Chess Talk

For years I had cast chess aside. I didn't play at all. It had been a passion of mine when I was growing up which was fuelled by a maniacal classmate who would take over the classroom when the teacher was late. He’d teach all of us the fundamentals of chess. My father was my first teacher but he was an a4, h4 player who did not know what castling was, much less en passant.  If you are into chess, you will know exactly what I mean. 

I represented my school at the state level and won some prizes. And later in college, I would represent our university chess club in the local leagues in the UK. It was in UK where I had the best time of my life bonding with friends who had the same interest and having fun with a bunch of “chess geeks”. We were not at all what you imagine chess people to be, but we definitely were a crazy and fun-loving group of misfits. There were very few girls and it made for interesting dynamics within our group.

I am lucky enough to live in St. Louis now, and it was recently named Chess Capital of USA.  It’s an honor that befits our city.  The St. Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center in our city is one of the best facilities for chess that I have ever seen. In the UK, I had been playing in the worst of places – smoke-filled pubs and basements, little rooms tucked away in Student Unions and make-shift tournament halls in schools.  The St. Louis facility is clean, bright, and well-staffed with enthusiastic and knowledgeable people. We have visiting grandmasters on staff at any given moment who give lectures and private lessons. Recently the club hosted the 2013 US Open Chess Championships.  Present were many Women Grandmasters as well as men Grandmasters.

GM Ben Finegold v GM Varuzhan Akobian 

at the 2013 US Open Chess Championships in St. Louis, MO, USA.

I first discovered this wonderful place when I volunteered at Zoe’s school as a chess mentor.  From there, it was a fast track to membership, attending lectures with GMs, and paying for private lessons for Zoe.  We also frequented the club, which was a long drive away, at least 3 times a week. Weekends were all spent at the club: playing, watching and mingling with like-minded folk.  Talk about commitment. This is it.

The club has reignited something in me that was long lost.  It’s given me new friends, new ideas, new beginnings. When I return to it in 3 months’ time after our summer vacation, I will also work for them part time.  What an exciting prospect!! But now I must shore up my chess knowledge.  Back to the grind.