Nicole Robinson

While many people spend their time on the campus mall soaking up the sun, doing homework, or kicking around a hacky sack, junior Theodore Howard sits at his table carefully contemplating his next move. Check mate!

Since UW-Eau Claire’s chess club was reactivated in December of 2002, there haven’t been enough people active in it. Club president senior Josef Gapko said, “We got 35 freshman who were interested this year and I think it could be pretty big.”

The club’s advisor, Associate Professor Jose Valero said, “This year, with more people, we hopefully can get some tournaments going.”

“A lot of people play chess, but not that often. We’re hoping to attract those people and get them to work on their game more,” Gapko said.

The game of chess is unique in several ways compared to the games and sports that have become popular today.

“It’s a historic game around for thousands of years and an international sport,” Howard said. “It’s a language of its own and, in a way, a chance to communicate with anyone in the world. Gives a chance to focus like nothing else in everyday life.”

In order to turn the chess club around, the club needs to get out on a regular basis and expose people to chess, he said. Everyone is invited to become part of competitive chess.

“Even if you don’t know the game and want to learn, we welcome you as well,” Gapko said. “There’s no fees or anything, it’s just people hanging out and playing chess.”

Eau Claire’s club looks past the stereotypes of geeks with big glasses talking in big words.

“It’s a game like any other, except in many ways superior. In a really tight battle winning feels so good, so rewarding,” Howard said.

Last year, people would show up and either win a lot or lose a lot so they wouldn’t show up later because people weren’t on the same level, he said.

“If more people show up, everyone will be able to play at their level. Because you don’t gain anything from obliterating someone or being obliterated.”

The goal this year for chess club is to implement some tournaments and get a solid core group of students who are involved, Howard said.

“Once we get into practicing and getting competitive within the team, we’ll be ready to get other schools involved in competitive chess,” Howard said. “Even if we don’t win, it doesn’t matter because it’ll be good fun.”

“There’s a team at Stout that wants to have a tournament and if we can focus on getting together and playing to improve our game, we’ll pursue it,” Gapko said.