Chess Team Members

Bradley Sawyer: Making the Most of His Chess Opportunity

Bradley Sawyer is not your traditional chess player.

His first exposure to chess came when his mother was playing the game "Battle Chess" on the home computer.

"It made a cool noise when you captured someone, and that got me interested in the game," Bradley said.

Bradley was 7 years old at the time. His first experience with Battle Chess got him interested in the Krahn Elementary chess program in Klein, Texas.

He played there at Kaleb Middle School and Klein High School, but his best experiences came playing all over Texas.

"When I was younger, I would play on my own, and my mom would take me everywhere," Bradley said. "When I was old enough to drive, my parents got me my own car and I drove myself everywhere."

Bradley Sawyer File

Rating: 2210 Hometown: Klein, Texas Major: Undecided Class: Freshman

Bradley became an experienced teacher of younger chess players, and would teach at chess camps all over the United States. "I was only 18, and they would fly me to chess camps everywhere, feed me, put me in nice hotels," Bradley said. "And the best part about it was that I would get paid."

He knows he was not an academic scholar, but his chess skills were excellent with a rating between 2150 and 2200 at the time. He won the 2006 National High School championship, which usually meant the winner would get a scholarship to The University of Texas at Dallas. That year, UTD did not grant the scholarship because of funding.

"I was kind of depressed, and I stopped playing chess seriously," Bradley said.

He started taking basic courses at Lone Star College and Tomball College. "I went to teach chess, and started taking classes to community colleges. He came to a Polgar tournament at UTB/TSC, met Chess Program Director Rusty Harwood and fell in love with the school.

"I am so grateful for being offered a scholarship, because I would not have the opportunity otherwise," Bradley said. "Coming back to school was difficult. I have to bear down and focus. This is my opportunity. I don't want to mess it up."

Bradley's GPA is at 3.0, but his goal is to work harder and reach the 3.5 level.

He has also picked up another skill at UTB/TSC: pington.

"Pington is good exercise for me, and it's a lot of fun. I really want to stay here as long as I can here, because I was given the opportunity to play chess here. The people here are great, and everyone treats me well here."