Athletics for the Mind

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There were fans and hard-fought games. There was a trip to state on the line. Competitors may have been using their minds, not their muscles, but as one put it, ‘It’s an intense sport.’

By Scott Hammers / The Bulletin
Published: February 07. 2010 4:00AM PST

REDMOND —

Backed up against the lockers in the cafeteria at Redmond High School, the parents who came out to watch their children do battle in an all-Central Oregon chess tournament Saturday made for a somewhat subdued cheering section.

“I’m just glad we can take pictures,” whispered Debbie Taylor, of Bend, straining to catch a glimpse of the board where her son Josh and another boy were playing.

“It’s the quiet sport.”

The tournament for elementary and middle school students drew more than 100 players from about 15 schools. Sponsored by Chess for Success, a Portland nonprofit that calls chess “Athletics for the Mind,” the tournament was a qualifier for the state tournament in Portland in mid-March.

Jeremy Rubenstein, an English teacher who serves as adviser to the Redmond High School chess club and director of the tournament, said there were no true prodigies playing Saturday, and only a handful of kids who could beat a reasonably skilled adult player. However, Rubenstein said he expects the growing number of chess teams in local schools will produce some strong chess players in the near future.

At the beginning of the school year, Chess for Success created chess teams at seven Redmond schools, providing equipment and funding to pay for coaches.

“I normally wouldn’t make a plug, but they are an awesome, awesome organization,” Rubenstein said. “It does not cost our district a cent to run these teams.”

Here is the full article.