Ethan George: Washington’s next chess grandmaster?

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Ethan George is a Junior at Washington High. He is a part of the WHS Chess Club and will be next year’s President. George is also a role model for others in his chess club and a great learner.

Chess is a battle of cleverness between two players, each managing their collection of unique pieces with individually distinct movements and rules. Every piece, from the weak pawn to the strong queen has its purpose in the pursuit of victory. The goal of the game is to outwit your opponent and take their king in checkmate. On the outside, chess is just a simple board game, but if you dive further you can see the intricate maneuvers possible, and the strategy involved.

George’s interest in chess began seven years ago when he used to play occasionally with his family. His father played chess with him all the time, and although he never won, he always enjoyed playing. What motivated George to start playing seriously was when he watched a chess-based show called The Queen’s Gambit. After watching this show, George realized his interest in chess and started playing to improve and win.  George also became seriously motivated by being able to beat his father for the first time, saying, “When I beat my father it was a moment I couldn’t forget.” It was here his chess career took a turn for the better. George is now a high-ranking player in the local chess community. George says, “It has grown on me ever since I played, but I think that there’s a certain aspect to chess that makes it interesting. Watching people play chess prepping their moves for 40-50 moves can become very intriguing, making it super fun and interesting when I improve.” As a part of the WHS Chess Club, George participates in tournaments. To continue doing so well in chess tournaments, George has to practice. Usually, George practices over the summer, while playing occasionally during the school year to keep himself conditioned. When practicing, George remembers to play for the long game, take more pieces than he loses without being too greedy, and trap his opponents using non-confrontational methods. To improve, George has done many things, saying, “I mostly started watching YouTube videos in chess like Gotham Chess and playing online…I also reviewed my chess games with my dad and helped get support from him.” Through his training, George has been able to create his non-confrontational playstyle. George uses this to play calmly, waiting to win the end game rather than rushing into his games. 

Chess is a simple yet intricate game. With the unlimited possibilities and situations you can create, it is by far one of the best strategic games there is. Juggling school work, and chess practice can be difficult at times, but Ethan George shows us that with enough practice, determination, and practice he can improve and come out on top.