Student News

By Marco Santana

Michael Wang has a simple plan when he plays chess. At all costs, protect the king. That may sound simple enough but increasingly, his opponents have failed to do just that.

The Beacon College student represented the school in an online bullet chess league tournament last month, leading Beacon to second place out of eight schools.

Wang said the success has come as a byproduct of falling for the game as a 7-year-old — even after losing his first tournament match in four moves.

“I have always loved games and thinking critically,” he said. “Chess fits that bill and serves as a great place for exploration because there are always people better than you. You can learn from them.”

Wang has poured his passion for the game into the school’s chess club, which has experienced a sort of revival since he transferred to the school in 2022. As the club’s president, he oversees frequent meetings and hosts regular games. But more than that, he has achieved some individual success in the game, including that second-place finish.

Wang came to the game rather unintentionally. As a 5-year-old, he would annoy his older sister, who played the game, as well, by moving her pieces while she was playing a game. Now, he enjoys being less of an annoyance and more of an instructor, helping students who join the club improve.

“It’s a way to meet all sorts of people,” said Wang, who started playing online tournaments at age seven.

As he has settled into the role as club president at Beacon, he has had increased support from the school. That support was crucial to avoid what could have been a devastating blow to the club this summer. A small fire destroyed some equipment, but the school promptly replaced it all, purchasing four boards and a timer clock, Wang said.

“It’s those little things that show that people really care here,” he said. “It was really meaningful for us.”

Chris Irving knows firsthand how good Wang can be on the chess board — the club’s adviser has yet to win a head-to-head match. Irving, a senior instructor for humanities at Beacon College, said playing against Wang and discussing strategy has made him better.

“He explains decisions he is making in logical and analytical ways,” he said. “He is very process oriented.”

The chess club’s latest iteration has been around for several years, Irving said. For now, it’s a small club that draws a half-dozen or so per meeting. However, Irving said it’s also a way to support students’ self-driven educational experiences.

“Whether they know it or not, it’s not just about winning the game,” he said. “It’s about how and why did you win the game.”

In Wang, he says he sees someone who understood that immediately. “His desire to see things critically is involuntarily contagious,” he said. “He’s not a showoff. He’s not a braggart. His humility kills me. For him to take an extracurricular activity and be so completely inspired, it’s nice to see.”

As leader of the club, Wang has represented Beacon College in several tournaments, including competitions in The Villages and at University of Florida. His formal ranking puts him near the top of his division. In fact, he finished tied for second place out of more than 150 competitors in his division at the North American Open last December in Las Vegas.

“It was fun,” said Wang, who traveled to Vegas with his father. “We walked around Las Vegas and were able to see some famous casinos. It was good to get exercise, too. That’s important to thinking critically.”

Irving continues to take pride in the work that Wang has done on the chess board while supporting his efforts to rejuvenate the chess club on campus. However, in competition, Irving still has one goal: “I still plan to beat Michael.” Wang has shown that this will be easier said than done.