Chess Club

Meets: Wednesdays, 4:30 p.m., the Commons · Adviser: Kip Osterlund, Help Desk Manager · Organized 1979

The Chess Club meets weekly in the Commons and is open to students, employees, and, on the first Wednesday of each month, members of the public. Boards and sets are provided and remain College property.

History

Organized in 1979 at the Ansel Street campus; the club is one of two organizations with continuous recognition since before the move to Corliss Pike.
The club’s request for a dedicated room has been carried on the space request list since 2014. The club continues to meet in the Commons.

Officers, 2026–27

Officer lists are filed with the September recognition renewal; the roster below is as filed with the Office of the Dean of Students.

Arno Klimek — President: Toll Crossing Administration. Has held board one since 2024. Plays the first Wednesday public sessions against all comers.
Fern Whipkey — Equipment Custodian: Private Investigation. Conducts the annual set inventory. The ninth consecutive complete inventory was recorded under her custodianship.
Louis Trachsel — Secretary: Sleep Surface Evaluation. Records results in the ledger begun in 1979, the club’s only continuous record. The ledger is stored in the Commons cabinet and does not leave it.

Events

First-Wednesday open play — public welcome.
The Tolliver County Open — March, co-hosted with the county library.

Annual set inventory

The inventory is conducted each January by the Equipment Custodian. Results are entered in the minutes.

Year	Sets	Complete	Result
2023	11	11	Complete (sixth consecutive)
2024	11	11	Complete (seventh consecutive)
2025	11	11	Complete (eighth consecutive)
2026	11	11	Complete (ninth consecutive)

From the ledger, 2025–26

The ledger, begun in 1979, records results and matters affecting play. Entries are as recorded.

Date	Entry as recorded
Oct. 1	Board one retained after a 41-move draw was agreed and replayed at the visitor’s request. The replay was also drawn.
Nov. 12	A first-Wednesday visitor identified an error in the ledger’s 1996 pages. The 1996 pages are not amended; a note in the current pages records the correction.
Feb. 4	The library’s clock and the Commons clock disagreed during the Open. Games were timed by the tournament clocks, which is the practice.

From the ledger, 2024–25

Date	Entry as recorded
Nov. 20	A pawn was found under the radiator and matched to a set already counted complete. The finding was recorded without adjustment.
Mar. 5	The Tolliver County Open concluded in a four-way tie. The trophy is held by the library in even months and by the College in odd months, by agreement.

From the minutes

January 14, 2026

The annual inventory found all sets complete. The result was noted as the ninth consecutive complete inventory and the streak was entered in the minutes at the members’ request.

Recognition of a student organization is granted under the terms stated at Student Organizations and does not constitute College endorsement of the organization’s views or activities. Current officer contacts are maintained in DroverNet.

Responsible office: Office of the Dean of Students, Room A-130, ext. 2140.
Page last revised 7 August 2026 · student-life/organizations/chess-club · Office of the Dean of Students