Lexington High School’s chess team attended the 2025 US Chess SuperNationals Scholastic Championships from May 9 to May 11. Despite having to take byes in the tournament to take AP exams, the team worked together to secure ninth place.

“The LHS chess team, dare I say, is the most connected chess team because we all grew up together, we’re all friends… It’s not like any other chess club you’ll see,” Victor Feng, a junior on the team, said.

Despite their unity, the chess team puts significant emphasis on individual performance. Whereas other team sports may involve several team members participating simultaneously, members of the chess team play individually against a corresponding member of the opposing team in a one-to-one format. 

Chess is a game where each move is personal, reflecting each player’s unique judgment and style. LHS senior Sritan Devineni elaborates more on the difference between chess and other sports.

“There’s nothing guaranteed in sports. I feel like in chess, the way you start every game, it’s gonna be the same every time, no matter what, because you’re never going to accidentally move to the wrong square. You know, it’s all just your mind,” Devineni said.

Many players dedicate hours to studying patterns, moves, and positions. Those who have never touched the game understand that chess must be learned laboriously. However, chess is not meant to be overwhelming; Devineni recalls his personal experience and offers a consistent approach that helps players grow.

“I remember back during COVID, when other people were playing video games, I’d be playing chess. And it was just a time when I found interest in the game, and that really helped me get better. You’d think you have to read a book to get better at chess, you’d have to study, but I got a lot better [by] just playing a lot of games, getting experience,” Devineni said.

As in any other sport, playing chess isn’t just about action, but about mentality. Feng offers advice on this matter in particular.

“Don’t try to do things for the sake of getting better. Just do it for fun, because when everything’s for fun, that’s the only way for you to keep playing. If you want to do it only competitively, but boringly, you’ll end up quitting,” Feng said.