International Chess Grandmaster attends youth symposium

But some children will be absolutely out of harm’s way and that’s because of an upcoming chess symposium. Since it was introduced in 2007 at the primary school level in Belize, over eight hundred students have joined organized chess clubs countrywide, but in total there are approximately four thousand students trained to play the game. In April, one hundred and twenty players took part in the Chess Olympiad and this weekend even more are expected to attend the second annual Chess Symposium organized by the Belize National Youth Chess Foundation. The guest speaker this year holds bragging rights for being the first and only African-American International Chess Grandmaster, a title he’s held since 1999. He is Maurice Ashley who has played all over the world and says he finds Chess to be a good developmental tool for youths.

Maurice Ashley, International Chess Grandmaster
“They’ve invited me to participate in a symposium to talk about why chess is so great for kids. It’s something that’s near and dear to my heart. I’ve written a book called chess for success, which details all the positive benefits that chess has for young people.”

Brent Tombs
“What are these benefits?”

Maurice Ashley
“Tons, it helps them to better focus, concentrate, problem solving skills increase. Their self esteem grows as they realize they can play a game like chess, it teaches self reliance, assurance. It really—I like to call chess something that’s more like intellectual karate. The kind of discipline that you get from playing a game like chess translates very easily into success at school and life. There are going to be simultaneous exhibitions where I play a bunch of kids at the same time, there’s going to be a blindfold exhibition which will be really be fun. We’re gonna have kids showing off their skills and playing blindfolded. I’ll have the opportunity to play blindfolded myself and that’s always entertaining to see somebody that can play without sight of the board so we’re gonna have a good time.”

Ashley says everyone interested in chess and it’s role in youth development should attend the symposium, which starts at nine-thirty a.m. on Saturday at the George Price Center in Belmopan.