Co-curricular

Chess Co-curricular 2022

The game of chess is synonymous with mental stamina, strategy, and patience. It is played by millions of people worldwide and transcends both language, culture, and time. As one of the world's longest standing and played board games in existence, it is no wonder that chess has developed into a famously played and competitive sport. In most recent history, chess has found its way into the spotlight due to the worldwide success of Netflix’s series The Queen’s Gambit which further explored the diverse nature, strategy and competitiveness that is required in the game.

Chess was first introduced to the College in 1970 as a co-curricular activity, with only the Junior School competition existing. With growing interest, the competition was expanded during the 1980s and 1990s where both senior and junior teams were in active competition. Unfortunately, since 2007, competitive chess was not offered as a co-curricular activity at St Patrick’s, and the only opportunity to play the game was through friendly matches during lunchtime in the library.

Now in 2022, the recommencement of chess is in full swing as the College has entered the NSW Junior Chess League Secondary Schools Competition. Students from Years 7 to 11 are competing across three groups: Junior, Intermediate and Senior. This is an exciting opportunity for the College to re-establish itself in competitive chess across the Metropolitan Eastern Region. The opportunity offered to the students has been met with both enthusiasm and excitement.

As the College’s MIC of Chess, it is an exciting opportunity for me to assist the students with their co-curricular and embed myself in the rich history that is chess at St Patrick’s College. I only hope that this re-emergence for chess will continue throughout the years as a long lasting co-curricular activity.  

Adriana Bakija

MIC | Chess