Chess tournament brings out students of all ages
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - For the first time since the start of the pandemic, local chess enthusiasts got the chance to compete face-to-face.
This past weekend, Idaho State hosted a regional scholastic chess tournament.
A day that Tournament Director Jay Simonson was looking forward to for quite some time.
"I've been doing this for a number of years, and this is how I have fun," Simonson said. "I don't go play golf on Saturdays. I try to have a chess tournament."
For a more experienced player like high school senior Niall McKenzie, it gave him a chance to compete close to home.
"I've traveled all around the state to play the game and just having a tournament in town is nice, because I don't have to drive far, and I can just play and have fun," McKenzie said.
Mckenzie says the love for the game was passed down from generation to generation.
"My dad actually taught me how to play chess in elementary school," McKenzie said. "I never really picked it up until my fifth grade year, and I just fell in love with the game."
But age was not a barrier in this competition, with students from kindergarten to 12th grade able to compete.
Fifth grader Mya Deltoro says her brother was helping her build up to this moment.
"He made me practice for a couple of days until I got better," Deltoro said.
The experience has her intrigued for more.
"I would like to play chess in future, and I would like to get my own chess board, so I can play with my friends," Deltoro said.
Simonson says the complexity of chess helps build critical thinking skills.
"Chess is a very good game as far as keeping your mind alert and active," Simonson said. "A lot of people who are good at chess are also good at math and other sciences."
McKenzie encourages anyone who wants to learn how to play.
"I would say that they should just try to get into the game," McKenzie said. "They could just learn like the basic positions and how the pieces move and just basic strategy."
Students who qualified on Saturday will be moving on to the state scholastic championships in March.
