The Guyana Chess Federation elects its committee

By Errol Tiwari On In Chess with Errol |

Chess

The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.
– Mahatma Gandhi.

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) held its annual general meeting last Sunday and the following persons were elected to office: Errol Tiwari – President; Omar Sharyff – Vice-president; Kenrick Braithwaite – Secretary; Shiv Nandalall – Treasurer; Irshad Mohamed – Tournament Director; Learie Webster – Chess Trainer; Dennis Dillon – Fund raiser; David Khan – Committee Member and Vishnu Rampersaud – Committee member.

The newly-elected chess trainer of the Guyana Chess Federation and stalwart chess player Learie Webster, is conducting chess classes at the Sophia Primary school. Webster began a programme called ‘Teaching the kids Chess’ two Fridays ago with students from the Sophia Primary and some other schools in the area. For the initial class, some students brought their siblings along, who interestingly, were fascinated by the pieces. Webster used one of the six demonstration boards which were presented to the chess federation by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for easy and straightforward instruction. In due course, similar learning programmes will be conducted by the federation throughout the country.
The newly-elected chess trainer of the Guyana Chess Federation and stalwart chess player Learie Webster, is conducting chess classes at the Sophia Primary school. Webster began a programme called ‘Teaching the kids Chess’ two Fridays ago with students from the Sophia Primary and some other schools in the area. For the initial class, some students brought their siblings along, who interestingly, were fascinated by the pieces. Webster used one of the six demonstration boards which were presented to the chess federation by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for easy and straightforward instruction. In due course, similar learning programmes will be conducted by the federation throughout the country.

Newcomers to the committee are Sharyff, Dillon, Braithwaite, Webster, Khan and Rampersaud, chessplayers all, some of whom have been disciples of the game for many years. Much will be required of the committee during 2009, if we are to fulfil the expectations of those who are of the view, and rightly so, that chess should prosper internationally, and that we should multiply the numbers of those who play the game competitively at home.

Of course, to fulfil such an ambitious programme would take time, hard work and dedication to the cause. It’s going to be an exhausting struggle to reach the top at the grandmaster level. But beginning this year, if we formulate a long-term plan of action in this direction, we can begin to chip away at the daunting stone which blocks our path to international chess respectability.

Taffin Khan was serious when he told a television interviewer from NCN that his desire is to become a grandmaster. We have to help him. Cecil Cox was serious when he told me he wanted to become a grandmaster also. They both have time on their side and they have already turned their eyes towards the GCF to propel them forward in their quest to realise their dreams. We have an obligation to show them the way, and clear their paths of the obstacles which are there to hinder their progress.

The West Demerara Secondary school held a Mashramani chess tournament in February in which two dozen students participated. School teacher and chess coach Vishnu Rampersaud said the students were enthused by the National Schools Championship in December and have since taken a strong interest in the game. The school is to field a small team of its strongest players to meet with McKenzie High shortly. Last Sunday, Rampersaud was elected a committee member of the Guyana Chess Federation. In photo, some students play their games during the Mashramani tournament.
The West Demerara Secondary school held a Mashramani chess tournament in February in which two dozen students participated. School teacher and chess coach Vishnu Rampersaud said the students were enthused by the National Schools Championship in December and have since taken a strong interest in the game. The school is to field a small team of its strongest players to meet with McKenzie High shortly. Last Sunday, Rampersaud was elected a committee member of the Guyana Chess Federation. In photo, some students play their games during the Mashramani tournament.

Minister Dr Frank Anthony has driven the federation to perform to its fullest during the past year. When we were uncertain about a National Schools Championship in December, he was certain we could bring it off, although a similar championship was not held for over two decades. He made us believe in ourselves, and with the National Sports Commission, provided the support to ensure the championship was organized successfully. The turnout was overwhelming − to the point where we had to advise some schools to select only their strongest players for participation.

Dr Anthony has proven to be the steel in the backbone of the federation. He believes that Guyana can produce a grandmaster; and he believes so with all his might. He is the living force behind the teaching of chess in schools. Sometimes it becomes difficult to keep abreast of all the ideas which he has put forward to develop chess in Guyana. For example, Dr Anthony feels that the federation should host simultaneous chess exhibitions to arouse the curiosity of persons who cannot play the game. He even wanted one to be held in December after the schools championship, but the inclement weather did not allow for this open-air event.  In time, he said, we will have permanent chess tables in our parks countrywide, where people can relax and play the game leisurely. In New York, Russia, Cuba, etc, the playing of chess in the parks remains a popular pastime.

The federation’s team of administrators which have been assembled for promoting chess in 2009, is a formidable one. We all believe we can make chess shine in 2009, and move a few steps closer to our goals.

The annual Kei-Shar’s seven round swiss system chess tournament begins today at the Kei-Shar’s sports club at the corner of Hadfield and Camp Sts. Three games will be played today, and the tournament gets underway at 9.30 am.

Anand v Morozevich

Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian has won the 18th Amber Blindfold and Rapid tournament for the second year in a row. In equal second place were world chess champion Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik, with Magnus Carlsen half a point away.

In today’s game, Anand falters against Morozevich by commiting a horrendous blunder in their blindfold encounter, during which the players are not allowed to see the chess board or the pieces.
 
Anand,V (2791) – Morozevich,A (2771)
18th Amber Blindfold Nice FRA (10), 25.3.2009

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nge2 Be7 5.g3 c6 6.Bg2 b5 7.0-0 0-0 8.a3 Nbd7 9.h3 Rb8 10.Be3 a5 11.b3 Re8 12.g4 b4 13.axb4 axb4 14.Na4 d5 15.dxe5 Nxe4 16.f4 Ba6 17.Bxe4 dxe4 18.Nd4 Qc7 19.Rf2 g6 20.Nb2 Ra8 21.Ne2 Bh4 22.Rg2 Nb6 23.c4 bxc3 24.Nxc3 Nd5

20090405diagram1In the above position the World Champion played 25.Qxd5?? cxd5  White Resigns!  0-1. How is that possible? Well, Anand had planned 25.Nxd5 cxd5 26.Qxd5. When it was time to play he assumed he had already played Nxd5 and move his queen to recapture the black pawn that had taken the knight. When Morozevich played pawn c6 takes queen Anand realised what had happened and resigned. This kind of thing of course could never happen in regular chess – you figure out why.