Kids Learn Important Skills at Chatham Rec Chess Camp

In the Chatham High School cafeteria, Martin Kenny spent this week teaching two young boys the game of chess.

Martin Kenny has been teaching chess for fifteen years, although he started playing when he was eight years old. He is certified to teach by the United States Chess Federation, who also sanctioned his course.

His national ranking is 1800 (a Class A ranking). He teaches in Fort Lee, Rumson and Pottstown, Penn., and has taught in Cape Cod and Hawaii.

Kenny said, “Cognitive psychologists realized that the number one educational tool you can provide a child with is knowledge of the game of Chess starting at 7-and-a-half years old.” 

He explained that at that young age, "your mind is wired to understand logic, and the definition of chess is applied logic, and the definition of logic is an orderly way of thinking, so when you get into chess you’re teaching a child a certain way of thinking, a thought process."

He also said, “Children who get involved with chess at a young age I’d say just about without fail are always among the top students in their class.”  

This was the only week that Kenny taught in Chatham as part of Chatham Rec. While he has two students now, he will have about twenty children in Rumson and thirty in Fort Lee.  

Although chess might not be renowned by all, it certainly is growing in popularity and recognition. 

According to Kenny, “[The United States Chess Federation] now [has] twelve colleges that offer full scholarships for chess.” 

Also many of Kenny’s students go on to get accepted to Bergen academy which is a highly ranked prep school in New Jersey. Both the 9th and 10th grade at Bergen ranked number one in a national chess tournament. 

Chess has many academic and lifelong benefits, but it also is a lot of fun. Both Kevin Yang and Stephan Andrews seem to be having a great time.

Stephan wasted no time proclaiming, with a big smile on his face, that Martin Kenny had “6000 eyes, 1000 arms, and 6,002,032 legs.” 

Said Stephan: “I like [Chess] ‘cause you get to WIN and capture horses”    

 “There’s a lot of thinking and you get to [beat] your own friends,” added Kevin.

“By the way,” said Kenny, “both these guys are intelligent and excellent students. ...

“Schools teach children what to think, I teach children how to think.  I literally teach them a method of thought process.”