The Naperville North Chess Team took home first place at the IHSA State Tournament in Peoria, Illinois last Saturday, Feb. 14.

In April, the team will attend the United States Chess Federation Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. According to senior captain Mark Reed, this competition is not associated with the state tournament.

“We went into competition with everyone thinking that Stevenson High School would win,” Reed said. “That really drove us to prove everyone wrong and to show that we are a strong team.”

The team defeated Stevenson High School, Hinsdale Central and the Illinois Math and Science Academy, winning all seven matches. The Huskies ended with a total score of 123.1.

Reed said the hardest part about competitions is maintaining focus. Competitive matches are usually 30-minutes long, but they can be extended depending on the event.

“At DVC and nationals, competitions can be as long as four hours,” Reed said. “It’s a long time to sit in a chair and focus.”

In the coming months, the seniors plan to train the junior varsity players to lead and compete at the next level.

“Most of our varsity players are seniors and will be graduating,” Reed said. “We’re really trying to help our younger members to become stronger chess players.”

Freshman Joseph Isaac usually plays on the junior varsity team, but he attended the state tournament as an alternate this weekend.

“It was really motivating seeing the varsity players win,” Isaac said. “I’m hoping that I can learn from them and others at nationals, and become better myself for next year.”

Both Isaac and Reed sparked their passion for chess at a young age.

“I stuck with chess because it’s extremely intense,” Reed said. “It’s one of those games where if you make one mistake, you lose.”