DOUBLE ROOKS
It is the considered view of Double Rooks that the sport of chess in Trinidad and Tobago will not see any significant progress until it is taken to the country’s schools in a progressive and structured programme.
It may be foolhardy, of course, to believe that in our sporting culture, this mind game, no matter how fascinating it is, can become as popular as cricket or football. But, at the very least, DR believes it should be made available to as many of our young people as possible if only to provide them with the opportunity to enjoy and excel in a uniquely beneficial competitive arena.
Every international sport offers youngsters a specific activity to develop their particular talents. So far, Trinidad and Tobago has acquired a world-wide reputation for producing cricketers, footballers and athletes of world class, demonstrating that our little country is blessed with a people of great sporting ability and potential. It seems unfortunate then that the sport of chess is still so limited in its development and its outreach that its chances of unearthing more players of exceptional quality, even of international master class, or even at the level of genius, are sorely inhibited.
Indeed, the stagnant state of chess development in T&T may well be seen in the fact that only one new youngster, Esan Wiltshire, has joined the list of finalists who will compete for the national championship later this month. Most of the other finalists are prominent veterans who have been setting the game’s standards over several years. But this can hardly be satisfactory; chess in T&T needs to leap beyond its present level, to exploit the talent that is nationally available, and this will only take place when the base of participation is widened to include the country’s school population.
So DR looks with some optimism at the T&T Chess Association’s current initiative to meet such an objective, starting with a pilot project among a number of selected schools. This expansion, however, will not be an easy exercise, since the Association will be starting virtually from scratch with little or no manpower beyond its relatively new executive personnel. To begin with, the T&TCA will need to have the full backing and cooperation of the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs. One can only hope that the administrators there are converts to the exercise, that they understand the benefits this thrust can confer not only on participating youngsters but, in the longer term, the country as a whole.
To reinforce the point DR notes that a number of prominent junior chess players have won scholarships in this year’s CAPE examinations. Most prominent among them, of course, is Kerry Singh of Presentation College, San Fernando, winner of the President’s Medal. Additional scholarships in science and maths respectively have been won by Jayson Paul of QRC, former Under-16 national champion and Rafael Guerrero of St Mary’s former Under-14 national champion. Other notable junior players, Christopher Raphael and Johnathan Wilson have already entered universities abroad. And, having conquered the world of chess, Garry Kasparov, regarded as the greatest player ever, is now the leading campaigner for introducing the royal game into the education system.
A few weeks ago the former world champion presented to the European Parliament a programme designed to promote chess in schools throughout the continent. Even beyond the enjoyment of a sport, the world is also becoming more aware of the positive contribution which chess can make to the intellectual and social development of children. A developing society such as T&T should not be hesitating to take this plunge.
-Carl Jacob
www.guardian.co.tt