43
Chess club is hosted monthly at the library
Photo
Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Mark Witte explained strategy and positioning to his young opponent during the chess club meeting at the Boardman library.
Photo
Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Poland's Mark Witte has been hosting a chess club at the Boardman one Sunday a month for the past year. The club is open to both experiences and novice players.
By TIM CLEVELAND
Poland’s Mark Witte started a chess club last year, with the club meeting one Sunday a month at the Boardman library.
Witte said he started the club out of convenience.
“My wife [Pam Witte] works at the Boardman library and I’m interested in chess,” he said. “It’s a long ways to go to get up to the Eastwood Mall [where chess players meet to play in the Food Court every Saturday at 8 a.m.].”
Witte said usually a handful of people come out each month.
“Kids that are learning and adults that know how to play,” he said.
On Sept. 14, the most recent meeting took place with three people showing up. Witte played each simultaneously, offering tips and encouragement while he played.
“[Joining the chess club is] an opportunity to learn more about chess for those people that don’t know,” he said. “An opportunity to play and learn through playing.”
Witte said he’s recently begun playing chess again after a long absence.
“My father [William Witte] taught me,” he said. “I’ve had tournament experience as a junior. I stopped playing for some time as an adult and I just started playing again in the last few years.”
Witte said chess is a game anybody can learn and have fun playing.
“I think it’s a game people can learn and it’s a challenging game,” he said. “It’s good to challenge other people. If you play somebody tougher than you, then you’re going to become stronger.”