In the coming weeks, we’ll be adding a new face to Chessofia and this website… less academic looking, a bit more personal… we’re looking forward to a great year with Chessofia and will finally get things in order for the future. Stay tuned…

New Life Deaf Fellowship is organizing a Deaf Camp here in Cebu in April. One of the events we are hoping to have is a chess class schedule option and a small chess tournament. We’ll need at least 20 players registered for a tournament before that would be realized, however.

If a tournament isn’t possible, then we’ll hope to offer only the single class. Planning to offer it on three opening systems – one for white, two for black.

[UPDATE - No time for a tournament OR a class... maybe next time]

Struggle is an interesting practicality. Struggle not only requires diligence and resources, but foremost it requires perseverance. Struggles rarely last a short time. In the Book of Daniel, we are given a glimpse of the conflicts that are going on in heavenly places. That several thousand years have passed since Daniel wrote his book to us would not indicate any cessation of conflicts, but that the STRUGGLE has been going on with full force and, indeed, has increased in severity due to what the prophecies speak of by the messenger to Daniel and what the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ speaks of. Things get far worse before they get better.

Perseverance is such a vital part of being victorious in struggle that I would say that without it no victory IS possible.

In chess there is a recent development concerning the Sophia Rules (first applied at the Mtel Masters tournament in Sophia, Bulgaria in 2005), which regards in the main, the elimination of draws within the first 15 moves. And it was announced the other day that the Anand/Topalov World Championship match will not allow draws. I, for one, find this rule encouraging. Where in life are you allowed a draw if you get tired? In real life, let your guard down and the other guy gets the win. No ifs-and-or-buts about it. Chess should be no different.

William Gurnall in his seminal work, “A Treatise of The Whole Armour of God” details some of the practicalities of perseverance for the Believer in Christ Jesus. He writes:

“Indeed there is no duty in the Christian’s whole course of walking with God, or acting for God but is lined with many difficulties, which shoot like enemies through the hedges at him, while he is marching towards heaven: so that he is put to dispute every inch of ground as he goes. They are only a few noble-spirited souls, who dare take heaven by force, that are fit for this calling. For the further proof of this point, see some few pieces of service that every Christian engageth in. First – The Christian is to proclaim and prosecute an irreconcilable war against his bosom sins… Second – The Christian is to walk singularly, not after the world’s guise, Rom. 12:2… Third - The Christian must keep on his way to heaven in the midst of all the scandals that are cast upon the ways of God… Fourth – The Christian must trust in a with­draw­ing God, Isa. 50:10…”

And here I would pause and add the fifth detail in it’s entirety. It cuts to the quick of the matter.

“Fifth - The believer is to persevere in his Christian course to the end of his life: his work and his life must go off the stage together. This adds weight to every other difficulty of the Christian’s calling. We have known many who have gone into the field, and liked the work of a soldier for a battle or two, but soon have had enough, and come running home again, but few can bear it as a constant trade. Many are soon engaged in holy duties, easily persuaded to take up a profession of religion, and as easily persuaded to lay it down, like the new moon, which shines a little in the first part of the night, but is down before half the night is gone—lightsome professors in their youth, whose old age is wrapped up in thick darkness of sin and wickedness. O, this persevering is a hard word! this taking up the cross daily, this praying always, this watching night and day, and never laying aside our clothes and armour, I mean indulging ourselves, to remit and unbend in our holy waiting on God, and walking with God. This sends many sorrowful away from Christ, yet this is a saint’s duty, to make religion his every-day work, without any vacation from one end of the year to the other.”

And here Mr. Gurnall gives two uses or application to these five resolutions. I will only offer here the first sentence of each. “Use First - This gives us reason why there are so many professors and so few Christians indeed; so many that run and so few obtain; so many go into the field against Satan, and so few come out conquerors; because all have a desire to be happy, but few have courage and resolution to grapple with the difficulties that meet them in the way to their happiness… Use Second - Let this then exhort you, Christians, to labour for this holy resolution and prowess, which is so needful for your Christian profession, that without it you cannot be what you profess…”

It is encumbent upon us as Believers not to get tempted in believing that the warfare we are called to engage in is momentary wisps of arrows, like a choking, plastic smoke followed momentarily by a breeze that whisks it out of the way so that we can breathe easier. The warfare we are called to engage in is constant, ruthless and strong. There are no furloughs, no days of peace in the midst of the fierce battle being waged by the enemy of God Almighty. We are to stand in the breach, diligently placed in the watchtowers, wearing the full armor of God given for this purpose.

“A hypocrite may show some mettle at hand, some courage for a spurt in conquering some difficulties; but he will show himself a jade at length.” – W. Gurnall

I used to take ibuprofen for normal-course headaches. One day I played a game with a mild headache and found that during the course of the struggle, my headache disappeared. I have tried it several times since and every time, the pain disappears. There are aspects of struggle that clear our minds of pain, yet are not themselves peaceful. I, for one, do not find peace at the chessboard, but a pleasantness in doing my best against an opponent. God is extremely gracious and does not mean for us to be shell-shocked through every day of our lives. Afterall, He gave the Sabbath to the Jews and fulfilled that rest to His Church in His Son at Calvary (Hebrews 4), so perseverance is not being in a constant seige mentality, but being diligent and wary of what’s happening. Like the Jews repairing the walls of Jerusalem, to have one spear in hand at the ready and another on the trowel (Nehemiah).

So, what’s all this have to do with chess? Everything, it turns out. The struggle of the chessboard should improve our worldview concerning Reality. It should give us practice in maintaining a mind diligent and knowledgeable of our surroundings and God’s Word regarding our responses. A mind that recognizes lex talionis but renders it powerless with agapé that we may be sincere and unoffending until the day of Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Chess should be so played that it reminds us of our obligations towards God in Christ Jesus, that it increases our faith, and continues to reveal the struggles we must endure for His sake that He may not be put to shame, but exalted in such an unworthy one as us; those redeemed by the Power of His Blood and forever grateful to His finished work on the Cross that has given us Life eternal.

Life and chess.

One of the main ideas in chess is that, to play well, you need to play the board. That is, play what is actually on the board and not what you wish it was or so focused on what you want it to be that you miss what reality is. Chess is not a fantasy game, but a game based on reality, i.e., what is really present on the board. We’re not talking here about having a strategy, where you play TO what you’d like it to be. We’re talking about playing the board as it IS at the moment. Playing the board is the First Law of Tactics, as it were. Here is a pointed quote from Alburt/Parr’s book, “Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters, Volume 2″:

“…the inflexible player with a stubborn desire to win in spite of the changed situation on the board continues as if the position is still a win. The result: He loses. During a game, all players must learn to adjust to changing realities and reformulate plans without remorse. In chess, what really counts is what comes next. Do not try to ignore hard facts and do not spend time lamenting an earlier mistake. Just as you cannot unring a bell, so you cannot unmake a hasty move.”

I believe this idea was best exemplified in Emmanuel Lasker’s play, which is one reason why he could still play well into his old age at a high level. He didn’t spend a lot of time dreaming up wild combinations or fixating on one strategical idea, but played what the positions were on the board and was flexible enough to change a strategy when the situation changed. He didn’t waste time lamenting a bad move, but “played it from there” without ruminating. Even when you read his commentaries of games (e.g. St. Petersburg Tournament, 1909) he is very laconic and matter-of-fact about what the better move was. You get the sense from him that the game is still playable, but that it just so happens that the better move was… In contrast, Alekhine, for instance, gives the better move and you can almost see him throw up his hands in disgust that the players actually continued on from this “blunder.”

Chess is a fine parallel to life in this regard. Most of life is a series of tactical excercises with strategical results. You can have an idea of what you like to see happen, where you’d like to be in so many “moves”, but if you miss what’s actually happening around you, you’re playing a fantasy. How many heartaches and depressions do people experience because of fussing about what they wanted and it not coming to pass because the board – life – itself was completely different than their idea of what it should look like?

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension will guard your heart(s) and mind(s) in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:6-7]

Now this is spoken to those who have the Word of Life in them and believe in Christ Jesus. But I bring it up here because seeing the reality of the board – the reality of life – means seeing what truly is. Seeing the Truth brings with Him, peace. And so, those scoffers will say, what “truly is?” And I’m going to give you a different answer than what you’re expecting…

The motivating characteristic of a life which is separated from Christ Jesus, is craven fear and pride. THAT’S why it is so difficult for players to grasp the concept of playing the entire board moment-to-moment. Whether outward or inward working, fear of something; losing, being foolish, making a mistake, losing the good graces of a friend, etc., is what spits and sputters just underneath the surface and that, coupled with pride, is what the motors of understanding about life feeds on. And you see that manifest in a game over-the-board.

And I’m saying OTB, specifically, here. If it’s a mere problem to be solved on a demo board in a group setting, for instance, that “fuel” I mentioned above can appear to have beneficial results (and I say ‘appear’ because although the results may be good, it simply supplies more fear and pride to a real situation OTB). For instance, last Saturday G. saw a simple, but “hidden”, Bishop move on a demo board that won the game immediately. There was the possibility of taking a Queen and being promoted, but the Bishop move was the game winner. Amazingly enough, a similar situation presented itself in the second game of G.’s that afternoon! It was a blatant mating Rook move to the 1st rank, but he missed it, even placing the Rook so that it cut off the Bishop’s diagonal which was bearing down on the King. Now why was that? When I pointed it out, he understood it immediately, but he’d not seen it because he was fixated on a certain sequence he had drummed up in his mind. Fear of a piece attacking one of his pieces, the pride of not wanting to make a mistake regarding the attacked piece and he missed a mate in one. Nearly the same problem presented on the board earlier that he’d seen staight away.

Most people have no real understanding of the fear and pride that infiltrates everything they do. Craven fear is the soup most people swim in. Learning to play the board and not the opponent is the key to overcoming fears. Yes, I know, that’s the opposite of what lots of players and books will tell you… play the opponent, use psycho tricks, give them the “Tal stare”… yikes. All advice derived from fear. Intimidation is a tactic of fearmongers, not people interested in reality. Playing the opponent is a way around playing the reality of the board, of getting an edge beyond what the situation is, actually.

Playing the board requires a belief that you can overcome it’s confines, that is, you can operate within it’s borders with the arsenal given in such a way that will checkmate the opposing King, that is, stopping the King from any more movement of his arsenal, giving you full motion essentially – freedom – over the entire board. The battle is on the board, the outcome takes place on the board. The mind moving the arsenals is manifested in the actual situation ON the board.

Reality is playing the board, but you have to see the board in it’s entirety. No shortcuts. The Reality of Life is the same. You have to see Reality in it’s entirety. Jesus said that He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life [John 14:6]… now that’s either a crazy man talking or it’s the Son of the Living God talking. Are you willing to play a fantasy with your soul and miss the mate in one? Or are you willing to seek the true situation on the board and make appropriate decisions? Either way, it’s your move.

For a clear understanding of your seeing the “reality of the board”, take a test to see if you are a good person HERE ».

A strange thing happened last Friday during the school Chess Lesson.

While reprising the simple Rook/King vs. King ending strategy, Earl, 16, was doing an awful lot of thinking. I’d show the pattern; I re-iterated the ladder concept; I re-iterated that the rooks like to be as far from the enemy king as possible. Yet, Earl pondered for long moments and then moved the rooks in a tight formation around his own king only adding to his confusion and the complications, requiring more thinking. I showed him again and actually completed the end game in the simplest way a few times for him to observe.

Again, he pondered, a look of bewilderment curled his brow and then… he moved in a tight formation around his own king!

I signed to him that this strategy was as simple as it comes. That he can actually use this strategy in a game with other pieces on the board. Then the strange thing happened.

He began to tell me that he preferred English to Math.

Wha?, I answered. He signed “English” and motioned all the pieces lined up on the board in their starting positions. He then signed “Math” and placed pieces on the board that appeared to attack other pieces, reminiscent of a checker board set-up. I interepreted it to mean that he preferred playing with all the pieces and not only a few. I told him that if he can’t see simple patterns of strategy with only a few pieces, how could he expect to play with all the pieces and the added complexity? Start with knowing the simple first and then playing with the full complement would be easier to understand.

He repeated that English was better than Math. I was at a real loss. I failed to see what these two words had to do with Chess. Constantly being faced with the local coded sign language, I asked Teacher Delores if she could help interpret what exactly this all meant. Earl explained it to her, but she didn’t really understand either. Earl signed Gerald’s name to her and said that Gerald (the oldest student in the class and quite a decent Chess player who was absent that day incidentally) had told them, in some way, that all the pieces on the board were like English and playing the game was like Math. Earl wasn’t good at math, didn’t like math, therefore, he couldn’t play simple end games.

Where does a teacher go with something like that? Understand, this was a worldview, a presuppositional understanding of what the game of Chess is reminiscent of. Equating Chess with Math and English and the baggage that comparison may bring to the understanding is a huge obstacle to overcome.

The best comparison to make with chess is, matter-of-factly, life. Chess tactics, strategy, patterns, consequences of actions, and much more all point to a corollary to life itself. It’s not a perfect comparison, but it’s a very helpful one. So it seems that despite pointing this out week-after-week with examples, there is still much to do in getting it into the minds of the students. I will need, it appears, to improve my examples. English and Math are immediate and specific to Earl and I think my examples in the past may have been too general. This episode with Earl has revealed a weakness in my teaching. Thanks be to God in Christ for this reproof that I may now improve.

As in life, and what this episode emphasized for me, is that there are always subverting factors – people, teachers – who will teach something false that will harm understanding, but that students/disciples will cling to for whatever reasons. The Bible continually warns Christ’s Church about these very people. I’ll talk to Gerald to get a better understanding of what he meant, but I’ll also admonish him to stop using the analogy since it’s not helping Earl understand, but giving him excuses to stop trying.

May this be a helfpful reminder to us all, eh?

On 1 January, 2010, a first will be recorded. The FIDE will officially place Magnus Oen Carlsen, aged 19 years and 32 days, as the number one ranked Chess player in the World… and the youngest ever to acquire that post, with an Elo rating of 2810. There are only four other players – Kasparov, Anand, Kramnik, and Topalov – who have achieved a rating of 2800. (Bobby Fischer’s highest rating was calculated at 2885 by Chessmetrics, a weighted calculation based on historical performance. The Elo rating system was introduced in 1970 and most of Fischer’s playing career preceded that date, so any calculation of his playing strength would be speculative.)

The rating isn’t important, however. Ratings are only snapshots of how well a person is playing during a moment in time. Carlsen won a very strong Nanjing-Pearl Tournament this past Fall and tied for second in the very strong Tal Memorial Tournament in Moscow in November and then won the London Chess Classic in Kensington! I’m more interested in what happened leading up to these amazing performances. Is it serendipity that has suddenly fallen upon Magnus? Wheaties? Double Capuccino Ristrettos?

In July 2009, the story broke that Magnus had been training with Garry Kasparov for six months prior. Talent will only take you so far… to nurture talent, everyone needs a mentor. Someone to help you not only learn from, but to be motivated by. Magnus had remarked in late summer in an interview with Vremya that,

“Until recently I was a schoolboy,” says a candid Magnus Carlsen, “I am not very accustomed to rigid, hard and painstaking work. Only by working with Garry Kasparov have I become aware of just how important it is.”

Refreshing to hear coming from a 19 year old… and not one gripe of the necessity of a government needing to pay his way, unlike Wesley So in an interview recently.

Garry Kasparov has been teaching and mentoring Carlsen. He has, according to an interview of Magnus, been available night and day to answer questions and, I’m sure, to be an encouragement and friend during the hard times of seeming to get no where. After a year, God-given talent coupled with a great mentor and persevering labor, has resulted in such great performance. Mentors are important… vital. One cannot think of Helen Keller without the corresponding Anne Sullivan… oftentimes it’s a parent or a relative. The crazy adage of those who can’t do, teach, is absurd in the extreme.

Jesus of Nazareth took twelve men and walked with them daily for three years. Teaching them in words and in actions. When you are a teacher – a GOOD teacher – you find that the most important moments for your students are those times when you are simply available… present for them and to them.

Woody Allen once quipped that 98% of success in life was just showing up, goes not only to our own lives, but to the lives of those we mentor as well. Will you make a difference in someone’s life this year by being a mentor to them? Bringing them not only to the Cross of Christ where they can find forgiveness and life eternal, but being available to them so that they see and smell what slogging with perseverance can produce? Mentors are those special people who tell us that life is not a half-hour sitcom or a montage of quick cuts that only show hard work, but they show us that life is hard and wonderful and if we suffer through the labor required, great results can come.

The Christmas party season is in full-swing and Chess Club’s entry into the fray will be this Saturday. Planning on having a hot meal and the regular snacks of popcorn, chips and drinks.

As the year winds down and the prospect of the new year appears on the short horizon, I’ve been pondering a few things. First random thought is that the deaf have no idea of the Chess world. Never heard of Carlsen or Kramnik… Lenares or the U.S. Open… so was thinking of making a short one-page summary magazine next year of the highlights of the week (possibly better as a monthly)… wish there was a real organization with the National Chess Federation here and they had a magazine.

Second, thinking of ways to instill patience through chess… Filipinos are notorious for taking shortcuts in every aspect and that includes over-the-board play. Frustrating to continually see the march of the Knight across the board to attack “across the equator” as Bronstein would say. Moving the Queen out front in the first three moves is also a favorite. And I’ve seen more Fool’s and Scholar’s mates in the past year than some see in a lifetime. But, then again, I’m learning patience as well (smile).

Third (and I’ll end here), is continuing to seek the way of God in Christ for bringing God’s understanding of the value of their lives through Chess. Deaf people are considered worthless in this “power is all” society… considered even lower on the scale than the blind since the blind can hear. These students have extremely limited prospects and their understanding of their value corresponds to that. I’m not talking about a Dewey-esque, practical empiricism where the Deaf are only valuable in relation to what they can provide or do… not at all… I’m interested in their worldview that points to worth as a being made in the Imago Dei, the Image of God. For any prospects they will have in life stem from this worldview. And I’m not talking about self-esteem… that only leads to a worldview apart from God… I’m talking about God giving them a revelation of themselves as important to God in Christ… not some scientific hocus-pocus of being “important” because you are the ancestor of a monkey and “evolved” from some fantastical sticky soup.

Looking back at this year a little, I have seen some changes in their understanding of Reality… their worldview, their weltanschauung… a piece of something they didn’t have 13 months ago. And let me say this… although Chess has been a conduit and a great tool for practicing vital life skills and values, the most important thing that I believe Chess does is provide a forum for relationship. A relationship for sharing the love and excellence of Jesus Christ. It’s in the weekly interaction and talking and society of these young men and women that have made more of a difference for them than the mechanics of the chessboard. Chess gives a chance to become, as I’ve stated before, principled mentors and prudent examples to these valuable friends, that they may come to know Christ, personally and not abstractly.

Merry Christmas to you all and may your heart come to know the King of the Board intimately and eternally.

Deaf Awareness Week Open at LLCCES

Our LFTL Innova Stuffed for Gameday...

The stage is set... beautiful isn't it?

[Incidentally, I have no photos of the Field for the Mactan Deaf Open... forgot to get them...]

A hot lunch of rice, chicken, and veggies...

Blitz Tiebreak, First Round...

...more blitz tiebreak action...

The Blitz Gallery...

...less than a minute for black...

Winners and Honorable Mentions...

Big set action...

Presenting the Players...

Chessofia™ is a relational, person-to-person, ministry of Jesus Christ.

Simply put, “Chessofia™ is the royal game… the Royal Way.“
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In my old days as a scriptwriter, (and my now ancient dream of being the next William Goldman, Script Doctor Extraordinaire) the importance of every word carrying weight was paramount. In radio, for instance, you have a strict time structure and no time for the superfluous. Dialogue and description carry the idea(s) forward or they stop the cadence and flow and wind up making people read/watch/hear five minutes of the characters traveling somewhere. “Always enter a scene just after it’s begun,” is the old saw.

Finally coming to the completion of this summary at top helps me immensely. There’s nothing for me like a writing exercise to focus me on the essence of things to clarify where I’m going. That’s why Bible study is so vital to our lives (especially when you write down what you’re learning)… otherwise, we’ll just wind up being a body without a head, a lemming heading for the cliff, a lawyer following an ambulance (okay, maybe the second one’s not fair to lemmings [smile])… wandering aimlessly. Not to say that I was aimless before writing the above, but it’s helped get all the feet on the path that Christ is walking… or to say it ‘chessicly’, as Bruce Pandolfini might say, to get all the pieces on the board where His Cross lies; in the right order.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan – 16 November 2009 – Deaf chess players from two local public schools fought it out over the board in the first Mactan Deaf Open Scholastic Chess Tournament held this past Saturday, 14 November, at Lapu-Lapu City Central Elementary School (LLCCES). Forty-seven players registered for the four-round Swiss G/30 tournament from LLCCES and Mandaue High School, with a field of thirty-one actually competing for trophies, cash prizes and bragging rights.

After four rounds of competitive play, an exciting blitz playoff occurred for the first and second place trophies and a seven-way tie-break blitz for third place.

Gerald Ybanez, from LLCCES took First Place honors, a trophy and P300, ending the tournament with an unofficial tournament rating of 1550. Matthew Venzeill G. Manayon, in his first year at Mandaue High School, took Second Place, a trophy and P200, with a tournament day rating of 1500. A great birthday present for Matt, who turned 17 years old on Saturday.

Jigger B. Bering won Third Place in a nerve-wracking checkmate over Jerome Caadan in the final blitz game that saw Jigger not realizing that his opponent had lost on time. Arthur D. Diongson, a patient and focused player with 3 wins and 1 loss for the tournament, had the highest unofficial rating of 1585, but lost in the first round of the blitz tie-break to Elmundo R. Almogia.

“It was very well organized,” commented Mr. Max Igot, Teacher at Mandaue Deaf High School.

The Mactan Deaf Open Scholastic Chess Tournament is to be an annual event coinciding with National Deaf Awareness Week and featuring Deaf Scholastic Teams from the Cebu-metro area. This year’s tournament was hosted by Lapu-Lapu City Central Elementary School and the LLCCES Roaring Rooks Chess Club, a Deaf Chess Club. It was organized and directed by Chessofia™, a private, non-profit volunteer ministry dedicated to teaching life-skills and values education through Chess instruction and providing God-honoring mentoring to at-risk Deaf and Hearing people through Chess playing fellowship.

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[ Press release (minus contact info) I sent today via e-mail (PDF) to Mr. Frank "Chessmoso" Pestano who writes the weekly Chess column for the Cebu Sun-Star daily newspaper. Interesting to note that Lapu-Lapu City had a Chess tournament the same day as ours, the Lapu-Lapu Fiesta tournament. We had no idea of the event until today. I didn't get the Friday Sun-Star last week, which apparently had the information for the tournament. Bigger prize fund, but then our tournament was free-of-charge. The Fiesta tourney cost P150 to enter, which would be drastically out of the Deaf's league. ALSO interesting to note that one of Lapu's best youth players, Allan Pason, who was scheduled to play the Fiesta, played in our school-wide tournament last Wednesday and won first prize. ]

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OKAY, here’s the promised blogspot on what happened last week. Wednesday, we held the LLCCES Deaf Awareness Week Open Tournament… deaf and hearing played each other… we had two sections – Varsity and Reserve… 16 players in Varsity and 29 players in Reserve sections respectively. ALLAN R. PASON, Lapu-Lapu’s youth chess champion player from Grade 6, won the Varsity section, with Jethro Elijah F. Bolima and Sheila B. Regulacion coming in 2nd and 3rd respectively. Reserve section winners, saw Macky Ledesma come out on top in 1st place and Mark Joseph Laroa and Jeric Remulta – both Deaf – winning second and third places.

We had one hearing player’s mother helping her son during a game… we warned the first time, then she did it again and we had to give the poor fellow a forfeit loss (Rule 20E1). “Wow,” you might say, “a bit harsh.” True, I could have let them replay the game according to the rules which give the TD discretion… but cheating and taking short-cuts is a very big ticket here in the Visayas and since Chess teaches that ‘every move has a consequence’ it would be a disservice to both the player and their parent (and to all the players) if we simply shrugged it off and made provision for their bad character and bad choice. We learned a lot about the gallery and their discipline (or lack of as it turned out) which helped us set up the playing room for the Saturday tournament.

Do you remember that scene in “Searching For Bobby Fischer“? Dan Hedaya plays the Tournament Director and has “The Talk” with the parents and then finally had to lock them in the basement locker room? I thought that was funny, until I saw what happens myself as a TD. Hilarious scene in the movie, but not funny in reality, lemme tellya. Nothing harder to do than give a forfeit to a kid whose parent lacks any self-control.

Overall, it was a fine tournament and we learned a lot for future tournaments. There was a brown-out power failure during the last round which made things interesting, but we managed. The biggest problem we had for both tournaments was starting on-time. Saturday, I was actually in-process of withdrawing players in order to pair the few who were there on-time, when nearly the rest of the players showed up. I got a little hot under the collar and we didn’t actually start the first round until nearly 11:10. I held up a signed registration form and told them they’d signed their name to the form showing they understood what time the tournament began, then I asked them what would happen if they showed up to a job nearly an hour late, that they would be fired, that seemed to get across the importance of arriving on-time. Also, talking with Mindy – my wife and Assistant TD par excellence – we noticed that when we put up the first round standings list, they all seemed to realize that this was a real deal. And reflecting on the tournament I’d seen this past summer, I understood that they thought coming in to the tournament that it was just a gathering of people playing chess and that they could arrive whenever since it wasn’t a big deal. They realized by the fourth round, that it was a big deal and I’m fairly certain that next tournament, we’ll see a more motivated group of Deaf players.

I’d planned to have tournament shirts available, but had serious troubles making the screens for the job. Nothing seemed to work and there was quite a bit of effort just get all the materials together. Still don’t have the shirts, but have a great design! I’ve e-mailed my master sign-maker Brother-In-Law to help me figure out what to do to correct it and then we’ll get the shirts done… but ‘yikes!’ is all I have to say about the efforts to get those shirts made!

Also, we made a hot lunch on-site for all the players. Two players refused to eat it, but wanted to take any food they could get back home to their mothers… we had plenty of food for both they and their mothers, but we could not convince either one to eat more than a few spoonfuls. When and if we can get our The Cornerstone™ Chess Clubs rolling, we’d like to be able to make it a place where players (and immediate family?) can eat a solid, nutritional meal for free.

It was a busy and exhausting week, but a great week. We look forward to holding more tournaments in the months ahead and will definitely be holding a Deafie Tournament at least prior to the next Shell Youth Active Tournament next Summer. The main prize will be the top five finishers getting paid registration to the Shell Tournament which I will personally see to it that their registrations get turned in (last year, we turned in five registrations, but the person responsible for turning them in, turned in only the hearing players and then told us that he’d not turned in any registrations because there were “not enough” players from the school to turn in. Funny, because we have three applications from our Wednesday tournament that state that at least three players attended the Shell tournament this past summer from LLCCES… but that’s how it goes in a land that, as a whole, do not value the Deaf. But then that’s why God brought us here, to show the Deaf that He cares for and loves them greatly.)