Founded last year, Parker’s Chess Team has since captured numerous wins and accomplishments in their field of competition. Although a small group of players, they’re committed and determined when they meet to better themselves in chess and the strategy that accompanies it. The team is currently first in the conference.
“We do two team practices a week after school, but there’s just casual play during the club period, and that’s supposed to be fun for everyone,” Supervisor Ms. Lisa Williams said.
Along with the chess team, there is a chess club, but these are distinct. Chess club is a time for students to discover interest in the game and develop skills with friends. It’s an intermediate commitment and challenge.
“We’re one of the smallest schools that’s an IHSA team,” Upper School Registrar and Supervisor Matt McCaw said. “And it’s not like there’s conferences. We play against every school in the state. So consistent issues are having a full roster. I’d like to have more participation and more people thinking they can play.”
The chess team is a space for students to further their competition skills on and off the board, while building community inside and outside Parker.
“Come by chess club. We teach for free and it’s a great time, even if you just want to stop in,” senior and team captain Shalen Chawla said. “It’s a great way to learn and we’ve got a great community.”
In their short span of existence, the team has impressed those around them. Currently, with a match-winning streak of 7-0, the team has their standards set high.
“This season, we’re first, we’re fighting back, and we’re doing well, even for one of the smallest schools in the conference. I’m just really proud of seeing how everyone on the team has improved. Everyone’s gotten significantly better, like, 300, 400 rating points higher, even though it’s just all casual games and teaching,” Chawla said.
“In the future, I would love for there to be an actual set program to maybe expand into the lower school, which Jasper and I have been trying to do,” Chawla said.
This school year’s chess team captains are seniors Jasper Chazen and Shalen Chawla. They have been diligently working to expand the chess program and its publicity, as well as having the backs of their fellow players.
“I think it’s very rewarding to see the captains taking a leadership role,” McCaw said. “Shalen and Jasper both are very protective of the underclassmen, and there were at least two instances where Shalen insisted that he was going to talk to the referee to find out why this rule is this way, and why the game development happened. I thought, wow, you’re really taking this leadership role.”
But, no team begins at the top of the ranks.
“Their first ever match and tournament was hard. Their first match was against St. Ignatius, which is one of the stronger schools in the city,” McCaw said. “They’re the best, they were the powerhouse of the conference. I think that we’re poised to give them a run for the money this year, but Parker’s very first match was them, and we didn’t have enough players and didn’t really know what we were doing. It was just, ‘let’s give it a try’ and that was hard.”
The team lost that match last year, however, since then, the team has secured a reputation of victory and success at Parker. This set an example of what can happen when work and determination are put into something. Parker used to be an underdog team, but now they have started to think of themselves as champions.
“Last year, the team went to Palatine for their first tournament, and it was an opportunity for them to play against schools outside of Chicago. It was very daunting, but it got students to think about their potential,” Williams said. “Palatine is going to state, and so we wanted to go to state, so then we went to sectionals, and they performed well because they had gone to the tournament and realized that they had to up their game.”
Not only is the team gaining recognition outside of Parker, but they have stirred up chatter within its walls. With emails and Instagram posts, they’ve made sure to leave a mark.
“I think the entire school is very supportive of the chess team. I can see that from the long emails I get in my inbox of teachers and students congratulating them after they win something,” junior Ashley Williams said.
A majority of the team’s success lies in how they communicate with each other. For some, this could be difficult, but not for the chess team.
“There’s less of this kind of rivalry because they realize that the team is the goal,” Williams said.
“One of the things I love about chess is the fact that someone loses. I know that sounds pessimistic, but you play and get used to that, and the best players in the world lose 49% of the time, so everybody should just be comfortable coming and playing. And it’s, I think, a healthy thing to lose a game and play again,” McCaw said.
“I really liked going to our first individual tournament. This was before we had any matches and it was just me and Darius, but we both placed first and second out of everyone in the conference,” Chawla said. “Starting the season strong and putting our names out there was a definitely a high point.”
All players have personalities and goals that make them assets to the team. “I’ve been proud and amazed by different things from each of the students,” Williams said.
In agreement was McCaw.
“Shalen’s leadership, William’s heart, and Josephine’s determination. Just from knowing where they started to where they are now, I’ve just been amazed, you know, and proud of each player,” McCaw said. “And then Ari. Ari always wins.”
Ultimately, bigger schools have students they can rotate in to play. Some schools have a JV squad, though Parker doesn’t. Because of this, McCaw and Williams have been reaching out to students in chess club asking if they’d like to play, and from there, a new teammate can emerge.
“Through the team, we might get more people to realize that chess is fun. It’s a team sport in that we do have people that support each other. This year, which is new, we’ve started doing puzzles during some of the practices. Interviewing games and having lessons on openings. It’s nice to have it be a team effort, so it’s great to do the armchair quarterbacking,” McCaw said.
One thing that also feels good is support from the student body to the team. “Teams like Scholastic Bowl, Chess, and Robotics- they’re some of the best teams at the school, a lot better than some of the sports teams, and they don’t get represented as much. Whether it’s in Parker posts or a team item at the end of the year, I’d like to see a little more representation for someone willing to put the work in,” Chawla said.
The next step for the team is to attend upcoming sectionals. They’ll be seeded high and play the hardest competition in the state.
