In their first year as a club on campus, the Dickinson Chess Club got first place in the 2018 Gettysburg Open & Pennsylvania Collegiate Championship. “We gathered on the first day [of the three-day championship event] with few expectations,” said club member Christopher Burrow ’20. “Our goal was just to learn and have a fun time.”

The event took place at the Eisenhower Hotel in Gettysburg, where competitors played five three-hour games along with a quick chess tournament. With a record of four wins and only one loss, Burrow placed first as collegiate champion in the U1500 division. The U1800 division is the section for players rated from 1500-1800 and the U1500 division is for players rated below 1500 or for players without a rating. These rankings are from a national chess organization that keeps track of rank based on the tournaments you play in.

Reed Speigel ’20, also in the U1500 division, placed first in the quick chess tournament as well as placing third overall with a record of two wins, two draws and one loss.

President of the Chess Club, Minh Tran ’19, placed second in the U1800 division with two wins. Other members, Bryce Haver ’20 and Zolboo Erdenebaatar ’21, also participated in the U1500 tournament and together contributed an additional three wins.

When asked about what it was like playing at the tournament, Erdenebaatar stated that, “playing chess allows us to strategically develop deeply analytical skills and the fact that we’re doing it in a social setting makes it fun and interesting.”

In the end, Dickinson won the collegiate championship, beating out Shippensburg University by one win. Other participants were teams from Penn State University, the University of Pennsylvania and individual students.

“While we left … as state champions,” said Burrow of the team’s success. “The greater victory was the unbreakable bonds of friendship forged during our times shared silently destroying Shippensburg over the board.”