our oldest and our youngest players

Mr Kisling receives the award of participation at the Cayo Chess Workshop .

Level 2 training in Cayo- together with the other 37 participants Mr Kissling is playing chess using the clock

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Mr. Kisling making a presentation about his future involvement with the chess program.

Mr Kisling is now assisting with the chess classes in GPC chess club twice a week every week!

And this is his story:

Hi, have you heard about the Belize Chess Organisation? I have and even though at the sessions there are only children, for me they are all polite and helpful. I attend sessions because I want to learn the game.

My name is Lionel N. Kisling, also known as "Ali." I was born in Belize City 85 years ago. I am a widower and the father of two loving daughters.

I was educated at St. John's Anglican Boys' School and St. Michael's Anglican College in Belize City. On the eve of graduating from St. Michael's College I informed the principal that I wanted to develop a career in a trade and would be skipping graduation to seek employment in Panama. I was there for 2 years.

Upon my return from Panama, I attempted to join former schoolmates who were going overseas to take part in the war effort in England. My efforts were in vain but I nevertheless enlisted in the British Honduras Volunteer Guard. After 2 years I applied for leave of absence and went away to study to become a marine engineer. I was fortunate to realise my dream when my licence was granted by the U.S. Coast Guard. However, luck was against me because the vessel I was on was shipwrecked. Back home, I returned to the Volunteer Guard and gained employment at the Public Works Department mechanic workshop. I remained there for a few years until a more permanent position became available in the Government Information Serve as Photographer. After retiring from the Government Service, the Met Office offered me the post of Weather Observer in Belmopan. I stayed for a few years in that post when Brodies offered me the post of Assistant Manager of their Belmopan Branch. I remained there a few years before going into full retirement.

Over the years I have been involved with various service organisations, among them are: past president of the Belmopan Lions Club and past district governor of the Belize Lions District/Zone, Superintendent of the Belmopan Branch of the Fire Service, AIDS Commission, National Drug Abuse Control Council, Cancer Society, Red Cross, Hospital Auxiliary, Chairman, King's Children's Home, Ex Services League. I enjoy reading, gardening and listening to the news and religious and classical music.

I have long been interested in chess but had no one to help me. Recently, my daughter heard about the chess symposium and urged me to register. I did and that's how I became involved with chess in Belize.

and our youngest...

This is the picture of Zahira from the Halloween Chess Tournament. Tournament Directors noticed how determined and confident this 5 year old player was and we asked her parents to tell us a little bit about their daughter. Here is their story:

Zahira Clancie Chun was born 10^th January, 2004. Her parents are Rosanna and Modesto Chun. She was born in Dangriga Town at the Southern Regional Hospital.

At the age of three, Zahira attended her first summer school at Hope Creek Government School, one month after she attended Holy Angels Pre-school. At the age of four years eight months she entered Infant 1 at Holy Angels Primary School. After one term, we transferred her to Hope Creek Methodist School, where she is currently enrolled.

The family was introduced to Chess by Mr. Brian Chun, of the Stann Creek Chess Association in the year 2008. At that moment we were only attending Thursday nights practice that Brian hosted to prepare his team for the National Olympiad for 2009 held in April and the Mexican games held in May. Her mom became interested and started playing the game. After a few a sessions Zahira got interested in the game and started practicing. Upon seeing this Brian then provided Zahira and her mom with a chess board and other learning materials pertaining to the game. After a few months of practice Zahira entered her first tournament on October 31^st, 2009 held in Belmopan. Zahira has displayed a great likeness for the game that whenever she wins you could see that happy smiling face and when she looses she would assure her mom that she would do better on the next game. At every game Zahira is always relaxed and enthusiastic.

Besides playing chess Zahira likes to color and drawing pictures that would express her emotions. She also likes to ride bicycle and climb trees.

We as her parents fully support Zahira in her involvement in Chess and hope that she would be a role model for young Belizean children. It is also worth mentioning to parents that your child is never too young or too old to learn, just support them.

How do we learn to concentrate?

One of the greatest gifts a school can give a student is to increase his or her capacity to concentrate for extended periods of time." Doug Lemove in Teach like a Champion:49 Techniques that put students on the Path to College.

That is why chess such a great teaching tool- chess can help kids to learn how to concentrate and focus, get them used to do it and enjoy the process. So, next time when kids are required to take a school test or concentrate on homework, they will be doing it more willingly. Concentrating and focusing will not be anymore anything dreadful, it will be associated in their mind with the fun and enjoyable time they had concentrating over the board.

During the chess camps we switch from chess to other activities that require brain to concentrate and strategize as well. Here are some examples- notice that the players are all concentrated very hard on the task at hand- either it is running, throwing frisbee...

or doing "wheelbarrow" team work...

Upon reaching the coach they need to switch to the chess thinking mode.

Everybody had fun and it was amazing to see how after this running, laughing and sweating, they were able to focus on solving puzzles. Teams learned fast that even if they manage to do the obstacles course fast, the winning team is the one whose members were able to solve all the puzzles correctly. They learn to slow down and encourage each other to pay attention to everything what they are doing- either it is mental of physical activity.

Walking backwards towards the coach with the frisbee on their head requires high concentration...

Then the players learn to switch from concentrating on the physical activity to the mental one- solve chess puzzles again...

Try it yourself to see how difficult it is.

The bottom line- concentration requires effort, and learning to do it is a difficult task. The child has to be willing to put all his energy into fulfilling the tasks. The learning to concentrate process requires kids to enjoy the process and be passionate about what they are doing. They need to be able to get excited and put their absolutely best at task in hand- either it is reading, running, jumping, chess playing, or school work.

7x 7 prep

Unbelievable opportunity came to us thanks to Grand master Maurice Ashley. He was invited to do a special presentation in the event called 7x7, where there will be featured 7 experts from different fields and each of them will be given only 7 minutes to make a powerful presentation on their field of expertize. Maurice Ashley was asked to make a commentary on the game between two grandmasters to show the brilliance of chess players, instead he suggested to select a player from New York city and have him challenge our Belizean player over the internet for a 2 minutes chess game. We will be using webcam, so that the millions of people watching this program in US, would be able to see the face and the surroundings of our player.

Two minutes games require extreme concentration, focus, mental and emotional balance and ability to chose the best moves under extreme pressure. All those skills of course are highly needed in all the fields- school, work and college, so once again- chess is an excellent educational tool.

As the result of the Olympiad, Stann Creek showed that they have the best players in the country and therefore they were given an opportunity to select the player. Brian Chun, President of Stann Creek Association and a coach, did the mini tournament on Sunday/ Monday and made his selection based on the results: Kris Sanchez, 13 years old, and his alternate Fitzroy Chan, 15 years old.

We wish them good luck on Wednesday, May 5th. This event gives us a chance to establish a presence of Belize chess players in the other countries chess world.

This week while Brian is working with Kris on chess, we are working in testing the lines and making sure that the cyber connection is established. On the screen below you can see Grand Master Maurice Ashley talking to Gabriel Baron in the test run of the game.

Belize Mexico Goodwill games, Merida 2010

May 21-24th, 2010 - Merida, Mexico

After the success of the last year event- First Belize-Mexico Goodwill chess tournament that was hosted by BNYCF and Mexican Embassy, we received an invitation to bring a team of 15 players and coaches to Merida this year. This will give us a chance to meet players and coaches who came last year to Belize and became our first International Chess Friends. All the districts nominated players for this event based on the following criteria:

- active participation in the district chess events

-efforts in improving their own game

-active participation in teaching others

- interest in learning and positive attitude

- chess skills level

The following players were selected:

1. Akeem Jenkins, cayo
2. Maricella Cocom, cayo
3. Carlos Cocom, cayo
4. Virginia Cus, toledo
5. Albert Cus, toledo
6. Dwayne Rodriguez, Bz
7. Keenon Lopez, Bz
8. Steve Flowers, Bz
9. Rick Pascasio, Stann Creek
10. Colleen Tate, Stann Creek
11. Fitzroy Chan, Stann Creek
12. Kris Sanchez, Stann creek

pics from last year event

Wish them good luck!

Chess News up to June 2010

CODICADER MAY 2010

The games were based in the IRTRA de Retalhulue resort about 2 hours south of the Guatemala city. This is a luxury 5 star resort set in vast grounds with two theme parks adjoining.

Belize was competing against chess players from Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras.

between the rounds there was plenty of time to have fun in the water park:

and then back to the concentration on the board:

back to fun- trip to the toy museum:

walk in the park:

.. then back to chess again and making friends with players from other countries

As for those chess games, they needed a real muscle strength!

There were a lot of beautiful things that they saw, and memories will last for years!

and even they had a lot of fun,, it is nice to be back home!

The whole trip lasted 1week, and in addition to an incredible chess experience that our players gained, the cultural and social value of this trip is of even more importance! These kind of trips open their eyes, raise curiosity, allow them to make new friends and learn how to switch from fun to concentration and enjoy both.

During the trip Pedro Pixabaj, Jose Teul and David Coombs( coaches/chaperones) made sure that despite of full days of events, all the players kept their journals and did the homework assignments that they were given from their schools.

Congratulations to our international travel pioneers!