Spotlight on Curtis Pride Jr.

​By Kean Smith ([email protected])
 
 
In today’s article we are featuring an interview with Curtis Pride Jr., who won The Bahamas Junior Chess Championship 2022 which was organised and hosted by The Bahamas Chess Federation.
 
Interviewer: Curtis, congratulations on winning the 2022 Bahamas Junior Chess Championship.  How did you come to be introduced to chess? 
 
Curtis: I was introduced to Chess back at Garvin Tynes Primary School after a friend invited me to join the chess club.
 

Interviewer: What was your most memorable game during the 2022 Bahamas Junior tournament?
 
Curtis: My most memorable game was against my younger brother Avian Pride in the 3rd round. I was playing as black and the game opened with the Queen’s Gambit. The critical point of the game was at the beginning of a Knight vs Bishop end game. I secured the advantage when he hesitated to take a free pawn and I found a great tactic. The tactic I found gave me a much better position and led to me winning in the endgame.
 
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Interviewer: Have you played in any international chess tournaments?  Which tournament and countries?  
 
Curtis: Due to Covid, I’ve only played in one international chess tournament. That was the 2019 North American Youth Chess Championship tournament held in Canada. I played in the under 16 open section and the tournament was held in Kingston, Ontario at Queen’s University.

Curtis at the Chess X, July 2022, Arawak Cay, New Providence, The Bahamas

​Interviewer: Was this a memorable tournament?

Curtis: The North American Youth Chess Championship was a very memorable tournament for me. It was memorable because that is when I fully fell in love in chess. It also marks when I first began improving drastically. This is when I began to learn how to properly play chess endgames and how to play positional chess. My overall knowledge of the game and tactical skills also improved vastly.
 

Interviewer: Some people say that chess is a dull game.  Why do you continue to play?
 
Curtis: Chess is only a dull game when you don’t understand it. In order to enjoy the game, you must first be able to know what is actually happening over the board. I continue to play the game because I find it enjoyable and because of the many opportunities and benefits it provides.
 

Interviewer: What are three things that can be done that you believe can increase the number of junior chess players in The Bahamas?
 
Curtis: The number of junior players can be increased by holding various events, advertising the game in a way that is appealing to young people and by offering prizes to those who play well.
A prize could be anything from a food coupon to a new mobile phone or just pure cash.
 
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Interviewer: What are some of your favorite subjects in school?  Does playing chess help you with your academic studies? 
 
Curtis: My favorite subjects in school are Science and Mathematics. Playing chess helps me to think critically and solve problems which makes my studies a lot easier.

Curtis Pride Jr., The Bahamas Junior Chess Champion 2022

Interviewer: There is a possibility that the World Chess Champion, GM Magnus Carlson, may not defend his title.  What is your view on this?   
 
Curtis: I believe that Magnus should defend his title out of respect for his opponent.
 
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Interviewer: Lastly, now that you have won The Bahamas Junior Chess Champion, what is next for you in chess?
 
Curtis: My next goal is to win the Bahamian Senior Chess Championship at the end of the year. Other than that, I plan to improve my skills through hours of dedicated practice.

Interviewer: Curtis, thank you very much for your time and agreeing to this interview.  All the best at The Bahamas Chess Nationals.