Edward R. Murrow High School chess team heads to national championships
NEW YORK - A legendary Brooklyn high school chess team is headed off to the national championships in Washington D.C. this week for the first time since the pandemic began.
Inside a calculus classroom at Edward R. Murrow High School in Midwood, a group of teenagers spend hours a day playing the game of kings.
Over the years, the classroom, which is decorated with photos with politicians, class portraits, and plaques displaying the team's accolades, has seen some of the best players in the nation.
"I never thought it would be a dynasty," says Eliot Weiss, Calculus teacher and coach of the team for nearly 42 years. "I just planned on having a chess club, having fun."
Weiss founded the club in 1981, soon bringing this unique public high school to the forefront of the nation's chess world.
"Murrow was initially created with no sports teams at all, so the chess team was the first sports team. We have a few others now," he told CBS2's Hannah Kliger.
The past 42 years have clearly been eventful; the team has earned dozens of accolades, including eight national wins, and nearly 40 city and state titles.
Now, the team is busy preparing for its first national high school championship since 2019, their first in-person tournament since the pandemic began.
"This is my first time playing with my team," said senior Sadman Rahim.
It's been a rough few years for many of these students. Team Captain Joey Zheng, also a senior, joined the team freshman year.
"First thing I did when I came to Murrow was I went to the club directory and looked up where the chess team was," he said.
In 2020, 2021, and most of 2022, tournaments were cancelled. When the learning was remote, the chess games went virtual.
"When you are playing in front of a person you can feel their emotions and you can connect with them through the chess pieces," Rahim said.
"It teaches you how to be patient," said junior Elene Mildiani.
Students say their love of the game and their respect for their coach got them through the challenges.
"He taught me a lot about determination and patience," Rahim said of Mr. Weiss.
Every chess master was once a beginner, and in this room both beginners and chess masters battle it out on the board.
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