One Baker University student is trying to bring the skill and strategy of chess to campus.
Freshman Nathan Judy is attempting to organize a chess team to compete at college-level tournaments in the area.
“Basically, I just want to have a casual club, meet new people, spread the game,” Judy said. “My most ambitious goal is to get a tournament squad.”
Judy said joining a club is beneficial to an individual player because of the support a team provides, especially since college tournaments differ from high school tournaments.
“It’s very hard to go to tournaments on an individual level,” he said. “In high school, we wouldn’t do as well when only four people showed up. It’s kind of a morale thing.”
Judy believes Lawrence is the most likely location in this area for tournaments.
“I know there’s not a ton of (tournaments) in this part of the country,” Judy said. “If we don’t get in college tournaments, there are adult tournaments.”
Judy will be bringing a lot of personal experience to the club. He said he started playing chess at age 4 or 5 and competed in his first tournament when he was still in grade school.
“Right now, I have two master norms,” Judy said.
Judy said norms are earned by competing in a tournament with titles and earning a score of at least 50 percent. A third norm would make Judy eligible to start the process of becoming a master.
“It would be a small source of income,” he said. “If you’re a master, you can play in tournaments with higher payouts.”
Judy said professional tournament winnings could range from $2,000 to $500,000, but most professional chess players have side jobs.
“It’s not exactly a great salary unless you make it internationally,” he said.
Judy said students don’t have to be experts to attend. He encourages anyone interested in chess to join the club.
“I have no problems letting anyone play,” he said. “If they don’t know how to play, we can teach them. The more people who play the better.”
One of the members, freshman Anthony Perkins, Jr., was glad to have the chess club opportunity and encouraged more people to join.
“It’d be nice if we had enough members for a real tournament,” he said.
Student Senate president Ryan Boyer said a club does not have to be recognized by student senate in order to exist on campus but does have to have a faculty sponsor, student officers and be recognized by the dean of students and academic dean in order to be recognized by student senate.
Judy said the club does not have a faculty sponsor right now, though he is searching for one.
The chess club only has four members but hopes to see more people 7 p.m. Monday in the lobby of Harter Union.