(They say time changes things. But you actually have to change them yourself.
-Andy Warhol, American pop artist)
The ambitious Chess-in-Schools programme, vigorously supported by government through its Ministries of Sport and Education, and administered by the Guyana Chess Federation, is currently in its experimental stages. It will take time to have chess fully incorporated into the school system so it is regarded in a similar light to other academic subjects.
Like a masterful orator relating to an unknown audience for the first time, we are not seeking to convince others that chess is good for the development of a young Guyana in the first instance, although this is our ultimate long-term goal. Rather, we are trying to persuade our children, our youths and our young adults that learning to play chess, and then playing the game will enhance their academic abilities, develop general intelligence, self-control, analytical skills and an increased ability to concentrate.
The game has remained a low-profile sport in Guyana as it is in many other countries. The federation is making a bold attempt to have chess played countrywide in a structured manner. This was never done before. And the only way to achieve a national objective such as this, is to work through the schools.
Berbice has taken a giant step forward in this direction with the launch of a chess club at the Port Mourant Community High School. Other schools within and outside of the community were invited to the launching ceremony, and we are optimistic that soon chess clubs would begin to materialize throughout Berbice. Very shortly, at weekends, the federation will be despatching a training team from Georgetown to work with teachers from a number of schools in Berbice. We would be pleased to show them the way, and we would ask that they show the schools the way.
In time, we intend to carry this approach to all the schools around the country. In Berbice we will be concentrating particularly on those schools which were given chess sets by Dr Frank Anthony. We want the kids to utilise those sets and by and by, we will get them some more, as well as some chess clocks and demonstration boards to teach the game. Dr Anthony has distributed some 200 chess sets to schools since we began the movement for the development of chess last year.
He seems to be a man in a hurry. Very quickly he formed the Interim Committee for the Development of Chess in Guyana which has been succeeded by the Guyana Chess Federation. The Minister met with the Regional Director of the Federation Interna-tionale des Echecs, the governing body of world chess, and outlined his vision for the development of the game locally. First of all we will create an awareness for the game by playing competitive chess, then we will move to the schools with a programme for training our young people leading to a grand inter-schools chess competition, the likes of which this country has never witnessed before.
Dr Anthony has ambitions of bringing a Russian grandmaster to Guyana to prepare us for international competition and sharing some teaching techniques with us to impart to our young people. Eventually, we would look at the possibility of obtaining scholarships for the best in our schools to attend the Mikhail Botvinnik School of Chess, the most famous chess school in the world, and one which has developed some of the finest chess minds of the 20th century. Dr Anthony is insistent that the game is for masterminds and only in training those minds would we become eligible to become grandmasters.
In all of this, it amounts to new moves being introduced by those who want chess to be developed and promoted. New systems would have to be put in place within the schools. It will take time to bring about those changes, and cooperation among those who desire progress for a developing nation. Grand-masters never rush their game. Therefore, I remain confident we will achieve what we
ave set out to do. Some detractors have argued that chess would never become a national game in Guyana, because it is not a national game within the Caribbean. Humbly, I differ in opinion.
People should never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens cannot change something for the better. It has happened before. When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in a bus to a white man on December 1, 1955 in Alabama, she rocked a nation and changed America forever. We, the people, are the ones who have the power to change things. We, in the Guyana Chess Federation will not stop trying to incorporate chess into the schools. We believe that by doing so, we would create a better society and all of Guyana would benefit in the long run. People should not seek to stifle innovation. They should let it thrive.
Morozevich v Movsesian
World championship candidate, grandmaster Alexander Morozevich leads in the traditional Sahovski Klub chess tournament which is taking place in Bosnia. Here is his win against Sergei Movsesian.
Morozevich, A (2774) – Movsesian, S (2695)
GMA Sarajevo BIH (3), 25.5.2008
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 a6 5.e3 b5 6.c5 Nbd7 7.Bd2 a5 8.Rc1 Ba6 9.a3 Qc7 10.b4 axb4 11.axb4 g6 12.Bd3 Bg7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Ne2 Bb7 15.h3 Ra3 16.Bc3 Rfa8 17.Bb2 R3a6 18.Qb3 Ne8 19.Rfe1 e5 20.e4 dxe4 21.Bxe4 Ndf6 22.Ng3 exd4 23.Nxd4 Rd8 24.Bf3 Raa8 25.Ndf5 gxf5 26.Nxf5 Rd7 27.Nxg7 Kxg7 28.Qc3 Qf4 29.Re4 Qd2 30.Qe5
Movsesian is hanging on well, but the next move loses him the game: 30…Ra2? 31.Re2 Qh6 32.Rce1 Rxb2 33.Qxb2 Nc7 34.Bg4 Rd3 35.Re7 Ncd5 36.Rxb7 Rd2 37.Qe5 Black Resigns! 1-0.
