It was intriguing and fun

Students play it for fun after school and during lunch. On weekends, they compete against others at tournaments, both near and far.

The private school on Sylvan Road teaches children from elementary to high school age. In addition to the chess team activities, there is also a course that teaches how to play the tactical game and once a week, during lunch, there is a class of the history of chess.

Last month, the Pierrepont chess team traveled three-and-a-half hours for the 5th annual New England Scholastic Championship in Mt. Snow, Vt.

Many kids were driven by their parents, while others carpooled with their teammates’ parents.

Caleb Heffernan, of Weston, first learned chess from his dad, but he didn’t become devoted to it until he attended Pierrepont.

“I went to Pierrepont and I learned a lot and it was intriguing and fun,” the 11-year-old said.

His mother, Barbara Heffernan, went to the tournament with her son. She’s been to tournaments all over, including a national tournament in Pittsburgh, Pa. She admits that the travel to some of the distant tournaments can be time-consuming and expensive, but believes it is definitely worthwhile.

For the students who went, the tournament was rewarding. They won big, both as individuals and as a team.

The chess team was divided by age at this tournament. The primary school team placed first, as did the elementary school team. The middle school team also performed strong with a second place finish. Last year, the team finished first in the Connecticut State Elementary School Championships and 18th in the National K-6 Championships.

Here is the full article.

Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar