The Agape Chess Club recently hosted an unrated chess tournament. The group, founded by former Zachary City councilman and longtime owner of Charlet's Funeral Home, Donald "Pete" Charlet, has been operating for around two years. 

 

Mr. Charlet started the chess club as a way to give back to the community. "Chess to me is a lot like life," he explains "A child that learns chess is at the same time learning things like calculations, looking ahead, the consequences of doing something the wrong way and learning from those mistakes. These are lessons that apply to life."

He tells us that the club is open to everyone, no matter their current level of chess proficiency. "You don't have to be good. This is about learning and building relationships. We have members as young as 11 and as old as 80."  That said, highly rated players like Stuart Collins also attend, making for challenging play for advanced players. 

Mr. Charlet lays out a few key ingredients that make for a strong chess player:

• A desire to learn
• Enjoyment of competition
• Respect
• Not a hot head

Those last two are important in a setting where you will regularly lose games. Losing with grace and learning from your mistakes are two of the most important lessons in life, and chess gives you a great opportunity to practice! 

If you are interested in joining, you can contact Pete Charlet at [email protected]. 

Agape Chess Club meets at the Zachary Branch Library every Sunday from 2-6.