San Jacinto College hosts second annual honors chess tournament

The San Jacinto College Honors Program held its second annual chess tournament Friday, April 11, bringing together players from across the College's campuses.

South Campus student Tam Nguyen emerged victorious, claiming the first-place title and earning his campus the honor of displaying the championship trophy for the coming year. The win also granted the South Campus bragging rights and the privilege of using District Honors Program Director Dr. Eddie Weller's handmade chess set, crafted over 40 years ago. Central Campus student Jonathan Galvan and North Campus student Wilmer Maldonado were also recognized as finalists in the competition.

"We have honors centers on our campuses where students can hang out or study, and many of them sit there quietly playing chess against each other every day," said Cody Pogue, government professor. "They aren't into video games. They're into chess. So, we figured a chess tournament would be something fun for them."

The tournament provided a competitive and fun atmosphere for participants to demonstrate their strategic thinking and chess mastery. Students from different campuses had the opportunity to connect through their shared passion for the classic game.

"I hope our students had a great time and are able to walk away feeling confident in their skills," Pogue said. "I think it's great when we are able to bring students from the different campuses together for these types of activities."

The event featured twelve participants representing various San Jacinto College campuses:

• Ethan Boyd
• Fabian Cardenas
• Jonathan Galvan
• Isaac Gamez
• Wilmer Maldonado
• Artemis Montalvo-Muniz
• Tam Nguyen
• Angel Ramos
• Pedro Rodriguez
• Moniella Vallado
• Brian Villatoro
• Matt Wheeler

Learn more about the San Jacinto College Honors Program