By Iva Wharton
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) will be embarking on a number of new endeavors while continuing to build on the foundation it created in 2011.
This was disclosed by president of the GCF Shiv Nandalall in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport.
Some of the objectives of the GCF this year for the sport this year include taking the sport to the communities and schools and having more female participation and more tournaments.
“For 2012 we will be focusing on consolidating our gains and introducing chess to young people. “It’s a slow process, I must say, because there are other distractions, other activities whereby young people will want to get themselves involved in. But we will just have to strategize,” he said.
According to Nandalall, the onus was on the GCF to make the sport attractive to young people.
Nandalall said that the longevity of the sport will be determined by the number of young people the association is able to attract yearly.
“It would not be in the best interest of chess to focus on adults that much, so the young people are our priority.”
While Nandalall said the GCF has already made inroads into a number of communities last year, he is of the opinion that more work needs to be done in this area.
The challenge, the GCF boss said, would be taking the sport to communities where chess was never played.
Another area of focus for the association is getting more schoolchildren involved which he opined, will help to broaden the existing schools tournament held in December.
“We would like to have another schools’ tournament once sponsorship is available before December, perhaps mid-year, but the timing is what we have to look at,” Nandalall said.
Questioned on the availably of chess set for schools, Nandalall said there was no shortage, as the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport had made a donation of a quantity of chess sets to a number of schools.
He also pointed out that chess sets are inexpensive.
Nandalall said at present a shortage of Chess sets did not exist but that situation would change were there a need to stage large tournaments.
Chess, he said, has to remain visible and for that to happen the GCF has to ensure that it generates interest in the sport.
The GCF president said that the game of chess is learnt easily, but said that more training sessions are needed this year once the amount of players increase.
Last year the association organised two introductory sessions the first of which was held during August at the Carifesta Sports Complex and the second in Essequibo at the C.V.Nunes Primary School and the New Opportunity Corps. Nandalall said that the sport is not one that is generally played outdoors, but said that the association was hoping it could be played there.
Asked about female participation, Nandalall said that since the resuscitation of the sport, the GCF has been finding it difficult to attract females.
He said he does not have an explanation for the limited participation by females in the sport, but said that the association will continue to extend invitations to females.
“It’s a worldwide phenomenon. There aren’t many female chess players if you look at the ratio against male players.
“However, we have to try and make it an attractive pursuit for them. Chess is for everyone, boy, girl, man and woman.”
The year 2012, Nandalall said, will also see the GCF scheduling more tournaments. He said last year the association held monthly tournaments from which new talent emerged and in some instances the new players were able to upset the status quo by beating the some of the more seasoned players.
Nandalall said that the GCF will have to look into the use of coaches.
“That aspect of chess the executive body will work on it because a chess coach will be an asset to the federation”.
He pointed out that the GCF has a trainer who does voluntary work for the association.
