“Professional chess players are actually very in shape, it takes a lot of stamina to sit in front of a board and focus for six hours.”

English teacher and chess club advisor Mr. Nitkinas could brag about chess for hours. In a three minute interview, he explained many aspects of chess. Other students were intrigued by the game, and a chess club was introduced to the high school.

Mr. Nitkinas was always open to playing chess with students. For years he would verse students online. This year there was an abundance of students who would want to play, so students starting playing each other. From this, the official chess club was formed.

“My friend, Paul, took up chess in high school and desperately needed someone to play with. From then on I kept playing, but only recently have I started looking at it carefully and studying it.” Mr. Nitkinas explained how he was introduced to the challenging game. When asked about his competitors, he responded “I love playing with students. I can’t think of a greater joy than breaking their hearts when they lose.”

So what will come next? Will there be a chessboxing team soon? Chessboxing is “a uniquely British sport in which you have a round of hardcore boxing followed by an intermission period where the boxers play a game of chess. The match is won by either checkmate or knock out.” Could Mr. Nitkinas become a professional chessboxer? “I’m not too good at checkmating people, but knock out I could do.”

The club was very successful this year, and hopefully will remain that way for the upcoming years. Even though there are not any real prizes, if someone beats Mr. Nitkinas they can feel the same immense joy that he does when he breaks a student’s heart.