Somerset Chess

Chess is a popular sport for our students from Prep right through into the Senior Years. Somerset College has a proud involvement with Chess, having qualified for the Australian Schools Teams Chess Championships more than any other school in Australia.

As winners of the Queensland Championship on a number of occasions, our success at Chess is a source of great pride; however, even more important, is that the love of this game is engendered with so many of our students.

The Gardiner Chess Course is taught to students at Somerset College as part of the College's co-curricular programme. The course is taught at a pace suitable to each of the students involved. Students joining the course who are already keen chess players will be able to take a test at levels appropriate to their current knowledge.

Academic research conducted over many years has shown that chess helps cognitive development, can produce significant improvements in mathematics results and reading scores and has been found to assist with problem-solving skills, develop critical and creative thinking, reasoning and memory. Improvement in social skills has also been demonstrated.

Our Junior School Chess Club is provided free for students every lunch time in the chess room with Gardiner Chess staff in attendance. This is the perfect place for students to hone their skills and ask the coach questions they might have. 

Our Junior and Senior students participate in the Gold Coast Inter-School Chess Championships. Senior School students also have the chance to compete in the APS Chess competition.