Tuesday, August 13, 2019
By Brian Foley, Web Content Specialist
Music echoes throughout the halls of the community center at the Milwaukee Environmental Sciences Academy, but inside the classroom hosting the Checkmate Chess Club, there is a sense of calm and focus as participants calculate their next moves on the chess board.
Milwaukee Recreation's eight-week chess class combines youth and adults, and brings together participants of all skill sets. And despite the gaps in age and chess expertise, instructor Kirk Cunningham has cultivated an atmosphere that is beneficial for everyone involved.
"Everyone grows. The nice thing about having a wide spread of skills is that you can almost always find a compatible game," Cunningham, a U.S. History teacher at Milwaukee Marshall High School, said. "You can find a couple of younger players to play, you can find some more experienced people to play. It all works out."
The class even allows for some minor mentorship opportunities throughout the year. "Some of the adults will take a youngster under their wing and show them new [tricks]," Cunningham said.
Participants are able to play multiple chess games during every class period, but Cunningham has devised a game to finish each session with a bang.
The class is arranged with long tables that are lined with several chess boards, so during Cunningham's game, everyone finds a board with a playing partner, moves one chess piece, and then slides down the table to the next board. Not only does this process allow participants to experience a variety of different chess situations, but it also gives the participants an opportunity to interact with a diverse group of people, as well as teach the game to or learn from a different generation.
"Chess is low stress with high enjoyability, and [this class] is an enjoyable introduction to that," Cunningham said. "There is an emphasis on having fun and having a good time."
Milwaukee Recreation is offering two sessions of the Checkmate Chess Club this fall at North Division High School Community Center and Milwaukee Marshall High School Community Center, the latter of which will feature Cunningham as an instructor. Register online for your desired session below!
- North Division: Youth (8-17 years old)
- North Division: Adult
- Milwaukee Marshall: Youth (8-17 years old)
- Milwaukee Marshall: Adult