The award winning chess club is back
December 2, 2021
Mayo High School’s Chess Club is back and stronger than ever. They meet after school on Mondays in the Mohlke Center and compete in several tournaments each season.
Joining the chess club is a way for everybody to have fun playing one of the world’s most popular games, whilst gaining benefits such as improved memory and strategic thinking. The Club welcomes players of any skill level, from players who are still learning the rules of the game, to players who play every day and play in tournaments regularly. Not all of the club members are engaged in official competition. Some just enjoy playing the game and hanging out with their friends on Monday afternoons. However, the Mayo Varsity Team was a powerhouse last year and is looking promising again. They are aiming to compete in the Rochester City Cup and the Minnesota State Championship this year.
“Chess Club has given me the chance to learn problem-solving skills and gave me the opportunity to meet new people,” Gabby Willaert, the senior student leader said.
In terms of achievement, the Mayo High School Varsity Chess Team is in no way lacking. The varsity team was the Minnesota State Champion Chess Team in 2018 and 2019, claiming fourth place in 2020. In a state tournament consisting of more than a hundred participants, this is no small feat.
The Chess Club had an interesting obstacle to overcome last year. Covid-19 proved to be quite the challenge as the team had to transition to completely online meetings. Instead of getting together in person, meetings took place in a Google Meet, and all chess games were done on the popular chess website lichess.org. The chess club lost many members over distance learning, the meet rarely reaching over ten attendees, but despite all that, they still met as often as possible.
Through commitment and dedication, the chess team proved that this setback was nothing they couldn’t handle. Thanks to the expert leadership from Coach Roy Truelson, the varsity team competed in a statewide online league and did pretty well, getting fifth overall when competing with schools across Minnesota. Additionally, Mayo’s Gabby Willaert claimed first place in the alternate boards. The Chess Team was also able to defeat Lourdes 4-1, claiming the Rochester City Cup for the first time in 20 years. Mayo High School Chess Coach Mr. Roy Truelson was then named the 2021 Coach of the Year by the Rochester Area Scholastic Chess League, a well-deserving title.
The Mayo High School Chess Club operates in a very casual environment. Any are welcome to attend the meetings Mondays after school, regardless of skill level. If you are looking for a place to improve your chess skills, or to just learn one of the world’s most popular games, then the Mayo High School Chess Club is the place for you.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Chess Club, please feel free to join the google classroom for more information:
