Newark Chess Tournament For Local Students Has $2,500 In Prizes

NEWARK, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Newark Board of Education. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The Newark Teachers Union has joined forces with the Newark Chess Club to present a tournament for Newark students from June 11 to 12 that has a prize pool of $2,500.

“We’re proud to sponsor this chess tournament,” says NTU President John M. Abeigon. “This event provides an opportunity for our academic sports teams to shine under the spotlight that’s usually reserved for physical sports.”

About 80 students from across the Newark school district are expected to participate in the two-day tournament. It begins June 11 with a check-in time of 1:45 p.m. in the gymnasium at Weequahic High School, 306 Goldsmith Ave. The final round is scheduled for 3 p.m. June 12 at Military Park. The top prize is $250.

“Chess is yet another important and incredible way to showcase the genius of our students, and we wish them much success in this competition and beyond,” said Superintendent Roger León.

The nonprofit Newark Chess Club was founded in 2009 with the goal to meet two community needs, according to its website. One is to help children make better decisions using chess to teach critical thinking, and the other is to create mentor/mentee relationships that use chess as a bonding activity between adults and children.

For more information about the NTU 2022 Chess Tournament and to register, visit www.newarkchesskid.com.

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