A five-year (2019-2024) draft development plan for the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) was prepared by executive member Loris Nathoo. It is posted on the website guyanachess.org and viewers are encouraged to comment upon the content. The vision for the plan is: To enhance the lives of all Guyanese by increasing the play of chess where the appreciation of the value of time, concentration, evaluation, patience and calculated risk taking are paramount to success in life as in chess. This is followed by the mission statement, which is “to implement policies and initiatives that will achieve the aim of having a chess club in every neighbourhood in Guyana”.
On many occasions, during my conversations with Nathoo, he dreamed loftily of viewing persons playing chess on the streets, in the parks, in schools/universities and in households. Chess, he noted, should be spread widely and seriously. It is the only way we will encounter talent and improve our status in the cerebral game. Some players share the view that there are a select few who do not wish chess to be widely and creatively disseminated. Those are the ones whose places for local and international travel are assured and they benefit materially from the auspices of selected international organisations. And that is one of the reasons why Nathoo introduced the illustrious points system. The game of chess is to be played not only when there are spaces available for international travel but also when travel is absent.
What is interesting is the methodology that is being proposed for the 2020 National Chess Championship. The championship would be determined in a three-way cycle. The first stage would be a qualification system which is open to everyone. The second stage would be a round-robin, candidates-styled tournament. In the third and final stage, the winner of the candidates would play the previous year’s national champion in a six-game match. The national champion would qualify automatically for the Chess Olympiad. In Nathoo’s estimation, the final stage “will allow for an atmosphere to be created similar to a prize fight between two boxing champions.” I agree!
Berbice Tournament
The Berbice Chess Association is due to host a seven-round, one-day Swiss system tournament today at the University of Guyana’s Tain Campus. The tournament, which is to begin at 10 am, is sponsored by A Ally and Sons Ltd, whose owner is a Berbice businessman and chess enthusiast.
Each player will be allowed 20 minutes to complete his/her game. Leading the fiery charge for the Berbice entourage is Kriskal Persaud, who is aiming to qualify for the 2020 Chess Olympiad. Persaud’s competition is expected to come from the Johnson brothers of Berbice, in addition to some seasoned players from Georgetown.
