Trash talking, the lighter side of chess

By Errol Tiwari On In Chess with Errol |
Jerald Times, a school teacher from Harlem, teaches underprivileged children the game of chess. Times was a champion of Harlem at 14, and is considered one of the five strongest black players in the world. He honed his skills in chess by playing against the street hustlers in New York. He noted that they bring a mental toughness to the game. Not that long ago, Times engaged his students in speed chess, where players have only minutes to complete a game. They punch a running game clock after every move, and the crackling pace tests a player’s reflexes, nerves and confidence.
Jerald Times, a school teacher from Harlem, teaches underprivileged children the game of chess. Times was a champion of Harlem at 14, and is considered one of the five strongest black players in the world. He honed his skills in chess by playing against the street hustlers in New York. He noted that they bring a mental toughness to the game. Not that long ago, Times engaged his students in speed chess, where players have only minutes to complete a game. They punch a running game clock after every move, and the crackling pace tests a player’s reflexes, nerves and confidence.

Chess is not a physical contact sport. In chess, contact is made with the mind, sometimes through speech, sometimes silently. Speech is not allowed in a conversational manner during local and international competitions. Therefore, the bulk of conversations occur before and after tournaments. And that is when the preposterous element of trash-talking comes into effect. Trash-talk centres around baseless and meaningless talk – a kind of foolish and light-hearted banter. In Guyana, trash-talking in chess is quite popular.

20131229chessIn most instances, trash-talking involves gossip. It is a common sight to witness a hubbub of players gathered around a central trash talker who relates humorous stories pertaining to national and international politics, sport and music. Some players love to issue warnings about their impending games in a jovial manner.

‘Beware the ides of March!’ Loris Nathoo tells his opponent if the game promises to be short. In my case, if I spot a checkmate on the horizon I seek to preempt the proceedings by signing the score sheet and ensuring my opponent notices the nature of my written excursion. Some players get up suddenly from the playing table as they force a move which wins a piece, say the