ERIC NELSON (right), a junior at Corunna High School (CHS), can be seen playing a game of chess with freshman Brady Cornell before school on Wednesday, Nov. 29. The two are members of the new Corunna Chess Club, which was formed less than a month ago under the guidance of CHS teacher Ryan Czymbor.
The club came together rather quickly. After competing head-to-head with Mr. Czymbor for a while, Nelson came up with the idea to invite other students and form a club. Nelson and Mr. Czymbor hung posters around the school, and soon there were eight to 10 students showing up regularly for morning games in Mr. Czymbor’s algebra classroom.
The club has also caught the attention of several Corunna teachers and administrators. The club will look to build on that growing popularity by organizing a chess tournament, and the club’s eventual goal is to challenge chess clubs from other schools.
“Chess is a game anyone can play, no matter their skill level, and it is a fun way for students to learn how to strategize and solve problems,” said Mr. Czymbor. “Some of the students have been playing for years, and some are just learning; it’s really all over the spectrum. A couple of the 8th-graders have already beat me, actually.”
The students who are new to the game are learning how each piece moves and the names of the positions on the board, while the more experienced players are learning and testing new offensive and defensive strategies. The club will soon begin using clocks to times their moves in preparation for the tournament.
The Corunna Chess Club is always accepting new members from among the CHS student body, and they are keeping their eyes open for other teams in the greater Shiawassee County area to compete against.
(Independent Photo/Graham Sturgeon)
