More members mean a sturdier and more robust organization.
Three Saturdays ago, the GCF began its experiment on the Essequibo coast by meeting with over one hundred youths of the Progressive Youth Organization who had come together for their annual regional conference. We introduced the game to the group, the majority of whom were actually seeing a chessboard and pieces for the first time. The GCF was heartened at the interest which was demonstrated in the game, and made a magnanimous offer to the audience. If collectively (a number of 125 persons were present ), they would learn to play chess and become members of the GCF, they would pay $500 each as dues for the first year. The annual dues for being a member of the GCF are adults, $2000 and anyone eighteen years and under, $1000.
And so in one day, the GCF may well accomplish the enormous task of adding 125 new persons to its organization, a task which would ordinarily and traditionally, take months, maybe a few years to accomplish. Although we have not as yet completed the arrangements to pronounce that we have 125 new members, we remain optimistic that we would be in a position to make a positive announcement in due course. The GCF is also hopeful that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport would, upon application, be amenable to distributing some chess sets to the group to stimulate their interest in the game. It is the intention of the GCF to follow through on its membership drive by visiting the churches and social organizations in similar fashion.
Turkey can boast of having the largest membership of any chess federation in the world, including Russia, and it built its foundation by initiating the identical approach that the GCF is now taking. We are learning from the Turkish experiment: seek opportunities in groups which have already been established. Wherever large groups meet, the GCF would be there to recruit new members.
In the meantime, the GCF would be hosting a nine-round rapid chess tournament today from 9.30 am at the YMCA, Thomas Lands. In this rapid format, each player would be given fifteen minutes on his clock to complete the game.
Each game, therefore, would last for half of an hour. The entrance fee for the tournament is $500 per player for both the seniors and the juniors. Trophies and cash prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in both sections. The tournament is being sponsored by Jumbo Jet auto sales, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
Navara v Ivanchuk
The Ukranian grandmaster, forty-year-old Vassily Ivanchuk won his eight-game rapid chess match against the Czech Republic’s finest player, David Navara. Ivanchuk has been among the world’s top players for the last twenty years. In the January 2009 FIDE rating list, he was ranked third in the world. The match was the main attraction of an annual chess festival that was hosted by the city of Prague. After trailing 1:3 from the first four games, Navara came out fighting in the fifth. He dominated his opponent in the middle, and subsequently played a precise endgame to score the full point. President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus attended the match.
Navara, D (2654) – Ivanchuk, V (2746)
Cez Trophy Rapid Prague CZE (5), 30.5.2009
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nb6 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.e3 0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.Re1 e5 11.d5 Na5 12.e4 c6 13.b3 cxd5 14.exd5 Bg4 15.Ba3 e4 16.Nxe4 Nxd5 17.Rc1 Nc6 18.Nd6 Rxe1+ 19.Qxe1 Rb8 20.Nxb7 Rxb7 21.Rxc6 Rd7 22.h3 Nc3 23.Kh2 Bxf3 24.Bxf3 Nb5 25.Qc1 Qe8 26.Rc8 Rd8 27.Bc6 Rxc8 28.Bxe8 Rxc1 29.Bxc1 Nc3 30.a3 Bd4 31.Kg2 Kf8 32.Bc6 Nd1 33.f4 Be3 34.Bxe3 Nxe3+ 35.Kf2 Nc2 36.Be4 Nxa3 37.Bd3 Ke7 38.Ke3 Kd6 39.Kd4 f6?! 40.g4 Kc6 41.g5 fxg5 42.fxg5 a5?
A grave error by Black. Now the end is near. 43.Ke5 Kc5 44.h4 Nb5 45.Kf6 [45.Bxb5 also wins: 45…Kxb5 46.Kf6 Kb4 47.Kg7 Kxb3 48.Kxh7 a4 49.h5 gxh5 50.g6 a3 51.g7 a2 52.g8Q+] 45…Nd6 46.Bxg6 hxg6 47.Kxg6 Kd5 48.h5 Ke6 49.h6 Nf7 50.h7 Ke7 51.Kg7 Black Resigns! 1-0.
