Qxf7. These might look like a random combination of letters and numbers, but for chess players, this is just a regular move. This move is something students might learn during No Checks November.
No Checks November is a series of meetings organized by math teacher Joel Carrillo to help Yutan students better understand the game of chess.
“It (November) just seemed like a good month where I have nothing to do and with the Thanksgiving break, it was very short so I didn’t have to do a lot,” Carrillo said.
To get people to join, Carrillo put up a flyer.
“Basically, the paper just gave a time, a place, every skill level welcome for everybody and that there would be snacks,” Carrillo said. “And so that’s it, we have snacks for people showing up.”
The first meeting was on Nov. 3 to go over the basics.
“First, I checked if everybody knew how to move the pieces. Everybody knew how to move the pieces, and so I started with a simple ‘Your first move should always be in the center or at least somewhere near the center,’” Carrillo said.
Despite winter sports starting up, three people went to the first chess practice and a handful more showed up to the second and third.
“A couple of kids were like, ‘What, it started already?’ Yep, the flyers have been up for a while,” Carrillo said.
The students who did show up had some basic goals set.
“My goal in joining the club is to get a little better and just cut some time,” sophomore Dylan Fisher said.
Another sophomore joined because she wanted to improve.
“I still hope to learn some new openings and how to play better,” sophomore Harley Wilder said.
Carrillo helps the students learn and get better by teaching them the way he practiced.
“I would go piece by piece from the easiest piece to understand until the hardest piece to understand, and I would play a game with each piece and practice just doing that,” Carrillo said.
These strategies are helpful since chess is classified as a harder game.
“You have to think ahead and think of what your opponent might do the next play,” Wilder said.
Once playing, there are benefits to chess, including increased problem-solving.
“It makes your brain more efficient and you can recognize more patterns,” Fisher said.
Even though the group is small and will only meet for a month, the students are enjoying the experience.
“I just like making new connections with people that I play with and just for the fun of it,” Wilder said.
