Pierrepont’s chess program celebrates its 5th year in 2011-12, and is as vibrant as it is rooted.

Comprised of classes, an intramural club and a travel team, the program is layered to accommodate differing levels of interest and participation among the student body. Our first tier of participation is a once-a-week elective class. Our next level is the club, an after-school meeting with additional instruction and playing opportunities. Students interested in tournaments join the team, which competes from the local to the national level.

We are deeply proud of all tiers of our program. In class, students probe the scientific and artistic implications of the game, apart from the intensity of competition. They ask searching questions, learn to appreciate the commitments of different strategies and reason through the logical outcomes of their decisions. In club, students play friendly games and work collaboratively on puzzles. On the team, students bond while competing for the nation’s highest scholastic honors.

It would be impossible to list all of our team’s tournament accomplishments. Our most recent accomplishments include 1st place in last season’s Fairfield County Team Championships and Connecticut State Scholastic Championships. Prior to these achievements, the team won the New England regional Championships and placed as high as 4th at the National Championships. Several members of our team are on Connecticut’s list of top players; some are among the top-ranked junior players in the nation.