In the Beech Street Center, kids of all ages eagerly go head-to-head in games of chess as part of a program founded by Belmont students designed to connect the town’s youngest players to the game — and to each other.
In 2024, Belmont High School sophomore Rey Xue brought together five other chess enthusiasts to help create a space for young kids to try the ancient game and hopefully spark a passion for it. With the help of Belmont Recreation, Chess Quest Camp was born.
“This is kind of our way of giving back to the community,” Xue said.
Since its founding, the camp has grown to welcome more students and coaches. There are now 11 coaches, all of whom are high school students.
“It was a hobby that we’ve had for a very long time, playing chess competitively and for fun. We felt we wanted to spread that feeling of just playing chess to the community to get more players to play the game,” said Max Klempf, one of the camp’s co-founders.
Camp sessions are run intermittently throughout the year at the Beech Street Center. Camp sessions start with puzzles and games for the students, who are then divided into groups based on their skill levels. In small groups, the coaches teach game strategy, and students are eventually given the chance to play against their peers.
For coaches like Xue, who had learned chess at a similar camp, Chess Quest Camp was an opportunity to build a legacy in their hometown.
Others, like junior Asher Sigel, learned the game from family members. Sigel played with his grandfather, a memory that has given him a lifelong skill and a lasting connection.
“I think it’s always great when you get taught from such a young age; it’ll be with you for the rest of your life,” Sigel said.
For the chess coaches, community is at the heart of the camp’s mission.
Several of the coaches are self-taught, which is both rewarding and challenging.
“[Chess is] not a big thing here, so we want more players, but it’s also just for them to have fun, learn a new hobby, or just play a game that they can play with their friends or teach to more people,” said Nathan Klempf, one of the camp’s co-founders.
The camp has raised about $6,800 for the Massachusetts Chess Association (MACA) since it started. MACA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and promoting chess programming throughout Massachusetts.
When they were first getting started, Xue said the Chess Quest founders didn’t know what to expect. They weren’t certain people would sign up, and they didn’t know exactly how to plan a lesson or teach the game. However, over the years, the coaches have seen kids return for sessions and develop a love for the game.
“We didn’t really think it would go as far as it did. It’s just cool to know you can make a difference in your community,” Xue said.
The coaches said that while the kids’ chess strategy improved over each session, they also watched them open up in a new way. The same community that inspires the coaches also gives the students a chance to branch out with others.
“We’ve noticed that it has had a big influence on the kids,” said Nathan Klempf. “A lot of the time they would come and they were quiet, but then by the end of it, they started making friends, and they would be more socially active, which is, I think, one of the biggest things that we accomplished.”
Chess Quest Camp is expected to hold another session in June.
