​Who says chess is not for girls?

Many girls play chess and enjoy the game equally as much as boys do.  Like boys, some girls play for fun and some delve into chess tournaments.  I recently had the opportunity to interview Ashanti, a recent high school graduate, about her experience with chess and how COVID-19 restrictions impacted her and her classmates during their final year of school.  

Interviewer: Since the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 a pandemic in 2020, much has changed in our daily lives. What was it like for you having to attend classes, prepare assignment and for exams? What were some of the things that you or other students found different and challenging?

Ashanti: The beginning of quarantine was actually quite fun, staying home all day, sleeping and playing games online with friends. The start of online school wasn’t all that challenging either, learning the digital platforms came easily and we didn’t have to bother with the stuffy uniforms anymore. Gradually the work load started to pick up but our class managed to rally together and push forward. It wasn’t until the next year with BGCSE’s on the horizon did everything become overwhelming. The teachers didn’t really care that we were unmotivated and struggling to get assignments completed in a timely fashion. We were so far behind the curriculum we had to attend extra classes for hours at a time on weekends. There was no time for relaxing anymore. Our failures were thrown in our faces endlessly and it even got to a point where kids stopped coming to school at all because they were tired of being berated.
When they started integrating a mix of in person and online classes teachers would opt to give quizzes during in person days. Only a handful of us ever wrote anything on those thick papers they handed out. Most would just put their heads down and go to sleep because they didn’t know the information and couldn’t be bothered to try. Online schooling was terrible but the worst part about it was being told we didn’t have a right to be exhausted.


Interviewer: During your school “career”, what were some of the extra-curricular activities you participated in?

Ashanti: During my school career I participated in Art, Swimming, Piano and Chess as extra- curricular activities.


Interviewer: Let us talk about chess. What was your first recollection of chess? And what did you think about the game at that time, your first impression?

Ashanti: My first memory of chess is playing by myself on my bedroom floor not understanding the rules. My father noticed this and enrolled me in classes with Mr. Kean Smith. From there I remember sitting at the public stone boards across from the University of The Bahamas under the big tree, by ourselves going through workbook exercises. Not long after I started to find chess to be something to fall back on. It was simple to understand yet thrilling and difficult to play with strategy.

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Interviewer: I believe you have an interest in art? Why art and what steps have you taken to develop your interest?

Ashanti: Where most classes felt like a competition for who could get the highest grade, art provided an entirely new relaxing and friendly environment. It’s not an outlined course. Art can quite literally be anything and everything you wish as well as made from anything and everything you wish. Art has always been a way for me to connect with myself during stressful times. To regroup and fully assess how I feel about situations by drawing or to just relax and enjoy some peace and quiet. I’ve taken art classes from grade 3 straight till grade 11 when Covid first hit.


Interviewer: Do you have any favourite artists and what makes them standout to you?

Ashanti: I do not have a favorite artist. Most of the artists I keep up with all practice more cartoon inspired styles and I’ve never really been able to pick one above all the others. STARember or Kasey Golden however are two that I regard very highly.


Interviewer: In the chess world, some people say that chess is art, some describe it as science and others as sport. What if anything does chess have in common with art?

Ashanti: Chess and art have a lot in common in the sense that no two people play the same way just as no two people produce the same artworks. Everyone has their own unique playing style that imbues some of their unique personality into every game.


Interviewer: Did you benefit from playing chess? How?

Ashanti: Chess class helped me break out of my shell a bit. Having other kids to talk and play with every Saturday outside of the ones I saw daily at school pushed me to be more outgoing. It’s not very easy to blend together with people of varying backgrounds but I always felt as if our club was like a family. We knew each other’s favorite snacks as well as favorite moves on the board. There was never a dull or malicious moment when we were together.

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Interviewer: Which sports were most popular at school? Did any of your teachers or friends in school play chess? What did your teachers and friends say when they found out that you play chess?

Ashanti: The most popular sports at my school were track and basketball. We didn’t have a chess club so I never really shared with anyone at school that I played. When I did bring it up once in a while to express joy over a good game I played nobody ever understood what I was talking about but still listened with interest. My math teacher on one occasion found some games I recorded in the back of my book and forced me to explain to her how to read them.


Interviewer: I believe you participated in a chess event with students of The Bahamas Red Cross Centre for the Deaf? What were your expectations before the event? Did you have any memorable experiences at the chess event?

Ashanti: My expectations for the chess event with the students of The Bahamas Red Cross Centre for the deaf were wavering. I was extremely nervous before the event that the atmosphere
would have been awkward but I was proven wrong immediately. The other kids seemed just as eager to meet us and even gave us our own nicknames in Sign Language. I still remember my nickname with fondness and hope to meet and play some of them again in the future. They were very tactical players.


Interviewer: Would you recommend that parents introduce their children to chess as a possible activity? Why?

Ashanti: I wholeheartedly recommend parents to introduce their children to chess, especially the more introverted ones. It’s an experience that every child should get the chance to participate in. Being a part of a team, creating bonds and pushing your brain to multitask, plan ahead.


Interviewers: Is chess appealing to teenage girls? How can chess instructors and organisers make chess more appealing to teenage girls?

Ashanti: I don’t think chess is very appealing to teenage girls at least not the ones that I know personally. I can’t really think of much that can be done to make the game seem attractive for a teenage girl. Maybe a more diverse selection of prizes a young lady might be interested in.


Interviewer: When you consider the future, what is your view of space tourism? Is this something that you and your friends or former classmates might consider if the price of the tickets are right?

Ashanti: In recent years humans have begun to be more forward thinking so I can Definitely see this as a big thing in the future. Once the price is right people today will do just about anything to experience space. I however barely enjoy getting on a plane to go on vacation I’m quite sure I could not handle getting on a rocket to go to space. However, one of my close friends’ loves astronomy and would jump at the chance to observe space from up close.


Interviewer: Now that you have graduated from high school, what is next for you and do you believe you will continue to play chess?

Ashanti: Now that I have graduated from high school I plan to attend university at St Francis Xavier’s in Nova Scotia Canada. I’d like to pursue a major in English and a minor in Art. I’ve been shying away from chess for a few months now but my love for the game has not died in the slightest and I hope to continue playing soon.

"Did you know that "[a]bout 70% of the adult population (US, UK, Germany, Russia, India) has played chess at some point in their lives, 605 million adults play chess regularly."

"Chess for Recovering Better
Throughout history, games and sports have helped humanity to survive times of crisis by reducing anxieties and improving mental health. While the coronavirus outbreak has forced most gaming and sports activities to scale down, chess has demonstrated remarkable resilience, adaptability and a very strong convening power in time of pandemic.
Over the past few months, the overall interest in chess is reported to have doubled, with more players than ever coming together to participate in chess events that are being increasingly held through online platforms."









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​"Chess for Sustainable Development
The United Nations recognizes that sports, the arts and physical activity have the power to change perceptions, prejudices and behaviours, as well as to inspire people, break down racial and political barriers, combat discrimination and defuse conflict, and therefore contribute in promoting education, sustainable development, peace, cooperation, solidarity, social inclusion and health at the local, regional and international levels.
Chess is one of the most ancient, intellectual and cultural games, with a combination of sport, scientific thinking and elements of art. As an affordable and inclusive activity, it can be exercised anywhere and played by all, across the barriers of language, age, gender, physical ability or social status.
Chess is a global game, which promotes fairness, inclusion and mutual respect, and noting in this regard that it can contribute to an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding among peoples and nations.
Chess also offers important opportunities in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, including strengthening education, realizing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls and fostering inclusion, tolerance, mutual understanding and respect."

Source: United Nations. (n.d.-b). World Chess Day 20 July. Retrieved July 21, 2021, from https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-chess-day 

Interviewer: In your view and experience, what are some of the benefits of learning and playing chess?  

Aidan: Firstly, scientific studies show that chess significantly improves rapid critical thinking among players.  Secondly, chess can give one insight into other occurrences in life that seem unresolvable.  Thirdly, the game itself is fun to play and is a great source of entertainment.


Interviewer: I have read some chess articles discussing whether chess is a sport, art or science?  In which category do you believe chess fits and why?  

Aidan: I think chess is a sport, but not the normal, athletic type (though the exhaustion is real).  Chess is a mental sport: you sit down at a table in front of a problem and think deeply for hours on end about how to solve it.  This can leave you mentally fatigued.


Interviewer: In 1996, Garry Kasparov, then World Chess Champion, won a chess match against an IBM supercomputer called “Deep Blue.”  One year later Deep Blue won the rematch 4 – 2.  What is your opinion of computer chess software?  Are they good for chess or not? If so, how?  

Aidan: I think they are somewhere in between.  Computers certainly have contributed to deep position analysis, opening novelties, and endgames, but they also open the door for accessible cheating.  For one, computers can now fit into extremely small containers – some as small as a thumb drive – and still are able to defeat even the strongest players.


Interviewer: I understand that former World Chess Champions had other talents and expertise besides playing chess.  For example, Vassily Smyslov was also an opera singer and Max Euwe was a mathematician.  In your view, are any of those disciplines, music or mathematics, compatible or naturally connected with chess?  If so, how?  

Aidan: I think chess has deep connections to mathematics, especially in statistics and graph theory.  Graph theorists commonly pose questions or examples in the form of a chessboard and a certain type of piece.  For example, how many queens can fit on an 8x8 chessboard without attacking each other?


Interviewer: I understand that you have an interest in space.  Do you believe that humans will ever play chess on Mars, and how much longer would you estimate before that happens?  

Aidan: I certainly think that humans will play chess on Mars at some point in the future, although how far in the future is up for debate.  NASA’s Artemis program is a precursor to their humans-to-Mars goal, but SLS has not even launched once yet, and the program is likely to extend into the 2030s before completion.  SpaceX’s aspirational goal for crewed Starship landings on Mars is in the late 2020s or early 2030s.  Only time will tell how long it will be.

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Interviewer:  Lastly Aidan, how has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your chess playing activities and do you plan on playing any tournaments this summer?

Aidan: During the pandemic, I stared actively playing on online platforms, Lichess especially.  I've continued to play over-the-board games to keep in practice for in-person tournaments and I definitely plan to participate in tournaments this summer. 

 

In January this year, the United Nations focused on the global learning disruption that is occurring in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The learning disruption is compounded by the digital divide between urban and rural communities, and inequalities.  

In addition to the learning disruption, summer vacation is approaching for many students which is associated with the well-known "summer slide".  Summer slide is the tendency for students to lose some of the achievement gains they made during the previous year. 






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​Besides reading, educational, fun enrichment activities like chess should help reduce the dreaded summer slide. We intend to offer online chess classes and activities this summer starting July.

If you are interested, then let us know.  The intake will be small, and spaces will be limited since existing students will be given the firsts right of refusal.

Send inquiries to [email protected]

Vasily Smyslov took chess as a hobby until the age of 14.  He was inspired by the appearances of Jose Capablanca and Emanuel Lasker in Moscow to pursue competitive chess.  As Smyslov improved he won the All-Union Boys’ Championship and the Moscow City Championship in 1938. 

Smyslov finished third in 1940 USSR Championship and second in 1944.  

He began to attract international attention when he defeated Samuel Reshevsky twice in the famous U.S.-USSR radio match of 1945. His first of eight Candidates Tournament appearances came in 1948, where he finished third. He would advance to and win the World Championship on his fourth attempt, in 1957. Though he held the title for only a year—losing to former champion Botvinnik in 1958—the success of his career both before and after this period testify to Smyslov’s greatness as a chess player.

He would qualify as a Candidate on four more occasions, including the 1985 tournament at age 64! 
He was earned a record 17 Chess Olympiad medals and won the inaugural World Senior Chess Championship title in 1991.

In addition to being a World Chess Champion, Smyslov was an opera singer.

Click here for additional information.

(content of this post was taken substantially from World Chess Hall of Fame.

By Resolution A/RES/67/296, the United Nations General Assembly established the International Day of Sports for Development and Peace.  The Resolution was adopted on 23 August, 2013.

"Due to its vast reach, unparalleled popularity and foundation of positive values, sport is ideally positioned to contribute towards the United Nations’ objectives for development and peace." (https://www.un.org/en/observances/sport-day/background)







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​"As vaccines spread hope and spectators begin to return to arenas, the world of sport has crucial contributions to make in forging a safe and sustainable recovery.  [...]  We will play and cheer again when everyone is safe from the pandemic." - António Guterres, UN Secretary-General


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On 11 March, 2020 the World Health Organisation, WHO, declared COVID-19 a pandemic. 
On 8 July, 2020 the World Chess Federation, FIDE, published its COVID-19 protocols for over-the-board chess events.







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​The protocols that are specific to chess are shared at the link below for your information.
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Click here to view the FIDE COVID-19 protocols. 

Mikhail Botvinnik was crowned the 6th World Chess Champion in 1948. He would attain the title twice more, regaining it from Smyslov in 1958 and Tal in 1961. 

As the first in a long line of Soviet world champions, Botvinnik was a respected figure even within an already strong Russian field.  His intense training regimen distinguished him from his peers. He advocated logic, extensive theoretical research, and a strong degree of both physical and mental discipline. While these attitudes were novel at the time, his writings on the subject became legendary and eventually served as a model for a new generation of players. His scientific style emphasized whole systems of play that extended from the opening to the endgame.  Botvinnik mentored and trained numerous young Soviet players, including a young Garry Kasparov.

Botvinnik retired from competitive chess play in 1970.

For more information click here to see a short biography of Mikhail Botvinnik.

(content of this post was taken substantially from  World Chess Hall of Fame)