PEABODY — Every Tuesday night — rain or shine — kings and queens do battle inside the Main Street building that houses the city’s Knights of Columbus chapter.
Those battles take place on the chessboard at the weekly meetings of the Peabody Chess Club, which is in the midst of its third tournament. The club that meets at the chapter sprang out of the Welch School, where Counselor AJ Grube began the group four years ago with just seven students. Now, that club has roughly 50 students and has branched off to the standalone group, made up of both students from Welch and other schools throughout the city and other residents, that draws a crowd of approximately 30 each week.
Grube explained that when the Welch School Building Project got underway, the school lost its fourth and fifth-graders, some of whom were members of the club. As a result, parents and families sought another way to keep their students engaged with the game they had picked up at the club.
From there, Grube sought a way to keep the club going for those students, so when the Knights of Columbus offered its space, it seemed like a no-brainer. And so, the Peabody Chess Club was officially born, hosting its first meeting in January.
“They gave us the space, we had the materials,” he said.
“I feel really fortunate that the club has attracted so many amazing people,” Grube added. “They’ve been integral to its success.”
More than half of the club’s regular players are adults, but Grube noted that meetings are open to all, and players range from as young as 5 to those at retirement age. And despite the age gaps, a sense of community has sprung up at the club, with older, more seasoned players helping their younger compatriots understand the complexities of the game.
“It’s been really cool to see,” Grube said.
The tournament features 16 players competing in a March Madness-style bracket where half the field is eliminated each week, meaning this week’s matches will determine the final two players. Since it began, the club has held two tournaments, which were won by Tom McCafferty and Mike Jones.
But, Grube said the Peabody Chess Club’s door is always open, with an emphasis on ensuring the club maintains a laid-back environment.
“Chess can be an intimidating game,” Grube said.
As a result, he said that “some chess clubs can have an elitist feel.”
In Peabody, though, “it’s just a good group of people.”
Grube extolled the virtues of chess, a game he learned from his mother in elementary school but drifted away from throughout the years. He eventually made his way back to the game in his late 20s when a friend developed an interest.
“He kept beating me so I tried to figure out how to beat him,” Grube said. “The more time I spent playing chess the more I got interested.”
“It’s a passion that keeps growing for me,” he added.
He also extolled the virtues of the game for students, explaining that from a counseling perspective, it can serve as an important conversation-starter and icebreaker. Beyond that, the game can provide valuable lessons in winning and losing.
“Checkmate is checkmate, it’s very definitive,” Grube said. “There are dozens of positive qualities to learning chess.”
