Making moves at interschools chess tournament

Nelson College played host to the En Passant Chess Tournament earlier this month.

The event on 15 November was organised by Chess in Nelson and was open to students from years 7 to 10.

It featured a time control of 10 minutes per player with an eight-round Swiss system.

Participating schools were Nelson Intermediate, Māpua School, Broadgreen Intermediate, Parklands School, Waimea Intermediate, Nelson Christian Academy, and Nelson College.

Nelson College’s George Maughan and Josh Fraser took out first and third respectively, while Nelson Intermediate’s Zack Voyce won second place.

Organiser Rami Riachi says that the main drive to making chess accessible to school kids is the sport’s power to develop life skills in a fun and engaging way.

“Chess teaches critical thinking, problem-solving, patience, and resilience; skills that go far beyond the board,” he says.

“By introducing it to schools, we’re giving students the chance to learn how to strategise, handle challenges, and build confidence in a supportive environment.”

He says that tournaments like this not only encourage healthy competition but also foster a sense of community and teamwork among kids from different schools and backgrounds. Next year’s tournament will also include a bracket for younger primary school-aged children.