Photos by Tony West

One hundred Philadelphia young chess players packed the St. Joseph’s University Athletic Recreation Center at 45th St. and Woodland Ave. this weekend, Jan. 27-28, seeking mates  – lots of them  – but all above board. A chess board, to be precise.

The 16th annual PECO/ASAP Checkmate Violence Chess Marathon drew youths K-12 for two full days of competition and awards. Rated players tested themselves through five long rounds over both days; non-rated players tackled five shorter rounds on Saturday. Coaches and parents from some of ASAP’s 150 chess clubs (one of the largest lineups in the country) came along for pregame prep work but once the tournament began all adults were shooed out.

ASAP presented a STEM Fair featuring organizations throughout Philadelphia that provide after school and summer opportunities in STEM.

Chess interest is surging among the young. Like many other juvenile pastimes these days, the game is ubiquitous on phones. But a step up to formal competition chess mats, with rows of trophies in wait, encourages them to seek renown at the table rather than on the street.

What’s the best way for a kid to learn chess? One participant grinned, “Lose a lot!”

– Tony West