Future Chess Champs Checkmate

Peek into Wildwood City Council chambers on Tuesday afternoons, and one will find it transformed into a chess class. Led by the En Passant Chess Club leaders, the new summer class is being offered for youth between the ages of 5 and 17.

Wildwood mom Kelly Kirtley, a parent, is the driving force behind the club. “Our son Jimmy has been taking chess lessons for two years from Gabriel Boyd, the En Passant director. Jimmy asked me to help him get a local chess club going, so I approached the city about it. They loved the idea,” she said.

“We needed at least eight people to sign up to make it work,” said Gary Crews, director of Wildwood’s parks and recreation department. “We got an amazing response with 36 people signing up. Originally, we were planning to hold the sessions at the Old Pond School, but we had to move it here to allow room for all the students.”

Boyd leads the chess club sessions, with help from an assistant chess master. A former school teacher, Boyd conceived of the idea for his chess club when he was teaching math.

“To understand math, a student must first believe that he can learn it,” said Boyd. He started using chess in his classes to teach logic and planning. “Chess is the same way—if you believe you can play it, you can."

Boyd named his En Passant Chess Club for a particular move in the chess game.

He leads classes all over the St. Louis area for every age group, from kids to senior citizens. “The club began in 1997, and we've had over 1,000 families join our classes. Missouri is fast becoming a hub for chess, and I think it's partly because of our chess club. There is a beautiful new chess club in the Central West End called St. Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center,” said Boyd. Millionaire St. Louis businessman Rex Sinquefield donated the money for the three-story chess club building on Maryland Ave. 

Ethan Ehmke, 7, is a student who attends the class. “I like playing chess. It’s fun, and I win about half the time.”

Ethan’s mom, Kelly Ehmke, said, “He likes to go to Oberweis Ice Cream, and eat ice cream while we play chess. They have chess boards on the tables.”

Brothers Ethan and Derek Crocker, both avid chess players, are students. “We like to play each other,” said Ethan, 10. Who usually wins? Patch asked. Derek, 8, quickly pointed to his older brother and said, “He does.”

“We've learned a lot in this class,” said Derek. “We’re learning all about pins and forks.” These are strategy terms that Boyd is teaching them.

“I have been playing chess with my friend Jimmy Kirtley since second grade,” said Ethan Crocker. “He asked his mom to get this club going for us.”

The oldest student in the class is Michael Weffelmeyer, 15, a student. “I played chess before, but I didn't know much about it. I'm learning more strategies now,” he said.

Boyd teaches with a hanging chessboard sometimes. “What would happen if I moved my pawn here?” he asked. In addition to teaching terms and game rules, he wants the students to learn to plan ahead, not only for the next move, but the moves after that. Hands shot up as the youngsters offered ideas for what would be the best strategy. Chess proponents say that this planning and strategy is what makes chess an outstanding game for youth.

“My kids love this class and they are getting so much out of it. I think people have no idea how popular that chess has become in recent years,” said Kirtley. “Did you know that chess is in the Olympics, and that there are chess scholarships offered by colleges and universities?” 

Kirtley enrolled her three oldest youngsters in the sessions—Jimmy, 10, Grace, 9, and Patty, 5. “In this chess club, the kids get all of the values of being on a team and that’s important for them. They root for each other, and they learn from each other. It’s a gentleman’s game and I like that. I think of this club as a great gift I can give my family because they are learning patience, honesty, sportsmanship, and so much more.

They have to work independently and behave maturely. Last week, for example, we went to a tournament in Jefferson City. In the hotel ballroom, there were 600 kids competing. Parents can’t go in with their child but I peeked in. There was absolute silence. The kids go in by themselves, find their number, find their table and their opponent, shake hands and begin playing. This went on for eight hours.”

After the summer sessions end on July 26, Kirtley plans to carry on the chess club and Boyd is willing to lead the sessions.

“Already there are many families who want it to become a year-round club,” she said.