This is the first of the chess tournaments for the 2023-2024 school year

Leah Anaya
For Clark County Today

Students in Southwest Washington who play chess will now have an opportunity to compete in Clark County rather than traveling to another area. On Saturday, Oct. 14, starting at 8 a.m., Firmly Planted Homeschool Resource Center (FPHRC) will host “The Opening” Qualifier Chess Tournament in a family-friendly event.

Students will play five rounds, and there will be playoffs should a tie occur. This is the first of the chess tournaments for the 2023-2024 school year. The tournament is open to all students aged elementary through high school, whether they’re public, private, or homeschooled.

Tom Snyder, the FPHRC chess rep, pointed to the advantage of students who play chess, specifically face-to-face rather than online, which became more popular during the pandemic lockdown. 

“Research has clearly shown a connection between students who play chess and their improved performance in math, science, and English,” Snyder said. “Kids who play chess show improvements in logical and sequential thinking. Even with the explosive growth of internet chess programs like chess.com, schools are seeing increased numbers of students who want to play traditional face-to-face chess.” 

Snyder said he expects 200-250 people to attend.

FPHRC is located at 14001 SE 1st Street in Vancouver. Games will be held in the main theater-sized auditorium and in the Mathematics Department classrooms. Food will be available for families to purchase.

Registration can be completed on chessreg.com for $30 per player by 10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12.