Payton Mitchell
Staff Writer
Since the 70s, Idaho State University has had a chess club for students to stimulate their brains, learn a new game and make new friends.
Peter Eckert, a junior at ISU, started a petition this past fall to open the chess club again. In order to do so, Eckert had to go before the Student Involvement Center and Student Activities Board with his proposition. Eckert has been playing chess since he was young and enjoyed it so much that he wanted to start a chess club.
In order to establish the club, Eckert had to rewrite the old club’s constitution.
According to ISU policy, any club’s constitution that has not been in use for more than four years must be updated and resubmitted for approval.
Eckert took the rough draft of the new constitution, updated it and brought it before the ASISU Senate for their approval.
On Nov. 4, 2015 the senate unanimously approved the club.
Currently, the ISU Chess Club has about 20 members.
When asked about what the club did, Darrell Sears quoted German chess champion Emanuel Lasker, “There are no lies on the battlefield of chess.” Sears went on to say that, aside from playing chess the club also talks about theories on how to play the game, different offensive and defensive strategies and offers a way for students to meet new people and make new friends. When asked if he has fun in the club, Sears said it is his first time joining since the club has been established, and that he enjoys it greatly.
According to ISU philosophy professor Nobel Ang, another member, the chess club has been making plans for social events as an advertising opportunity for the club. These events include several small chess tournaments per semester and hosting chess and ice cream socials. The club also established current members will teach new members how to play the game.
When asked if he enjoyed being in the club, Ang said he did indeed enjoy being in the chess club because he finds chess fun and challenging.
Earl Neeser has been playing chess for 51 years. Neeser wishes to organize the chess club and see it flourish. He went on to say that the chess clubs held at the Marshall Public Library in Pocatello and the Portneuf District Library in Chubbuck stemmed from the ISU Chess Club. When asked if he enjoyed being a member, Neeser said he did, and the game of chess is excellent for the memory and also helps sharpen the mind.
Eckert explained some of the problems the club is facing, like purchasing enough chess boards or gaining more members. He plans on funding the club through the use of fundraisers, but currently has nothing planned.
The ISU Chess Club meets every Wednesday at 12 p.m. at the Quad Lounge in the Pond Student Union Building, and every Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Selway Room on the third floor of the SUB.
