MUSCATINE, Iowa — “What chess is to me, it is about clarity and strengthening the mind, sharpening skills and taking problems to be able act upon them,” according to local chess enthusiast Jacob Haskins.

Haskins, a Pearl City Chess Club organizer, is a member of the USCF (United States Chess Federation) and is eager to have other chess players participate in Club.

“I am willing to help people understand the game and also want to improve my game,” he said. “The more you play the more you perfect your game, helping with the functions to strategize cognitively.” He encourages others to become involved in the Federation at no cost and receive the free magazine, “Chess Life,” by enrolling at uschess.org.

For Haskins chess is like a “meeting of the minds.” To understand chess, Haskins says you must think a number of moves ahead and gather as much information as possible. Haskins’ chess opponent is Arthur Kaha, also of Muscatine.

Both Haskins, 33,  and  Kaha’s, 26, chess-playing days stretch back to their childhood.

“I have been playing chess since I was about 5, when my dad taught me the game. I took a break from it through my teenage years, but at about 18, I decided to start it up again. Now with online chess it is

even more interesting, especially understanding strategies and combinations,” said Haskins. “I am always looking for new ideas and memorization techniques,” he added.

Kaha picked up the game almost as early.

“I also was taught by my dad, at age 7 and then later participated in the chess club in junior high and high school.” said Kaha. “The chess game and rules come from a strong history and chess has definitely changed with technology; but its guise, forms and essence are unchangeable.”

Haskins reorganized the Pearl City Chess Club, which is now meeting on Mondays instead of Wednesdays. Currently, the club is seeking more members, hoping to grow the membership and hold competitions. Anyone interested in playing chess — or just learning more about it — is welcome to attend. There is no membership fee.

“Two years from now, I envision the club becoming USCF affiliates, holding more classes and organizing tournaments, it would be great to get to that point,” said Haskins.

The game

According to chesscentral.com, chess is like a game of logic, strategy and war, all played out on a grid.

The armies combating each other on the board consist of black and white pieces. The white pieces form one side, the black pieces the other side.  A piece never deserts to the enemy, nor does it ever rebel; it is faithful ’til death. If it does fall in combat, it’s held in the opponent’s camp, where the captured pieces are kept until the next game when they’re returned to their own side — a resurrection of sorts.

Haskins and Kaha discuss the theory of the game of chess and offer structure to the rules and an understanding of the board and pieces. They explain how the white and black sides have equal forces. Each has a king, a queen, two rooks (or castles), two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns  — 16 pieces in all.

The pieces stand on the board until they are captured, each piece on one square, and no two pieces on the same square. At the start of the game, the pieces are placed in a pre-determined position. The game advances as each side takes turns moving their soldiers.

Then a struggle of the chess pieces takes place until the king is captured by force or the contestants agree upon a drawn issue, known as a checkmate.

Details

What: Pearl City Chess Club

When: Meets every Monday 6-9 p.m.

Where: Musser Public Library, 304 Iowa Ave., second floor