Leaping into the first semester, the MSMS Chess Club is taking on the upcoming school year with full strides, with big plans and an enthusiastic student body. Wednesday afternoon, Room 104 in Hooper swarmed with a range of curious students and aspiring chess champions all seated before a chalkboard, enthusiastically scrawled with “CHESS CLUB!!” supported by a pawn.

New students brimmed with excitement, and President of the Chess Club, Gary Nguyen, could not wait to start.

“I’m really excited about spreading my passion for the game with a lot of new players this year,” Nguyen says. “It wasn’t until eighth grade that I really started getting into competitive chess… going into high school I realized this was a passion I had, that I loved teaching and sharing with people.”

Among the mass of students interested in the club, junior Victoria Gong is looking forward to participating in the club.

“I’ve never really been serious about chess,”  Gong says. “I studied game theory a little when I was younger, but hopefully this will help me revive this interest.”

Although the club has had a successful history, it is looking to improve by reaching a wide range of students, from beginners who hope to learn the game, to advanced players, who want to study game theory and refine their skills.

“I’m looking for the chess club to be more structured this year,” Nguyen explains. “Unfortunately that was something that we really didn’t get into last year.”

Not only is the club expanding its horizons at MSMS, but with the help of sponsor Dr. Scott Curtis, Nguyen is also looking for the club to play a more active role in the community. Reaching out to local cafe, the MSMS Chess Club has partnered with Books & Boards to use its facilities in sponsoring the local chess community.

Junior Hamilton Wan is excited for the improvements.

“I’ve always been fascinated by chess,  and at my old school we did not have a chess club. The fact that there is so much support for chess at MSMS and that it is expanding to local communities is really exciting,” Wan expresses.