Bradford Lenart

Seniors Ryan Winter, Isaac Piper and Ayan Soni and sophomore Atharv Sood at the IHSA state chess competition.

Endless rows of chess boards fill the room, each player on the edge of their seat as they race against the clock. Students quickly contemplate their next move as they anticipate their opponent’s actions, moving rooks and taking pawns until the king is finally trapped in a checkmate. This is what North’s chess team experienced on Feb. 14 and 15 when they competed in the IHSA state competition at the Peoria Civic Center, winning three of their seven rounds. 128 schools are invited to this tournament, making it one of the bigger chess tournaments in the country.

Making it to state required dedication and hard work throughout the entire season.

“We worked hard [and] we tried our best in all the tournaments that we played in,” said senior Isaac Piper, chess club president. “We had to do well enough in conference to make it to sectionals, and then we won the two rounds that we needed in sectionals.”

Going to state was especially important for the team as they have not qualified since 2022. For the seniors, this was their last chance to make it to state.

“It’s been a couple years since we qualified, so this was nice,” said chess club adviser Bradford Lenart. “I had some freshmen that were on the team [when we last made it to state], and now they’re seniors, so I really wanted to get back for them, and I’m glad that we did.”

Chess team meets on Tuesdays for some friendly games and to prepare for any upcoming competitions.

“It’s a mix of kids that just come to play because they enjoy chess, and then also, we are competitive,” said Lenart. “[We] play all the schools in Dukane, … and then we do other bigger tournaments where anyone can enter.”

The club starts off their meetings with a few chess puzzles from various websites, focusing on specific parts of the game to improve their skills.

“We’ll do some puzzles to warm up,” said Lenart. “There’s three phases [in chess]: opening, middle [and] end game. So sometimes, [the puzzle] might focus on an opening.”

Practicing these skills is important as the chess players have limited time to decide their next moves.

“Our games are timed, too. Sometimes it gets down towards the end and you’re against the time, so you got to be able to know what to do and go quick,” said Lenart.

The team is hoping to recruit new players for next year, especially because the graduating seniors make up nearly half of the team. They meet every Tuesday from 2:20 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in room 442, and new members are always welcome.

“We’re missing three seniors next year out of eight, so that’s kind of a lot to fill,” said Lenart. “[We need to make] sure that we got kids that are dedicated and willing to come.”

As an avid chess player himself, Lenart enjoys watching the students play and grow in their skills.

“For me, it’s fun to see their games, to see kids proud [and see] how they progress throughout the year,” said Lenart. “[Chess is] one of those life games that, if you’re into it, you can always get better and always learn stuff.”