part of chess club.

Though the club is small, there is one thing to note when it comes to student participation in chess. Not all may be involved in the club itself, but there are several means by which students here at Hidden Valley play chess. You are likely not too unfamiliar with the website Chess.com, which is a digital version of chess.

For students who are greatly convened with digital chess, perhaps it would be of interest to try traditional chess. Chess Club could come as a great opportunity for players who want to expand on their ability, as well as have the option to participate in chess tournaments.

“They get along well with each other, they enjoy playing each other and supporting each other, and it’s a great activity to challenge their minds,” quotes Harris, complimenting the students.