Strategic Gains

Making a move: While high school players fought for city supremacy, Community Academy's Bruce Vasquez took on fellow middle-schoolers.
Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Masterman High continues its mastery of the city chess league.

by Mike Newall

The room fell silent as 10 players took their opposing seats along a narrow table. They wore game-day faces. Some stared menacingly. Others cracked their knuckles. At 2 p.m. sharp, the referee checked his watch, waved his right arm through the air and the Philadelphia Scholastic Chess League Championships were under way.

Don't roll your eyes. It was a fun time. Exciting, even. Yes, chess is making a comeback in Philadelphia schools.

In the 1980s, nearly 40 city schools boasted of chess teams. But over the years, student interest in the "Game of Kings" faded, school budgets got tighter and the chess league withered. Four years ago, there were only 10 teams citywide, so the league was cancelled. But last year, Paul Vallas, CEO of the Philadelphia School District and a big promoter of the intellectual challenges of the game, announced an initiative to make Philadelphia "the nation's first chess city," with clubs or teams in each of the city's 327 schools by the end of this year.

Chess is a cerebral game, says Vallas, one that teaches children concentration, how to think analytically and about the consequences of their actions. Studies show that successful school chess programs lead to higher test scores in science and math. Moreover, it keeps kids off the streets for a few hours after the final bell rings. In the past year, nearly 110 city schools added chess to their extracurricular activities. An estimated 2,000 school kids have picked up the pawns.

January marked the inaugural season of the new chess league, co-sponsored by the School District and the Philadelphia-based nonprofit,After School Activities Partnerships. Last week's championship featured Center City's Masterman High School in a showdown against the Northeast's George Washington High School.

The schools are longtime foes, though Masterman has dominated the competition by winning seven city titles since 1993, with Washington usually taking second honors. On hand for the proceedings were about two dozen spectators, league officials, reporters and photographers.

As the matches began, Masterman coach and Philadelphia chess guru Stephen Shutt sat off to the side, offering friendly discourse on the game of chess to a reporter.

"It requires logical thinking," he said. "A player must be able to plan three or four moves in advance and at the same time anticipate what his opponent will do in return. It punishes error or sloppy thinking quite fast and provides for an outstanding visual memory. My top player could probably play an entire game with his back turned to you as long as you called out your moves."

"It's an absolutely phenomenal after-school activity," added Marjorie Wuestner, administrator for health, safety, physical education and sports administration for the School District. "The lessons they learn in chess can be applied to curriculum across the board."

At the championship, players competed under a two-hour clock. Whichever team won three of the five matches would take the crown. About an hour into play, Masterman's Brandon Walton notched the first victory when his opponent, down a rook, let his clock run out. Next, Masterman sophomore John Smyth checkmated his opponent with only two minutes remaining. The day's contest was decided when Masterman senior Jacob Read moved his queen into position b4 and checkmated his opponent.

The remaining two matches were played out, a round of applause went up from the crowd, large trophies were awarded, and the chess sets were put away until next time.

The Eagles Youth Chess Tournament, sponsored by After School Activities Partnerships, will be held at Lincoln Financial Field on Sat., May 14. Volunteers are needed. Call 215-545-2727.