Chess Club is an OTHS organization that has been up and running for two years. They meet every Thursday in the Library and everyone can challenge each other to matches or sit back and watch a match unfold.

“I like how we get to expand on our experience in chess and make friends through it,” senior David Baito said.

The club is very open to new members or to people who walk onto matches. Each regular member openly enjoys a new opponent and actively seeks them out. They keep a friendly demeanor towards each other and a continuous joking banter running between the chess matches.

“Everyone is really nice and we joke around a lot. People give you tips and help you do stuff in order to make a better move next time,” senior Christopher Holhumer said

The Chess Club is in a perpetual state of competition, as is its nature, so each member develops rapidly and successfully. It quickly solidifies reasoning and forethought to think the next five moves ahead. However, there are members of all levels and abilities in the club.

“You get to develop and notice habits for yourself and against future opponents,” Baito said.

It is advised to watch others play and see how each handles themselves. This lets everyone pick and choose what moves they can personally make and helps players understand other’s playing styles. It gives a short mental respite from the strenuous game and allows for a deeper, more removed, understanding of the game and how to better each’s own style.

“Chess Club allows me to be intellectual. It’s a good mind game, it lets me think differently and exercise my brain,” Holhumer said.