I’d like to share a moment from Sunday.
On Sunday it was mother’s day. I started my day in the hot yoga studio then a visit to a bakery with my eldest.
As I treated myself to an iced coffee and some savoury pastries I looked to my left and saw a group of men having a coffee.
I also noticed that one of the men was on his phone playing chess.
Chess teachers, I know you share this feeling of delight, that moment when you spot someone playing chess.
It’s a moment that takes you by surprise. A double take. I remember waiting in the Accident and Emergency room for five hours and catching a glimpse of the man next to me playing chess on his phone. For a moment I forgot how long I’d been there and felt quite happy!
I remember sitting on a plane seeing someone playing chess on their app. Last Summer I was on the beach watching a group of teenagers with a chessboard on the sand. In school, it was the excitement of children choosing to play chess during their break time on a rainy day. Or cousins playing chess…there are many moments like this.
Chess beams 🌞 ☀️
I will describe these moments as chess beams. Yes, I’ve created a word. They’re little rays of light that fill the heart and catch you by surprise. I want to note them down or screw them up into a shiny foil sweet wrapper and keep in a little jar. 🍬
They’re moments of connection to an ancient pass time. 99% of the time I won’t say a word, I just smile to myself. But Sunday felt different.
On Sunday the 1% happened. I wanted to explore this moment. I have never taken a photo without permission so it was time to ask.
Meet Petros ♚
What followed was the most wonderful conversation with a man called Petros. He told me quite quickly that he wasn’t good at chess, that he was playing on this chess app. I didn’t believe him. What he meant to say, was that he wasn’t as good as he was when he was young. Or maybe he felt that way. However, he knew it was good for the mind so he played.
Chess gives purpose
Petros came to England young, from Cyprus and attended school here. He told me how teachers at the time had put him into the ‘bottom class’ purely on the fact that he was new to the country and didn’t know the English language.
I assured him that although it was common it wouldn’t happen now. We wouldn’t label a child as below average if they had no English. We also wouldn’t label classes as ‘bottom classes’.
As a teacher in primary school I know we give children time to settle, to absorb the new language. It’s often their maths skills, P.E, music, art skills that shine first. Giving them confidence and a way to engage in their new setting.
Petros told me that chess is a wonderful way to train the mind. At his age and when he was young. As the conversation continued he told me he was actually a very good player at school. He would beat his friends and play for money. I love a chess hustler! He was also self taught. There was no teacher, just a group of boys teaching each other.
Petros remembers his father asking a question about something and replying incorrectly because he was focused solely on the game. Chess requires you to fully concentrate. I agreed, even in the yoga class I had just been to, I was unable to fully clear my mind and be in the moment. The only time no other thoughts race through my mind is when I play chess.
I didn’t want to take up too much of their time so I thanked the trio and let them be. But Petros wasn’t done. He turned around and told me that as a young player he could see moves ahead. He could see the board in his mind. I sensed nostalgia or envy of his younger self. He also explained that he played defensively, that was his style of play.
Chess for a healthy lifestyle
We spoke about teenagers today and the importance of keeping their minds healthy. We live more insular lives here, with phones, gadgets, a smaller network. Chess is one way to enrich our lives and stay connected.
What came to light was that we could have spent longer chatting and we had similar beliefs! Petros told me he is an expert in goal setting, as he has failed so many times in life he knows. ‘You fail, you get up, you learn, you fail, get up and try again. This is where the learning happens.’
Fearless or fearful?
Petros we think the same! We spoke about being fearless and then agreed that actually feeling fear is what drives you. That little rush of adrenalin. It gives you an edge.
Yes, this was a golden conversation. Plato and Diogenes also came up…
I wonder if Petros plays at a cafe or community centre… I wonder if there’s someone in his family that he plays with. Amongst the older Greek population backgammon is the number one choice of game.
Chess for the Community
The day before, I spoke with someone about the community chess project I’ve yet to start. Do I create a club for girls or do I focus on the elderly community? My friend’s response was that I feel passionate about girls’ education and giving them a safe and inviting space to learn and play would be amazing. I agreed but my response was that the older community needs this more. I know this from my Dad.
When our conversation ended, Petros turned to his friends and told them about his memories of chess… it was time for me to go.
I think I was meant to meet him that day. My day was filled with little gems and this was one of them.
The friends you meet across the board
Chess gives little chess beams, little moments of sunshine. Maybe it’s the common connection, the conversation, the friends you meet across the board. A smile, a game, a little competition and that need to win.
Chess in the Community
I don’t know if this was the universe telling me it’s time. I do believe in little signs. I often frown upon the local Greek newspapers filling their sports pages with football only. (I’m a Londoner by the way.) Isn’t it time we celebrated chess? I planned it all out ages ago.
Chess for language learning and generations coming together
Greek language schools teaching mini strategy games in Greek, I couldn’t think of a more motivating way for students to use their heritage language out of class.
And what about a little summer newspaper column teaching chess basics? Grandparents can connect across the board with their grandchildren. Who knows if I’ll return to this subject with some news…
Home learning 🍬
Your homework this time is to think about your own chess beam moment. ☀️
Or maybe it’s not chess related. What are the moments you wished you could capture in your mind? 📸
Your second task is to check out social chess initiatives happening all around the world. Watch John Foley, from ChessPlus talk about chess for the older community in his wonderful video. Chess fans come together weekly in the church to play chess or just watch. Chess can change lives and brings people together.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BbXS4YdsD
Be sure to check out more social projects from the Fide Social commission. Chess for children with additonal needs, refugees, therapeutic chess or chess in prisons. The impact of this game reaches far and wide.
Happy April everyone! I’m leaving you with some photos of my mother’s peach orchard in Vergina, Greece.
Petros, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope we meet again and have a coffee.
Chess connects us. ❤️ 🙂 ☕️
Hari x
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