Strategically positioned outside the Memorial Union are linguistics junior Max Fechtmeyer and business management junior Ben Jones, challenging passing students to a quick round of an ancient game. With the game complete and the uttering of the words “check mate,” more than 40 students eagerly joined the newly formed club, Arizona State Chess Society.
Sitting in the local restaurant Chop Shop, Jones pulled out his chess board hoping to outsmart another player. While playing out in public, fellow students passing by wanted to know if ASU offered a club for the game.
With the realization of ASU’s lack of a chess club and a desire to take their knowledge of chess further, the two set a plan in motion.
“It took a couple of weeks of work to get the club off the ground, but getting members isn’t hard at all now that we started setting up outside the MU,” Jones said.
Even though chess has been around for hundreds of years, Fechtmeyer said the game has a timeless quality that attracts players of all ages.
“Chess is about as close to a perfect game as you can get,” Fechtmeyer said. “There's a level of simplicity that allows you to teach children the game, and a level of complexity that makes it impossible for even the world's most powerful computer to be perfect at it.”
When members walk into the club meetings at 6 p.m. on Thursday nights in West Hall room 167, an environment full of casual and competitive players of all levels greet them. Meetings are simple: members challenge each other to games and discuss strategies.
“We've been discussing organizing a tournament, but for that we will need more members and more money so it's mostly an idea at this point,” Fechtmeyer said.
While some may be hesitant to join the Arizona State Chess Society, members claim there is more to chess than the typical nerd stereotype.
“Chess does tend to attract the more intellectual types,” Fechtmeyer said. “But chess is a game that really transcends social standing, age, religion, gender or skin color. That's the beautiful thing about chess — it's a game about whose mind will prevail. There's no luck involved, just pure skill and strategy.”
The idea of succeeding based on skill persuaded medical studies freshman Braeden Schaefer to join the action. While it may only be a game to some, Schaefer said chess provides life lessons.
“Chess has taught me how to patiently calculate my responses to things in life, and I've also become an expert mater,” Schaefer said. “So basically I can mate with almost anything or anyone at this point. If anyone wants to test out their mating skills, come check out Chess Club.”
For those interested in joining, head to their Facebook page, Arizona State Chess Society, for more information or stop by the MU to play a game.
Related Links:
Eight-year-old prodigy plays with ASU chess team, competes for world championship
Chess club brings mind games to ASU students
Reach the reporter at ncorr@asu.edu or follow @natalieorr19
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