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News

Chess players duel on campus

Four of 12 players set to play in regional tournament at UH

by JULIAN GUNTHER
The Daily Cougar

The Association of College Unions International held the UH campus chess qualifying tournament Monday night in the University Center Underground's Mediterranean Room.

Four students were chosen from a round-robin tournament to represent UH in the regional tournament to be hosted at the University on Feb. 24 and 25.

Monday night's tournament had 12 participants. Eligibility was limited to UH students enrolled in at least three hours with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 and who haven't participated in more than five previous tournaments.

"Regionals will be at UH this year, at least one member of the chess club (should be there also). We need to represent," electrical engineering sophomore Jason Lovins said.

The UH chess club sent Lovins and psychology junior Matthew Brennan as representatives to the ACUI tournament. 

"Our chess club is a lot more casual; we talk during the matches," Brennan said.

Nursing senior Neph Diaz administered the tournament and is also the defending regional chess champion. 

UH is in Region 12, which includes schools from Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

Participants each played five matches with the winners scoring one point, a draw resulting in half a point and the loser gaining no points. 

Computer engineering technology junior Andres Barona said the level of competition in Monday's tournament was high. 

"I'm not really nervous; I just want to play again," Barona said.

Bill Schwehr, manager of UH Leisure Services, said he expected the tournament to be a success.

"Overall, we do pretty well in tournaments; we send a large contingent to the regional, and we are one of the bigger schools," Schwehr said. "We get good student participation in our game room. We traditionally get high usage."

The tournament was a contrast of styles; some students preferred the white pieces -- meaning they get to move first -- while others preferred the black ones. 

"I like using the white pieces because they get to move first so they are more aggressive, and that suits my style," economics junior Brian Lane said.

Prior to the start of the matches, the room was lively and full of conversation, with contestants shaking hands, joking and wishing each other luck. Once the matches began, the players fell silent and concentrated on the chessboards. 

"Tournaments are always very quiet. In some of the big tournaments there will be 200 people in the room, and it's dead silent. Everyone is concentrating," Diaz said.
 

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