Upon WHHS’ chess team’s success at their last tournament on Jan. 8, players competed with great skill and sportsmanship, avoiding all rookie mistakes. 

“The tournament was a great success with 124 students from the Cincinnati area showing up to play,” club advisor Nicolas Sabet said.

Dennis Veytsman, ‘24, won his division, and Alex Krol, ‘24, placed third in the same division out of 32 competitors. This was the first competition WHHS hosted this school year, through Cincinnati Scholastic Chess. 

Veytsman first started playing chess with his grandpa but after a couple of years, when he turned 14-years-old, became more interested in the game. 

“Eventually, I started to get tired of him beating me every time so I decided to get better by watching Youtube videos and practicing on Chess.com,” Veytsman said. 

He used opening strategies including the Stafford Gambit, a popular trap, and was able to win his final game in a woven loose. This was Veytsman’s first time competing in a tournament and was more than satisfied with his first-place finish. It’s also his first year in the chess club, he plans to continue competing in tournaments over the next few years. 

“I want to join the higher section of the next tournament I [compete in] because I’m not going to know my limit right now if I keep getting first place,” Veytsman said. 

His teammate, Krol, joined the chess club when he was in seventh grade but has been playing the game since he was 5-years-old. He then joined the chess club at his elementary school where he first began to enjoy the game while becoming a stronger player.

“I didn’t really play outside of school at first, but during COVID I actually started to play on my own time more and started to realize that it can actually be a really fun game when you know what you’re doing and you have a plan,” Krol said. “It’s been so much fun ever since.”

Once, during a club meeting, a chess master came in and taught the players new strategies and would even play games against them blindfolded.

“He would name the moves that he played while the rest of the kids in the class had their eyes open, of course, and he would destroy us,” Krol said. “I think that was the first experience where I really realized how incredible the game can get.” 

Krol joined the chess team three years ago, when William Shaw was the club advisor. Shaw still helps out the club occasionally, but passed down the role as advisor to Sabet.

“The number one reason [for advising the club] is I love chess. I love chess and wanted to get involved more with the school, so combine those two things and you get what I’m doing now,” Sabet said. 

SENIOR Nate Gvozdanovic, Benjamin Robertson, ‘26, Marie Gill, ‘27, Mateo Zuniga, ‘26, Louis-Michael Konopka, ‘27, Mateo Alcantara, ‘26, Noah Visconti, ‘22 and Carlos Campos, ‘27, also competed in the tournament.

“Overall, I think the kids did well, and I know every Walnut kid that participated always had at least a win or a draw, which was awesome,” Sabet said. “All the kids are deep thinkers and that skill of deep thinking and critical thinking is honed by just staring at that board and trying to figure out the many possible ways that the pieces can move.”

Students with any level of chess experience are encouraged to join the club. They meet every Wednesday in the cafeteria from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. It’s a casual club with no hard commitment to attendance. 

“We’ve always got room for people, so anyone who’s interested, even remotely, should give it a shot on Wednesday, it’s a lot of fun,” Krol said.

There are boards and pieces set up around the cafeteria and students take turns playing each other. Players can learn a lot just by watching, so sometimes they go around just to see other games to learn new moves and strategies. Sabet has noticed that the stronger players give advice to the younger kids which helps them improve their chess skills as well. 

“Explaining things can help teach even the experienced,” Krol said. “[New players] can show the experienced areas of weakness, while it shows the inexperienced how to play.”

Sabet encourages students, even those brand new to the game, to give it a try, “As long as you show up and you’re motivated and you’re willing to listen, you’ll be in good shape to learn how to play,” he said.