Chess Club: where strategic minds are put to use and friends are made

While most students are sleeping in or eating breakfast in the morning, the real ones are quietly—but competitively—challenging each other and their brains through the game of chess, a game that promotes friendships, focus, and community building.
The Rochester High School Chess Club meets in the school library every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 a.m. before school. Membership is diverse, ranging from seniors to freshmen, and even a few teachers have participated in recent months.
“The skill gap between two players can be pretty immense, and I think that’s what makes it really interesting,” said Mr. Joseph Kim, the club’s advisor and a local math teacher. “It allows kids to really build skills. It’s also a nice hobby to share with a friend.”
The club currently averages about ten members per meeting. Attendance has been in a steady decline since “Bagel Tuesday” was taken away, but members hope to make the club more well-known throughout the school. “Lots of people don’t know what we do, who we are, or what we’re about,” Wes Myers, a senior chess club member explained. “Many students here play chess and are talented at the game, but they don’t always make the time to attend the meetings. If more people knew about them, attendance would definitely increase.”
The Rochester High School Chess Club was founded and restored in August 2024 by Wes Myers and Timothy Lee, with Mr. Kim stepping in as the presiding teacher. Now going on two years of operation, the club has become a place for both intellectual growth and friendship.
“What chess really relies on is a lot of pattern recognition,” Kim said. “As a math teacher, that works well for me because it gets your brain thinking about different patterns and tactics.” He also emphasized the benefits. Kim explained that chess “builds brain connections, develops the mind, and provides a new hobby,” while also helping students “grow relationships and promote friendship and fun.”
Wes Myers has been in the club since its founding. “The reason I decided to help form and join the chess club was a love for chess, a love for community, and a love for my school,” Myers said. He describes the atmosphere as “a really collaborative environment where we lift each other up, try to make each other better, and really just enjoy the game of chess.”
Wes also shared his biggest takeaway: “I’ve learned that no matter your skill level at chess, you’re always welcome in the community. There will always be someone there to try to pick you up and help you get better.” His inspiration in the game is Magnus Carlsen, the former world chess champion.
Over the past year, the chess club has grown—not in number, but in kindness, love, and fun. It has hosted school tournaments and beginner lessons, offering free bagels to everyone and prizes to winners.
The chess club is more than just a game. It’s a fun way to lift school spirit and challenge the mind with new possibilities. All students are invited to come and play chess—you’ll make friends, grow intellectually, and be happier.