The chess club, which consistently hosts 15-20 players, serves as a community for its members, embracing the fun and competition of the game. 

“A big part of [chess club] is trying to bring people together to have fun and travel and get better at the game,” chess club president Nathan Ziegler said. Ziegler was recognized at SU’s Annual Student Life Awards as President of the Year for his work in the chess club. 

However, chess club is not all fun. Competitiveness is a big part of the club, challenging its members to improve every week. 

“I think the perfect hobby is something you can try to improve at but also have a sense of community as well,” Ziegler said. “There’s the social aspect of it, but there’s [also] this competitive aspect.”

Another significant aspect of the chess club is their participation in tournaments. In January, 13 chess club members traveled to Texas to compete in the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship, which is hosted by the United States Chess Federation. They competed against schools from across the nation and one of their members, Nash Kemble, won biggest upset in the U1800 section. 

The chess club also competes in more local tournaments, from Harrisburg to Syracuse, NY. In March, they competed in the PA State and PA Collegiate Championship, outperforming Penn State University to win their sixth PA State Champion title. 

A goal for the upcoming year is for the club to host more tournaments on the Shippensburg campus. Out of 27 players competing in their most recent tournament, only eight were members of the chess club. Through tournaments like these, Ziegler said, the club can continue serving the chess community on and off campus.

“I came to my first meeting last fall, and Nathan invited me to the Syracuse tournament that was happening the next month,” chess club treasurer Nash Kemble said. “I thought everyone was nice and it was a cool environment, so I just kept coming and now I’m here every week.”

Chess club hosts its weekly meeting in the DHC Fishbowl at 3:30 p.m. every Friday during the semester. For more information and news, you can follow them on Instagram @shipchess. 

Share