Students practicing chess after school (Photo: Amadou Bah)

By Amadou Bah,

Chess Club is back again. You can sign up in Room 216, Thursdays only.  Newcomers are welcome. The goal is to build a chess team that can be competitive against students from other high schools.

Mr. Tola, the founder and main faculty advisor of the Chess Club started playing chess when he was seven years old. He didn’t master chess until eight years of age. Magnus Carlsen and Garry Kasparov, two of the greatest chess players in the world, inspired Mr. Tola. Then, in 5th grade, he completely stopped playing.

He started playing chess again when he began teaching here at Patterson.  He often plays chess more in school than any other place.  He doesn’t get easily distracted. “It doesn’t matter where I play chess; I can handle the background noise” Mr. Tola told the Patterson Press.  One reason why he started the chess club was that he wanted Patterson students to enter into championships. The purpose of the chess club is to help students develop good strategic thinking. Chess is considered to be a strategy game. When you’re playing chess, you have to think before moving a piece. In order to win the game you must have a better plan then your opponent. “The more you practice, the more you’ll become better”, Mr. Tola said. Anyone can sign up and the Chess Club will teach you how to play.

Mr. Tola, faculty advisor of the Chess Club (Photo: Amadou Bah)