On Saturday, Oct. 30, the Hays High School Chess Club hosted a Halloween Fun Chess Tournament. The tournament was held in Gym A with communal space in the Commons and the Multipurpose Room.

The tournament consisted of five rounds in a Swiss style bracket with adult and under 18 sections. The tournament was open registration with a $5 cost of entry going towards the Chess Club’s budget. The team also sold various baked goods in concessions as a fund-raising opportunity.

The under 18 section was won by junior Noah Bruggeman.

“I’m pretty happy with how the tournament went,” Bruggeman said. “I did about as well as I thought I could, and I won’t complain about the results.”

The tournament also created an opportunity for Hays High to experience hosting a tournament in advance of their first KSCA tournament coming next year.

“I think having a tournament at our school helps us expand our opportunities,” Bruggeman said. “Overall, I think the tournament went smoothly. We got to host and compete at the same time, and the whole event was a positive experience.”

The adult section was won by Jason Stein, but not everyone was there only to compete. Many wore festive costumes, and more participated simply for the love of the game.