Chess involves more creative and mental skills than physical power and prowess, and chess team contests are competitive in spirit, generate tension, and create camaraderie just as in a sport. The setting of a chess tournament is very different than for a sports contest. There are no cheering throngs. No cheerleaders are heard from the sidelines. Teammates do not shout encouragement.
Coaches call no plays and give no advice.
Instead, at the signal to begin, a hush rapidly falls over the crowd. Chess team competition conducted by the IHSA marked its 25th anniversary last year. Seven such championships were decided. During those years, the teams were composed of five players. The experiences of these tournaments provided a basis for designing the IHSA Chess Team Championship.