Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Readiness is not enough; we must do. – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Von Goethe’s words are appropriate for Guyana as it relates to chess. Since COVID-19 confronted us in March, physical contact has ended. However, it did not stop us from competing in online tournaments that particularly benefited our youth.
We competed in two serious World Chess Federation (FIDE) competitions against competitors from 160 nations. We won a few games, lost a few and pulled a few. FIDE targeted the 10 to 18 age group with the intention of exposing youth to ongoing, graduate competitions. Only through scored competitions could we confirm our place in the top chess tiers.
Years ago, in order to achieve a stylish chess norm or even to increase our graduation points, we had to participate in a tournament overseas. Today, we have FIDE degree competitions held locally. FIDE grade competitions allow players to improve their rating points. Competing is an inspirational way to keep in shape, overcome rust and reach for better results.
Guyana is getting better at chess. If we want unique state involvement, we tend to develop a superb player, ideally extravagant. The key is to get a lot of people playing competitive chess, and, eventually, we would find someone who could climb Mount Olympus. A player who severely limps will not cut it.
The Icelandic Ambassador to Guyana was correct when he suggested that perhaps we have to produce an extraordinary person to capture the nation’s attention and the imagination of the region. This is the academic challenge of our nation. There is no universal recipe for achieving our goal and this is what makes the task difficult, but not insurmountable. We just have to play and search until we hit gold. Other countries have produced children’s prodigies in chess.
Former German and world champion Emanuel Lasker pointed out that chess is, above all, a struggle. There is no easy way to create a chess phenomenon.
Chess is about strategy only. Kasparov said this is the heart of the game. In circumstances involving a strategy, we have to make decisions. Every move we make on the chessboard involves a decision. Should we conduct a check with the queen or should we move the rook to 7th position? What about the knight? Should we move it back or forth? These are the thoughts that go through our heads while our clocks are ticking. We have to make careful and sometimes immediate decisions. Moving the queen, or rook or knight is a tactic that underpins our strategic purpose. The strategy is abstract and based on long-term goals while tactics are assertive, opportunistic and based on finding the right move.
These are the common lessons that chess teaches us – making right decisions most of the time. From chess, decisions overflow into other activities in life: army, business, government, international relations and so on. An essential part of the chess player’s discipline is to ask why. A chess player always asks himself why he / she played this move or that.
In today’s match between Mikhail Tal (the Riga conqueror) and Anatoly Karpov, both world champions, a clash of style is evident. Tal is the sacrificial genius rather than Karpov, the perennial strategist. Early on, Tal sacrifices a rook to a bishop.
Enjoy! Happy New Year!