By Caitlin Cruz
Are you looking for a club to join? Do you want to be big-brained? Then you can stop your search, because ASUPD has a chess club. The chess club should definitely be on your radar because not only can you go to tournaments, you can also socialize with peers. Here’s some need-to-know information on their tournaments and activities:
They hold meets every Monday at 2 pm AZ Time. They have eight tournaments throughout the club’s entire duration. If you join now, you can still be a part of seven of the tournaments they have. If you have never even heard of chess and now you are interested in it: No need to worry! You don’t have to be a chess genius to join the club. If you are a chess genius, great! All levels of chess players are welcome.
The sponsor of the club is Mr. Carmona, here’s his email to contact him “nccarmon@asu.edu”. The sponsor is the teacher who watches over the club. But most of the clubs are run by the students to make a fun and friendly environment for everyone who joins. This applies to all clubs, which is very nice.
I had the privilege to interview Mr. Carmona, and below I will show how it went.
- How would you describe yourself? “I consider myself someone who genuinely enjoys chess and embraces the challenges it presents.”
- How would you characterize the atmosphere of your club? “The environment is very casual and enjoyable.”
- How has the Chess Club impacted you? “Chess has enhanced my ability to think flexibly, allowing me to stay adaptable and not fixate on one strategy or move.”
- How has the Chess Club influenced its members? “A significant benefit is that it provides a social group for members to play chess together.”
- Are there any larger plans for the club? “One of our main goals is to organize events with different schools and collaborate with other ASU groups to increase game opportunities.”
- Would you say this is a good way to get into chess? “I believe a great starting point is engaging with online content, including our student-run TikTok and Instagram.”
- What does a typical meeting look like? “Meetings last about an hour and usually consist of a tournament where everyone plays against each other at a similar skill level.”
- What does a tournament day entail? “The schedule on tournament days varies based on the officers’ decisions.”
- Do you travel at all? “We haven’t traveled yet.”
- Is the Chess Club the same as the ASUPD chess team? “Yes, they are essentially the same.”
- A fun fact about Mr. Carmona is his favorite piece is the pawn.
I hope you consider joining Chess Club!
