Chess is a notoriously difficult game to master. That’s precisely why Quaitemes Williams, the chess coach at Alcuin School, thinks kids should start playing early.
“Chess … helps students understand to never underestimate an opponent, while showing them how to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat,” he says. “Although I have been exposed to many facets of chess, my highest professional aspiration is that someday my students’ skills will surpass my own.”
It seems his dream may become a reality. The school’s chess team just placed 1st in three separate local tournaments, including the Scott Watson Memorial Chess Classic and the 2015 Universal Academy K-12 Fall Fun Classic.
Rocco Renda, a third grader at Alcuin, has been playing since he was 5-years-old. He’s often among the top ranked players at local competitions and says he likes the game “because it teaches you strategy and how to think through problems.” Important skills indeed.
