Andrew Boerema

The SDSU Chess Club has been around for a long time. Few remain who know about the early years. The club has never been big, but the members are always very excited about chess and love to play the game.

Currently, about five members come consistently, with others coming in and out as they can make it to meetings. The members come from a variety of colleges on campus ranging from Engineering to Arts and Sciences.

“We welcome chess players of all skill levels,” said David Gloe, president of the Chess Club. “Chess is a game that can be learned in about five minutes, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t know the moves.”

The club tries to participate in events when they can fit them into their schedules. This year, three of the members went to the Eighth Annual Winter Open in Sioux Falls in January. Bruce Brandt from the English department came home with fourth place and some prize money.

In the past, the club has also participated in scrimmages with other players from the University of South Dakota. Looking to the future, the club would like to do more of those scrimmages in addition to hosting some events of their own.

For students, the words “chess club” conjure an image of hopelessly nerdy mathematicians sitting in quiet rooms with looks of cold determination. This image could not be further from the truth. Coming to a meeting of the chess club is more like going over to your friend’s house to hang out.

“Chess is a great game! It lets you take a break from the monotony of classes and studies but still engages your brain,” said Andrew Meyer, a senior computer science student.

The Chess Club meets every Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Pheasant Room in the Student Union. They encourage any student interested in playing a game or two to show up and have fun.