A Celebration of Chess at South Brunswick: Inside the 2025 District-Wide Chessathon
Written by Sreeram Vuppala, President of the South Brunswick High School Chess Club
At 10:00 AM on a sunny spring Saturday, the doors to South Brunswick High School opened—and with them, a flood of energy, curiosity, and over 100 students ready to immerse themselves in chess. The occasion? Our second annual district-wide Chessathon, a full-day celebration of the game we love, designed not just to compete, but to connect, inspire, and explore the many creative sides of chess.
From the moment attendees stepped in, they were greeted not by rows of tournament boards, but by something much more dynamic: a chess-themed escape room, a bughouse station buzzing with laughter, a giant life-size chess board, a puzzle-solving competition, and even a simultaneous exhibition by Grandmaster Arun Prasad Subramanian. At each station, students stamped their “chess passports”, a playful but effective way to encourage exploration. Complete every station, and you earned a raffle entry. The result? A room full of students eagerly darting from activity to activity, excited not just about winning, but about participating.
After a packed morning of movement and discovery, pizza for lunch gave everyone a moment to catch their breath and bond over their favorite moments. But the day wasn’t over yet. In the afternoon, we transitioned into the competitive side of the event, starting with a fast-paced 5|5 online Swiss tournament. For many students, this was their first real tournament experience. For others, it was a warm-up for what came next: a 10|2 over-the-board playoff featuring the top 16 players. These intense games culminated in trophies awarded to the top eight finalists.
What made this event truly special wasn’t just the turnout or the trophies, it was the atmosphere. Students from across the district, whether seasoned competitors or brand-new to the game, shared a space where chess was more than a sport; it was a shared language.
Behind the scenes, this free event came together thanks to 15 chess club board members, months of planning, and generous support from sponsors we contacted through simple email outreach and visits to local businesses. The enthusiasm we saw from students, parents, and even school staff has made one thing clear: events like these are not only possible, but necessary to keep scholastic chess thriving.
To any school thinking about hosting something similar: do it. Start small, get creative, and trust that when you build a space that celebrates the joy of the game, students will show up and love it.
We can’t wait to host the next Chessathon, and we hope to see even more schools in New Jersey hosting events of their own. Reach out to the South Brunswick Chess Club at chessclub@sbschools.org with any questions about running chess events or even starting a chess club at your school. Let’s grow this game together.