Kings, queens, and knights. Sounds like a movie about King Arthur? But actually, it’s State High’s own Chess Club. Chess Club started so long ago, that no one remembers when. Mr. Robinson, a music teacher at State High and the head of Chess Club, said that he took charge of the club in 1998, but that it existed even before he joined.

Chess Club is a fun place to meet different people with diverse backgrounds. They meet every Tuesday in the music room, 401, in the North building. There are usually snacks and a joke or two. After that everyone chats and plays chess. When you sit down and face an opponent everything else almost disappears for you. Move after move, you advance your pieces. When finally, check and mate! Even if it doesn’t sound very fun, for a chess player that is like heaven.

The main goal of this club is to teach students strategy and logic. Mr. Robinson said, “Chess is like life, and this club teaches a valuable life skill of decision making and thinking about consequences. Just like in life you have to think about what happens if you do this or that, you have to do that in chess.”

Rik Bhattacharya, a 9th grader and a member of Chess Club, said he goes there because “Chess Club is a great place. I come here to play chess and have a fun time.”