The Alcove Trails Middle School Chess Club is making a name for itself as a powerhouse in competitive chess, dominating another season of the Texas Tech University Check with Tech tournament series.  

This year, the team captured first place in three out of four tournaments and earned second place in the remaining event. Their consistent success throughout the season earned ATMS the Check with Tech Regional Champion for the second year in a row. 

This impressive streak is especially notable considering the club is still in its early days. When Alcove Trails opened its doors last year, art teacher Thomas Messerschmidt founded the chess club to give students a new opportunity to engage in strategic thinking and friendly competition. 

Messerschmidt explained that the program has remained strong and consistent thanks to students who have stepped up when it mattered most. Despite being a relatively new club, they’ve established a reputation for sweeping in the middle school section for the past two years. 

“I am extremely proud because we are a new school,” said Messerschmidt. “We came out of nowhere to dominate the tournaments.” 

There were several memorable moments throughout the season. Some returning players scored wins against opponents they had previously struggled with, and a few beginners celebrated their first-ever tournament victories.  

“To see how excited they got was priceless,” Messerschmidt said. 

As Messerschmidt prepares to retire at the end of the school year, he hopes the next sponsor will continue building on the strong foundation that’s been laid. 

With back-to-back regional championships and a growing culture of competitive excellence, the future of chess at Alcove Trails looks bright.