Muncie, IND. — Checkmake Cardinals hosted a campus chess tournament for all students this past Wednesday. Many students participated whether they knew how to play chess or not. The tournament consisted of multiple chess sets throughout the room. Food and drinks were also provided throughout the night. The event was full of music, laughter and encouragement. Needless to say, this was not a stereotypically silent chess match.
“It was a lot of fun,” Callie Tuma said. “It wasn’t what I expected. I haven’t played chess in a very long time, and the tournament style was a lot of fun. I got to meet a bunch of different people, and it was a good night.”
It wasn’t just the students that took interest in the tournament. Ball State faculty and staff piped their heads in once in a while to see what was going on. Some stayed and watched for a while. Both the staff and other players were constantly cheering on and encouraging the competitors.
This tournament had a bigger tour out than expected. Both experts and newbies played side by side. It didn’t matter how good you were. Even those who didn’t know how to play were excited to be a part of the event. Those who knew the game well would spend extra time helping the new players learn how to play. The tournament ended with a top three tier. Each of the top three got some sort of prize.
“I’m happy to be here,” said the winner, Alisa Scherbakova. “I didn’t expect so many players.”
Overall, each participant enjoyed their time at the Checkmate Cardinals chess tournament. There will be many more club meetings and tournaments to come. It doesn’t matter how much you know about chess. Everyone is welcome at Checkmate Cardinals Club.
Contact Stephanie Weaver with comments at Stephanie.Weaver@bsu.edu
