Sam Loiterstein | Congregation Shaare Emeth

It all started in elementary school when Sam began learning chess in an after-school program. He fell in love with the game and continues to be passionate about it today. He is currently a member of the En Passant Chess club through Ladue Middle School where he is in seventh grade. 

“Chess is such a big part of my life,” said Sam, son of Karen and Andrew Loiterstein of Olivette. “It taught me how to think ahead, prioritize, and think of real life strategies.”  

The game of chess is like life in that it teaches one to understand the other player and what their next move will be and how the choices made can impact the game. “This type of learning helps kids become successful,” Sam added. 

Sam’s passion led him to teach chess to seventh and eighth graders in the Ferguson Middle School after school program, a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of St. Louis. Every Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sam meets with his students. He says he has a strong connection with them.  In addition to the time he gives, Sam also donated more than 15 chess sets to the school that were part of his bar mitzvah party centerpieces. 

There is a high correlation between chess and problem solving and critical thinking.  

Sam said that St. Louis University feels so strongly about chess being an educational tool that it is providing full scholarships to any chess player with a 1900 rating or higher.  Achieving a rating of 1900 is not easy and it is not something Sam is striving to reach. He is much more interested in the fun of the game.

“Sam is working on turning this project into something long term,” said Sam’s mother, Karen. “He will be making this an ongoing part of his schedule. He’s really developed a way to give back to the community and make service part of his life, long-term, which is more than we could ever hope for in terms of the goals of the ‘requirement’ for a bar mitzvah.”