Chess Club
Chess Club meets every Wednesday lunchtime in the Library for Years 1–12, with a termly Chess Ladder, the House Chess Cup and interschool zone tournaments in October 2026.
Chess Club is one of the College's most popular lunchtime activities, with 70–90 students from Prep-aged siblings tagging along through to Year 12 players competing in zone tournaments. It runs every Wednesday in the Library under Mr Greg Molloy of the Mathematics faculty, and beginners are genuinely welcome — about a third of our members learned the moves at the club.
When and where
| Junior School (Years 1–6) | Senior School (Years 7–12) | |
|---|---|---|
| Day | Wednesday | Wednesday |
| Time | 1:15–2:00pm (lunch) | 1:20–2:05pm (lunch) |
| Venue | Library — Junior side | Library — Senior Learning Commons |
| Teacher | Mr Greg Molloy (assisted by Year 10–12 mentors) | Mr Greg Molloy |
| Cost | Free | Free |
Students eat lunch first (the first ten minutes) and then play. Chess Club runs every week of term including the last week. Students may join at any time by turning up or via Parent Portal > Forms > "Co-curricular Clubs".
What happens at club
- Beginners' corner (Junior): Year 5 and 6 mentors teach the moves, checkmate patterns and basic openings using demonstration boards.
- Casual games for anyone wanting a friendly match.
- Chess Ladder: a rated ladder for each school runs every term. Wins move you up; the top of the Junior and Senior ladders at the end of each term receive a certificate at assembly.
- Puzzle of the week on the Library whiteboard, with a small prize drawn each Friday.
- Occasional lunchtime simultaneous exhibitions by a visiting Chess Victoria coach (one per semester).
House Chess Cup — Term 4
Every student who plays a ladder game in Term 4 earns a House point, and the four Houses — MacKillop, Chisholm, Polding and Romero — contest the House Chess Cup over the Wednesdays of Weeks 4–8 (Wednesday 28 October to Wednesday 25 November 2026). Results count toward the overall House Spirit shield alongside sport and the arts.
Interschool tournaments 2026
St Mary's enters the Victorian Interschool Chess Championships — Northern Zone. Zone events are one-day team tournaments (seven rounds, 15 minutes per player) held at a host school in the region; the top teams progress to the state final in late November.
| Event | Date | Who | Time | Cost | Transport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Zone Tournament | Tuesday 13 October 2026 | Years 3–6, up to 12 players | Depart Junior Gate 8:30am, return 3:00pm | $25 | College bus |
| Secondary Zone Tournament | Wednesday 21 October 2026 | Years 7–12, up to 12 players | Depart Senior Gate 8:15am, return 3:15pm | $25 | College bus |
- Players are selected from the Chess Ladder standings at the end of Term 3; the team list is published in the newsletter on Monday 5 October 2026.
- The permission form and $25 entry fee are completed via Parent Portal > Forms by Friday 9 October 2026.
- Students wear full school uniform, bring a packed lunch, snacks and a drink bottle (nut-free), and are welcome to bring their own chess clock if they have one.
- Students who miss a Wednesday CSSA sport commitment for the Secondary Zone are excused for the day — Mr Molloy notifies the Director of Sport.
Equipment
The club has 30 tournament sets, 12 digital clocks and two demonstration boards, all provided by the P&F in 2024. Students do not need to bring anything. Families wanting to practise at home can borrow a set from the Library for one week using the student's library card, and the Library holds an excellent collection of chess books for all levels.
For beginners and parents
Chess is proven to help with concentration, planning and resilience — losing a game and coming back next week is the whole point. Prep and Year 1 students who want to learn are welcome to attend with a Year 5 or 6 sibling; from Year 1 they may attend on their own. There is no need to know the rules before coming; just turn up on Wednesday.
For more on all our co-curricular activities see Clubs & Activities.