chess. Det. Cookie’s Chess Club will host their first officially sanctioned tournament by the Washington Chess
Federation this Saturday, May 20 at the Rainier Beach Community Center. Courtesy Photo.
By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
This Sat, May 20 the Det. Cookie Chess Club will kick off a season of competition as a new member of the Washington Chess Federation, a non-profit organization that supports and promotes chess related activities throughout Washington state, as they will host the first annual Det. Cookie Chess Tournament.
The tournament will be held at the Rainier Beach Community Center in South Seattle. The format will consist of five rounds of competition. Check-in is between 8:00 am and 8:45 am, with the awards ceremony closing out the tournament at 3:45 pm.
The event is open to students of all ages and grades K-12, free for all who love and support the development of our community’s youth, and those who simply love the game of chess. This tournament will mark the Detective Cookie Chess Club’s first official tournament as a member of the state chess federation.
The club, named after Det. Denise “Cookie” Bouldin of the Seattle Police Department (SPD), commonly referred to as Det. Cookie, has not only introduced youth to the game of chess but also helped them build self-esteem, problem-solving skills, and competitive sportsmanship in a non-physical competition.
For the past sixteen years, Det. Cookie has run the chess club out of the Rainier Beach Community Center, several schools throughout the area, and the Rainier Beach library. Last year, a monumental chess park was built in the Rainier Beach area in honor of Det. Cookie and the impact her chess club has had on residents and youth.
Bouldin believes that chess can play a major role in the instinctive and cognitive development of youth and adults, using the game as a conduit to engage with the youth of our community. In a 2022 Seattle Medium article, Bouldin discussed the impact of chess on young minds and how it can enhance the natural abilities of anyone who participates.
“Chess is powerful and can be used in many different ways. In schools, it requires kids to think and analyze, which carries over into their reading abilities and mathematics. It develops critical thinking skills and logic rather than impulse,” says Bouldin. “It helps them learn the consequences of actions and teaches children to look at the bigger picture, which also carries into life.”
“I’m the type of officer who always interacts with the youth and tries to find activities for them to do or see what’s going on in their lives,” Bouldin was quoted as saying in the 2022 article. “The Chess Club originated out of a need for the youth to have something positive to do.”
As Det. Cookie has endeavored to have an impact beyond her role as a member of SPD, she has always been supportive of youth groups and youth activities. From the time she became an officer with SPD until today, she has been working with young people to find activities for them to do, and her Chess Club is an extension of that.
The idea for the Chess Club originated in 2006 after youth in the community played a basketball game against police officers from SPD. The game was a huge success, and there was talk about doing a similar activity the following year. But when speaking with kids from the community, Det. Cookie learned that not all of them wanted to play basketball. After considering other options, like a pool party or a barbecue, one of the students suggested having a chess tournament.
According to chess experts and educators, chess has been found to enhance all-around cognitive abilities. This can include the development of analytical thinking, the ability to see things from someone else’s perspective, elevate creativity, improve planning skills, and make therapy more effective. It can also help improve patience, memory, and, in some cases, alleviate symptoms of ADHD.
Many South Seattle parents are excited about the location. In the past, it was difficult for some players to engage in tournaments due to the distance they had to travel. However, with the collaboration with the Chess Federation, Rainier Beach and surrounding communities now have their own place and tournament.
“Usually, we have to travel so far to go to chess tournaments, and to have one local in our neighborhood means so much,” says Amy, a mother of two chess players participating in the upcoming tournament. “Especially for kids who don’t have transportation, they were not able to participate in tournaments far away.”
“So, it’s great that they will be able to participate in one right here in our neighborhood,” Amy continued.
Rogers Greene, a counselor at Dunlap Elementary School, believes that having a tournament in the neighborhood is essential and enhances the potential of his students at Dunlap to further participate in Det. Cookie’s Chess Club.
“Equity and inclusion are significant factors in providing our kids access to different opportunities,” says Greene. “Det. Cookie being able to bring chess and its benefits to our children’s learning is essential and impactful. Bringing it to our community, right here in Rainier Beach and the Valley, is really important.”
Det. Cookie agrees as she gears up and prepares for this first tournament.
“This is such a big deal for us,” says Bouldin. “We are so proud that a chess tournament is finally coming to our community. Most of the chess tournaments are in Kirkland, Bellevue, Redmond, Tacoma, and other places where my chess kids don’t have transportation to get to.”
“So, it is important that we have a tournament in our own community,” Bouldin adds.
This weekend’s tournament is open to the first 100 players who register online before Friday, May 19 at www.nwchess.com/onlineregistration/. Unfortunately, there will be no onsite registration, and no registrations will be accepted after the deadline.
