Whanganui chess tournament aims to kickstart chess revival for young people

Six-year-old chess fan Baxter Atkinson takes on his mother Cat Atkinson in a game. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui mother of two Cat Atkinson has quickly learned that chess is a key part of life for her sons.

Thirteen-year-old Calexico Fisher started learning chess from his father and then began self-teaching using YouTube tutorials, online chess and by studying chess books for three hours each day.

His 6-year-old brother Baxter Atkinson soon followed suit.

“I learned from him because he wanted to teach me because there was no one to play with,” Baxter said.

Cat Atkinson hopes to see the community of young chess players grow in Whanganui.

This year is the first time Whanganui will hold the Sarapu Cup Chess Tournament – a monthly, social chess tournament for ages 4-18 – that has previously only been held in larger cities.

“If children are new to chess, the Sarapu Cup is a great starting ground for getting involved in chess tournaments.

“All players get to verse other players at their own level.”

Inter-school tournaments were still popular and the Netflix show The Queen’s Gambit had increased people’s appetite for chess, she said.

There had also been a large uptake of online chess during the Covid lockdowns which made the game more accessible.

But Calexico’s favourite thing was to play face-to-face and he was struggling to track down opponents in Whanganui.

Bill Maddren, who runs the Wanganui Chess Club, said membership had been shrinking in recent years.

It had dwindled to about half a dozen people a night but was more popular during the winter months.

“As the older members die off they’re not being replaced by younger members.”

Despite the popularity of online chess, it could not replace the real thing, Atkinson said.

“There’s an element to chess that’s about reading body language and anticipating what the next move will be that you can’t do online.

“It’s taught my son a lot about winning and losing, and just enjoying the game.”

Maddren said he used to coach chess at local schools and was keen on chess as a hobby for younger people.

“It helps them think differently and expands their mind.

“My experience is that those who came to chess club at school, their grades improved in other subjects.”

Former New Zealand senior chess champion Dave Cooper was a regular attendee at the Wanganui Chess Club, Maddren said.

The inaugural Whanganui Sarapu Cup will be held at 1pm on April 21 at Churton School.

The Wanganui Chess Club meets at 7pm on Mondays at 14 Ashton Terrace in Castlecliff.

Anyone with questions about the chess club can email wmaddren@xtra.co.nz.

* This story has been updated to reflect a new date for the Sarapu Cup tournament confirmed after publication of our story.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.