FIU Chess Club teaches chess players from all levels

The FIU Chess Club winning first place in the 2018 Florida Intercollegiate Spring Chess Classics in Orlando, FL.

Maria Lago/Staff Writer

The Chess Club at FIU is a student club that competes nationally and within the state of Florida, and encourages all students to learn and play chess at any level.

The organization won the PanAmerican Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship in 22nd place out of 53 universities, in December 2018. They prepared players with rated competitions, playing with experienced chess players and training six hours a week during their meetings, according to Chess Club President Laura Matzdorf.

This year’s competition, the Florida Intercollegiate Spring Chess Classics tournament, will be hosted at FIU by the Chess Club on March 23-24, 2019.

“We are looking forward to winning again and bringing the trophy home,” said Chess Club Treasurer Juan Marquez.

Matzdorf also shares Marquez’s excitement: “We are really excited to be representing the school and the chess club.”

Last year’s Spring Chess Classics took place in University of Central Florida, in Orlando, FL. FIU’s Chess Club was competing with seven state universities and won first place.

The club hosts two meetings weekly from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., which is open to all FIU students, and teaches them how to play chess, informs them about upcoming tournaments and does puzzle rushes that are rewarded with a prize, according to Matzdorf.

The next event the club is hosting is the Puzzle Rush Event on March 6, at 7 p.m. The event will have prizes for solving the puzzle and free pizza to the participants. It will take place at the Graham Center, in front of Cafe Bustelo.

For more information about the Chess Club at FIU, please visit fiu.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/chess-club-at-fiu or check their Instagram page @fiuchessclub. To RSVP for the Puzzle Rush Event, visit fiu.campuslabs.com/engage/event/3214594.

Featured photo courtesy of FIU Chess Club.

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