Brooklyn Park Chess Club Creates Community for Youth
A Zanewood Recreation Center chess club is becoming a space for kids of all ages to come together for a common goal.
And, one their players has even been crowned a tournament champion.
Chess is a game of strategy. Zanewood staffer Triet Lam learned that alongside his grandpa.
“It teaches you how to solve problems, and how to calculate and know your mistake,” Lam said.
It was Lam’s goal to connect kids to those lessons, just like he connected with his family.
“One way I can connect with the youth is to teach them what I know from chess,” he said.
He and his friend Andrew Kempf co-founded the club in 2022. Over the past year and a half, its only grown — both in size, and in skill.
“When I first started and when the kids came, I would easily beat them. But now, with chess, I’ve seen them grow so much that it takes a lot more for me to beat them,” Lam said. “As an instructor, I’m proud… that they’re able to grow. But playing against them and losing? It sucks.”
A Zanewood Recreation Center chess club is becoming a space for kids of all ages to come together for a common goal.
The Zanewood Chess Club is made up of kids. Lam said some of them are as young as third grade. The oldest club member right now is a high school junior.
Acie Matthews, a 13-year-old club member, said he likes learning the strategy.
“Getting in my opponent’s head,” Acie said. “It feels good to know they are scared of you and what you can do.”
Acie and his teammates play each other to prepare for tournaments across the Twin Cities metro. They rotate partners and practice different moves, openings and strategies at each meeting.
Check Mates
The team also boasts its own chess king: Charlee Her. He took the crown as an unrated player on Nov. 4, during his first tournament in Apple Valley.
Her is a team captain, but he just started playing with the club this summer. He said he took up chess to challenge his brain and have something to study.
Charlee Her and his co-captain Andy prepare for another round of chess as their coach looks on.
“Just being there was really fun and exciting, but I was also really nervous about the games,” Her said.
Her’s teammates enjoyed watching him compete.
“It was fun to watch him destroy and be happy,” Acie said with a smile on his face.
Charlee said chess club has been a good chance to make friends and learn something new.
“We can all just gather up, play chess, have fun and talk with each other,” Her said. “It is a nice community that feels pretty good.”
Chess club is teaching him and his teammates to be better in work and in play. Since he joined, Charlee said he’s found himself doing better in school.
The club meets every Monday and Friday at the rec center from 4-6 p.m. To learn more, you can visit Zanewood or call 763-315-8444.
