Achieve Together: Chess Class Journey

Mark Zhang
1 day ago
3 min read

In the summer of 2018, AYLUS Pearland members Baron Niu and Aaron Wu—both advanced chess players—launched a community chess program to share their passion for the game with local children. Inspired by the success of other youth-led initiatives, they sought to create a space where kids could not only learn chess but also enjoy fun, interactive activities that made each class engaging. Sessions were held in both public spaces and students’ homes, offering flexibility and accessibility for families.

Over the next several years, the chess program grew into a beloved tradition. Each summer break, new groups of children joined, discovering the joy of chess while sharpening their logical thinking and problem-solving skills. A standard class would begin with an hour instructional session. The instructional session usually consists of puzzles to start the class, then an analysis of a professional or a student’s game. The second hour would consist of practical play, allowing the students to implement what they learned in class. The instructors float around the games, and give advice on how to make the best moves, such as what questions you have to ask yourself before moving. The program’s impact extended beyond casual play: several instructors achieved prestigious titles such as National Master and Candidate Master, while many students competed successfully in local and state tournaments, proudly representing the community.

One ongoing challenge was finding consistent teaching spaces that could accommodate growing class sizes. Before, AYLUS Chess moved from the student’s home every week. However, the classes began to grow, from 5 people to almost 20, because of the increasing community awareness due to flyers on WeChat and the AYLUS social media pages. To address this, AYLUS members partnered with libraries, ensuring reliable venues and expanding the program’s reach. These collaborations not only solved logistical issues but also strengthened ties with the community.

As Baron and Aaron graduated, AYLUS Pearland members Marc Lu, Jordan Zheng, Joshua Meng, Brendon Jiang, and Alicia Zhang stepped in to keep the engaging chess sessions going. They all share a love for chess and a desire to show the community what chess was about, so they decided to continue the AYLUS Chess story. They found, however, as class sizes grew, it became challenging at times to keep up with varied students' interests. To circumvent this, they developed reward systems and friendly competitions that kept students engaged and fostered a love for chess beyond the classroom. The program also began incorporating small fundraising initiatives, with proceeds going to the Achieve Together Fund, a program by AYLUS Pearland that supports collaborative youth projects for community development.

In 2025, the chess lessons expanded beyond summer, offering sessions during weekends and holidays when school was out. A total of 9 sessions were offered, raising $850 toward the Achieve Together Fund. For the future, Joshua Meng is currently working with GTA Specialist at the Leon Sablatura Middle School and Pearland Junior High West, Stacy Mueller to host a Scholastic tournament. AYLUS Pearland hopes to bring more people to the game of chess with a partnership with Sablatura and the Pearland Junior High West Chess Club. What began as a youth-led effort to share a passion for chess has grown into a sustainable initiative—one that fosters intellectual growth, builds confidence, and strengthens community bonds through the timeless game of chess.

Figure 1: Baron and Aaron teaching chess at Michael’s in 2018