Chess in the Schools Plays at LongHouse

Alex Vanegas and Morgan Brown sat down in plastic garden chairs on opposite sides of a chess board Tuesday, each regarding the other with a cool confidence in spite of the heat of a summer morning at LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton.

Alex, 12, set up the white pieces as Mr. Brown, 22, set up the black ones, and the two shook hands. Flanked on all sides by 20 other kids around Alex’s age, the players set out on personal quests to win what the onlookers, with a quiet seriousness worthy of an international tournament, were calling a chess-off.

A kid from Springs who attends the Y.M.C.A. East Hampton

RECenter’s summer camp program, Alex had just won four straight games against his peers. So had Mr. Brown, a summer camp counselor, who stepped in when the tournament organizers needed one more player in the bracket. Their final showdown was a tie-breaker designed to crown a winner of the first-ever Chess in the Schools tournament on Long Island.

Mr. Brown emerged victorious, and Alex declared that “second place is all right.” And everyone was a winner in the eyes of Yolanda F. Johnson, the vice president of development and communication for Chess in the Schools, the non-profit organization that sponsored Tuesday’s tournament and many others like it in New York City.

“I am so proud of all of you,” Ms. Johnson told the kids after the competition ended, complimenting their hard work.

“I definitely saw a lot of improvement throughout the rounds,” said Shaun Smith, the tournament director.

Chess in the Schools was established in 1986, and since then has involved more than half a million children in its various instructional programs and tournaments. The organization works primarily with students in grades 3 to 12 in economically disadvantaged areas of the city — about 13,000 kids per year in 50 schools — and organizes tournaments that draw players from many places beyond those schools. The organization also holds teacher-training workshops for educators who want to start clubs in their own schools. There’s even a College Bound program that takes the students beyond their chess lessons into standardized test prep, college fairs, and cultural excursions; this year, all 135 of the program’s high school seniors are headed to college.

“We are really thrilled to be making our first foray into Long Island and into the Hamptons,” Ms. Johnson said. “It’s like planting a seed that introduces the work of Chess in the Schools — and isn’t it fitting to be here at LongHouse?”

From LongHouse’s perspective, partnering with Chess in the Schools was another chance to inspire and encourage young minds. Selena Rothwell, the chairwoman of LongHouse Reserve’s educational program, said the goal was similar to that of the student art show held there each year.

“It gives children the opportunity to shine and feel successful,” Ms. Rothwell said. “I can see building this program. . . . This is a partnership that can become something greater.”

Ms. Johnson said the benefits of chess for children were significant. “Chess is a tool to hone the soft skills, like critical thinking, thinking ahead, good decision-making, concentration.”

“It’s interesting, because you can be one of the smartest people in the world academically, but if you’re lacking those skills, you may not be as successful. These skills help you be successful in life.”

Plus, Ms. Johnson said, there’s the camaraderie, fun, and friendships that the kids develop while playing chess.

For Alex, who has only been playing for about a year, Tuesday’s tournament was, on a scale of fun going from 1 to 10, a perfect 10. “I was really nervous, but I was happy to be here,” he said. “It was a lot of fun. It’s a thinking game. Not easy.”

Laura Calderon, 11, who first learned the game three years ago and who finished in third place on Tuesday, agreed. “I learned how to pay attention,” she said. “I learned concentration and confidence. At first, I did not have confidence.” She paused a moment, then added, “It’s hard, but I would practice it and do it again.”