Whether it is the sensational Olympic games or the lesser idolized chess Olympiad, the participants’ wish is to fully realize they have the undeniable support of an entire nation. When a nation is robustly behind its sportsmen and women, whether in chess or athletics, it makes the participants both acutely steely-nerved and wonderfully confident.
Some folks refer to such magnified support as the incalculable home advantage. You don’t have to play your particular sport at home to confirm a home advantage, but assuredly, playing at home helps. Simply said, we reside in the age of television and the internet. Therefore, in no small measure, sporting activities are brought to our living rooms and into our bedrooms.
Consider playing chess at the Olympiad in Georgia for example. The internet has made it possible to follow the games as they are being contested. Guyana is fielding a young and relatively inexperienced team next month for this 2018 Chess Olympiad. The team requires all of the mental support it can receive regardless of whether you live at home or abroad. I believe that such a heavy concentration of mental goodwill from Guyanese can influence the outcome of the games positively in our direction. Persons may be tickled at such a thought, but they were also tickled at the thought of sending a man to the moon. Nothing is impossible!
I have always admired the patriotism of the Jamaicans. Perhaps the support of the entire nation has something to do with their successes; from music to athletics to beauty pageants to cricket to football and to chess. Jamaica produced a chess grandmaster years ago. Guyana will get one eventually.
The response to the Guyana Chess Federation’s dinner was great. For the Olympiad in Georgia, we wish to receive similar acknowledgements and goodwill.
