The kings of character
thinking skills are additional benefits of playing the game, said Bogdan, who teaches math at the high school.
Studies show that even kids with ADHD can improve their ability to focus by playing chess, he said.
Stefano Herrera, a senior who hopes to study engineering or technology in college, said: “This was a really good experience.
I’m glad to make history with this team.
This is my last year, so I went out with a bang.”
Greg Walkosz, a senior who started playing chess a couple of years ago, credits Bogdan’s coaching for the team’s success.
“He changes everything up every year. He builds on it. Other teams have good coaches, but in our conference area, Bogdan’s the best by far.”
Bogdan returns the favor with a veritable checkmate of insights.
“I credit them,” he said. “This year’s team definitely learned to work well together.”
Hard work and camaraderie, he said, have made the difference.
Students who attend Argo hail from Summit, Bedford Park, Justice, Bridgeview, Willow Springs and parts of Hickory Hills.
While most might not have had the opportunity to enjoy a primary school start in the game or private lessons with a master like some kids who attend more distinguished schools such as Whitney Young in Chicago, Bogdan said, the Argo kids hold their own in the determination department.
They are proof that a youngster doesn’t have to grow up in affluence or in chess to succeed at the game in high school, he said.
“For example, Christian Diaz, who was my first board this year, wasn’t even on the team his first year of high school. By his second year, he was first board. He worked all through the summer. I gave him books and told him what to do. I’ve had a lot of students like that. “The students who give the effort definitely improve and are able to compete with the highest players in the city,” Bogdan said.
Diaz, a junior, said he appreciates the camaraderie the team has built.
“We always try to do our best and try to carry each other,” he said. “We pick up after each other after every loss.”
Chess, he said, “has made us more than just friends. Every Friday there’s a club, and most of us go to it. It’s something we all enjoy. We’ll always be connected by chess.
Even outside of school we have a group chat and whenever one of us wants to play, we message each other. That connects us.”
Are any of his teammates good enough to be the next Bobby Fischer? If they worked at it, Diaz said. “We all know if you want to be good at something, you have to work at it,” he said. “I’m sure all of these guys have the ability. I’ve seen it.”
Sophomore Moises Cornejo said chess has helped him develop life skills. Most players like to play white, because white makes the first move in chess, but learning to play black helps a player learn different kinds of strategy, he said.
“Chess has helped me make better decisions in life too,” he said.
There is value, he said, in thinking ahead, considering consequences, anticipating reactions and being strategic.
Julian Delgadillo, a junior, has been playing for three years.
“I hope I’m still playing when I graduate,” he said. He also hopes to become an engineer one day because he’s really good at math. Being good with logic can help when it comes to chess, he said. “But in some instances it can work against you because there are some simple things that (logicminded people) sometimes make more complicated than they have to be,” Delgadillo said. dvickroy@tribpub.com
Studies show that even kids with ADHD can improve their ability to focus by playing chess, he said.
Stefano Herrera, a senior who hopes to study engineering or technology in college, said: “This was a really good experience.
I’m glad to make history with this team.
This is my last year, so I went out with a bang.”
Greg Walkosz, a senior who started playing chess a couple of years ago, credits Bogdan’s coaching for the team’s success.
“He changes everything up every year. He builds on it. Other teams have good coaches, but in our conference area, Bogdan’s the best by far.”
Bogdan returns the favor with a veritable checkmate of insights.
“I credit them,” he said. “This year’s team definitely learned to work well together.”
Hard work and camaraderie, he said, have made the difference.
Students who attend Argo hail from Summit, Bedford Park, Justice, Bridgeview, Willow Springs and parts of Hickory Hills.
While most might not have had the opportunity to enjoy a primary school start in the game or private lessons with a master like some kids who attend more distinguished schools such as Whitney Young in Chicago, Bogdan said, the Argo kids hold their own in the determination department.
They are proof that a youngster doesn’t have to grow up in affluence or in chess to succeed at the game in high school, he said.
“For example, Christian Diaz, who was my first board this year, wasn’t even on the team his first year of high school. By his second year, he was first board. He worked all through the summer. I gave him books and told him what to do. I’ve had a lot of students like that. “The students who give the effort definitely improve and are able to compete with the highest players in the city,” Bogdan said.
Diaz, a junior, said he appreciates the camaraderie the team has built.
“We always try to do our best and try to carry each other,” he said. “We pick up after each other after every loss.”
Chess, he said, “has made us more than just friends. Every Friday there’s a club, and most of us go to it. It’s something we all enjoy. We’ll always be connected by chess.
Even outside of school we have a group chat and whenever one of us wants to play, we message each other. That connects us.”
Are any of his teammates good enough to be the next Bobby Fischer? If they worked at it, Diaz said. “We all know if you want to be good at something, you have to work at it,” he said. “I’m sure all of these guys have the ability. I’ve seen it.”
Sophomore Moises Cornejo said chess has helped him develop life skills. Most players like to play white, because white makes the first move in chess, but learning to play black helps a player learn different kinds of strategy, he said.
“Chess has helped me make better decisions in life too,” he said.
There is value, he said, in thinking ahead, considering consequences, anticipating reactions and being strategic.
Julian Delgadillo, a junior, has been playing for three years.
“I hope I’m still playing when I graduate,” he said. He also hopes to become an engineer one day because he’s really good at math. Being good with logic can help when it comes to chess, he said. “But in some instances it can work against you because there are some simple things that (logicminded people) sometimes make more complicated than they have to be,” Delgadillo said. dvickroy@tribpub.com
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
