Chess: a game that has been around for around 1500 years and is still played by hundreds of millions of people today. Chess has been a staple in games forever, and it doesn’t look like it will be leaving anytime soon. While many play for fun or to improve thinking skills, a select few take this game to the next level, such as is seen on Green Hope’s chess team.
Ishan Biyala is the president of the Green Hope chess club and is a strong performer in chess. Chess players are rated by their skill, with average rating being around 600 and most grandmasters (the highest ranking possible in chess) usually ranging from around 2500-3000. Biyala has been playing since he was 8 years old, working hard and consistently to improve his ability and skill. He is currently rated at 1900, an incredible feat.
With the chess club, Biyala has the opportunity to participate in tournaments and competitions to test his skill. He talked about some of the competitions that he had already participated in, and said, “The first competition we did was against Triangle Math and Science. We’re going to try to do more competitions with schools in the area, and we also do competitions between club members.” Already off to a good start, Biyala hopes to get more playing time with the chess club in upcoming events.
Biyala already has plans for what else he wants to do with the club, citing an upcoming tournament. He discussed a great upcoming opportunity, “I might play in the state championship for K-12. It is going to be sometime in the future and I haven’t signed up for it yet.” Facing competition from across North Carolina, Biyala is sure to face some hard competition and will hopefully come out on top.
The chess club has been a great opportunity for many students at Green Hope who are interested, but it took effort from members to get it going. Biyala discussed this process, and stated, “The club started before I was a freshman, but it was part of the e-sports club. Last year, we started the club as its own separate thing. This year, we’re working on expanding it further and doing community service and things like that.” Biyala and the club are working hard to maintain the club and make sure it is a welcome area for all.
With all success, there is a ton of hard work behind the scenes that allows for victory. Biyala’s process of becoming this skillful has been a dedicated one, to which he said, “Right now I’m pretty busy but I’m trying to start up again. When I actually had time I would put in about an hour of practice each day.” Despite being caught up with school and the hardships of his senior year, Biyala still dedicates time and works to be the best he can.
When Biyala was asked about successes with the club, he didn’t focus on chess victories or tournament wins. Instead, he took a noble path and talked about some community service projects that the club had recently done. He stated, “We do community service at Davis Drive Elementary where we go every Monday and Wednesday to teach kids how to play chess.” Rather than focusing on his own successes, he talked about how he and the other members had helped others progress.
Biyala gave steps for anyone interested to join the club and put their skills to the test. As to requirements to join, he responded with, “There are no requirements. You only have to practice and keep on getting better. We give people many opportunities to join the team and participate in competitions.” He also elaborated on when the chess club met and said, “We meet every Wednesday in the media center during lunch. During the first hald, we have regular information meetings about the next tournaments and things like that. During the second half, people can just stay to play chess against their friends.” The club offers many chances for anyone interested to play casually or competitively, whichever they choose.
The Green Hope chess club is a great opportunity to play chess from newcomers to advanced players, and members like Ishan Biyala highlight the immense skill within Green Hope’s community that cannot be left unseen. His impressive feats and work with his community showcase Biyala’s dedication to his craft.
