Noah Thomas, 10, says “check” as he moves his knight next to a tall piece with a crown, also known as the Queen. Craig Jackson, 39, counters with his “check,” and Thomas laughs as he removes the opposing rook.
Pieces move across the board faster as the end of the game nears. Two pawns move to opposing corners of the board. “Queen me, please,” the two players say one after the other. By the time three pieces remain, Thomas smiles, thinking he’s caught his opponent – only for Jackson to point out, “You forgot to say check, and this looks like a stalemate to me.”
For the players at Columbus’ newest chess gathering, the board is more than a battlefield. It’s a place to connect.
The club – still nameless – started when Clara Ortega asked in the local Facebook group “Columbus MS (What’s going on)” if a chess club existed. She discovered one used to meet at the Frank P. Phillips Memorial YMCA but had dissolved. Alongside her partner, Jason Chess, Ortega decided to see if they could revive it. When asked if that was really his last name, Chess laughed and said yes – “Chess, not checkers.”
“We just wanted to see if people would even show up today,” Ortega said during the group’s first meeting Saturday at Fired Up Studio, a paint-your-own-pottery shop downtown.
While an unconventional location for a chess club, Ortega called it “a very safe space for sure, with great visibility.” Owner Rosario “Ro” Carrillo saw the need for a space on Facebook and offered the studio as a first meeting location.
Chess, who has been playing chess since he was 8, said the club is for anyone curious about the game.
“I love to teach people,” he said. “It’s not just for experienced players. We want people to come out, grow as players and enjoy themselves.”
The meeting was a small group, a mix of ages and backgrounds, from young players like Noah Thomas to adults such as Craig Jackson. Noah, who started playing chess at 5, said he enjoys the opportunity to play with different people.
“Usually my dad and I just play at home,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun to get to play with someone else.”
Jackson, a Columbus resident, said the appeal goes beyond winning.
“If you play online, the point is to win,” he said. “Here, it’s just to play. It’s about learning and community.”
For Ortega and Chess, the hope is to grow the club slowly and keep the atmosphere relaxed.
“I guess we could compete if we want, but for the most part, we’re here to have fun,” Chess said.
The group paired off, and three games happened simultaneously at the first session. While the club is in its early stages, both organizers and participants left the studio Saturday excited about its potential.
“It’s an international game that brings people together,” said Chess.
Ortega agrees.
“You don’t have to speak the same language because the game stays the same across borders,” she said.
Ortega added she hopes the club will inspire local youth and offer a free welcoming space for everyone to enjoy time together.
“It’s nice to have a club where people of different ages and backgrounds can enjoy playing this game… and sometimes we all learn something new,” she said.
Ortega is working on finding a permanent location for the club, and there’s no set date for the next meet up yet – though she’s looking for a place. With the next club date still in the works, those with questions can email [email protected].
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 31 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
