Teacher sparks chess revival

It had to be the quietest GSL championship ever. No rowdy fans chanted pep cheers. No enthusiastic parents screamed advice from the sidelines. Indeed, the only sounds were the ticking of the clock and the occasional whisper of “checkmate.”

On March 5, six teams competed in the GSL chess championship at Gonzaga Prep. While Ferris narrowly defeated Lewis and Clark, the Rogers team, which tied for fourth, was happy just to be there. That’s because after a 20-year absence, Rogers once again has a chess team.

Last year, intervention specialist Barb Silvey brought a wooden chessboard to her classroom. It proved to be a popular attraction. “I teach at-risk kids,” she said. “Kids who have dropped out or are on the verge of dropping out.”

As she watched her students’ growing fascination with the game, she said, “I thought, why not have a chess tournament?” Silvey said the event drew dozens of kids, so she decided to start a chess club this year.

Currently, she said, “We have 48 kids. We have enough to do some tournaments and bring home some hardware.”

Eighteen-year-old Riqi Silva is one of those kids. “In the first tournament we played in, Riqi scored the most points,” Silvey said.

Said Silva: “My godmother taught me to play when I was 4, and I still can’t beat her.

“I like all the different possibilities of the game, and the adrenalin rush you feel when you see a good move, but you don’t want to reveal it,” he said

Teammate James Eckart agreed. “I like to see if I can outsmart someone.”

Student teacher Adam Atwood serves as the coach of the Rogers team. He said the game “helps students recognize patterns and develop patience and sportsmanship.” He added, “Chess is really good for impulsive kids – they have to focus.”

That focus is another reason Silva enjoys the game. “You can play for hours and still have fun,” he said. “Time flies when you’re really concentrating.”

The chess club meets on Tuesdays from 2 to 5 p.m., but Silvey, the club adviser, admits they sometimes find themselves engrossed in matches until 5:30 or later. And it’s not just the kids who can’t tear themselves away from the game. “I love it!” she said. “It’s fun.”

At the GSL championship, Silvey was the only female in the room. She’s used to that. “I was the only girl in chess club when I was in high school,” she said and shrugged. “It’s not a girl kind of thing.”

However, though no girls played in the championship, the chess club at Rogers does have a couple of female members. Atwood said, “Chess is very diverse. Kids from all backgrounds can play.”

Silvey nodded and said their club consists of “jocks, bright kids, and not-so-bright kids.” She’s proud of the sense of community the group has fostered.

As Damon Child, 16, took a break between matches, he said what he likes about chess club is “getting to meet more people – kids I see in the hall but never talk to.” Then he grinned and pointed at Silvey, “I also like beating her.”