Seattle Pacific University’s Chess Club is a community that welcomes members of all interests, levels of experience and faith.
Despite chess being the name of the game, SPU students can find solace in knowing the club promotes more than just that. Whether someone’s looking for competition to test out their skills or just wanting to get a feel of a new interest, the SPU Chess Club is a welcoming space for all.
Eager and excited, club secretary and third-year computer science student Alex Nguyen reflects on what brought him to SPU.
“The moment I applied for college in America, I looked for schools that had chess clubs, that was my priority,” Nguyen said. “I applied to SPU because I saw they had a chess club here.”
Nguyen is an avid player who hails from Vietnam, where he came to learn the game quickly and found a lifelong love for it. Having played chess for the entirety of his time at SPU, Nguyen recruited fourth-year computer science student Karthik Kachana, who praised Nguyen’s abilities and reflected on his own personal growth within the club.
“Alex is a great coach to help other people with chess,” Kachana said. “He’s almost at the grand master level. My skills were non-existent before learning from Alex.”
Kachana laughs as he looks back on his own abilities. Standing proud of his current achievements, having reached an intermediate playing level, Kachana thanks the four-month tutelage from veteran player Nguyen.
Fourth-year computer science student Prince Nizeyimana believes the SPU Chess Club is the exact place for people looking for a safe and fun community. Having already been a fan of puzzle games made joining a chess club that much easier.
“I joined for the community,” Nezeyimana said. “It was a mental break; it gave my mind something to focus on when I wasn’t doing schoolwork.”
Despite common assumptions that chess is a quiet and serious sport, Nezeyimana argues with first-hand experience that chess can be a multi-dimensional game. He describes the club’s usual atmosphere while noting that it can quickly change during an intense match.
“You see, people are very focused on their own world, trying to think a step or two ahead,” Nezeyimana said, “but when it’s competitive and going against the clock, that’s a different story. There’s a lot of talking after seeing the moves you’ve made, and it’s just so exciting and more involved in terms of people cheering you on.”
Tying into life, Nezeyimana wants it to be known that the game of chess is more than just the pieces on a board; it is a life lesson in itself. They describe how everyone has a style to their gameplay, which often reflects how a person navigates their own life.
“There are a lot of similarities with how you approach the game and how you approach life,” Nezeyimana said. “Some people prefer an aggressive style of chess play, and others choose a defensive. Sometimes being too defensive leads to losing their pawns or other pieces unnecessarily. Other times it’s a play of balance, knowing when to play aggressive and when to hold back.”
The club is open for all levels of students to join, and Nguyen suggests that students keep an eye out for flyers posted in the buildings on campus. For those interested in connecting, reach out on the Chess Club’s Instagram, @spu_chess_club, for information. Their first meeting will occur on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 3 p.m. in Weter Memorial Hall.
