Video: Verona Gifted Chess Players

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VERONA, Miss. (WCBI) — When it comes to playing the game of chess, some Lee County students at Verona Elementary School seem to be making all the right moves.

The Intellectually Gifted Students are always up for a challenge and under the watchful eyes of a volunteer chess teacher, in this case they are mastering a game not too many know how its played. According to The United States Chess Federation, out of the 300 million people only one million are able to play chess.

“They were ready for a challenge that will allow them to think outside the box. Chess motivates the brain in many different ways,” said Temeka Shannon, Principal Verona Elementary School.

“One of the things that we teach is that you can’t move a piece unless you determine the move. And then after you have touched it then you move it. But if you touch the produce you have to move the pieces, but if there was no thought given to the move, then you suffer the consequences of your move,” said Tony Kelsie, Chess Teacher.

“My friend had put me in check mate, so he won because I didn’t know what I was doing. And I thought about it, and so when I thought about it I was like why did I do that,” said Taiavodi Jackson,Gifted Student.

While in the second grade, volunteer chess instructor Tony Kelsie was taught the strategies of the game and now he is passing on that wisdom to his class during one hour sessions on Mondays.

“Primary reason that I’ve come to help volunteer and teach the kids is because its great as far as thinking and developing your logical skills and also it teaches you how to make decisions and understand what the consequences are of the decisions that you make,” said Kelsie.

Like his teacher, gifted student Joshua Carnathan seems ready to pass on wisdom he now possesses.

“Probably one of the pieces of the pone are moved, one knight at a time. You could move one of the knights, you could get close up there and set off a distraction maybe,” said Carnathan.

“If not just about the game itself, its also about the life application lessons that you learn from playing chess,” said Kelsie.

“So we are hoping that this helps deepen the knowledge of our students as we embrace common core; we want better thinkers,” said Shannon.

Just in case you may not know how to play chess; Each player begins the game with 16 chess piece. One king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and 8 pawns.