Kasparov foundation here to train trainers

MANILA, Philippines -  The Kasparov Chess Foundation Asia-Pacific (KCFAP) has lined up back-to-back events at the Alphaland City Center in Makati on the last weekend of this month to boost the grassroots chess development in the country.

Young Talents Rapid Chess Championships for boys and girls under eight years old, U10, U12, U14 and U18 is set on March 26, then the Chess in Education (CIE) Training for Teachers seminar follows the next day.

KCFAP director Ignatius Leong, erstwhile FIDE secretary general, said, “We are glad to partner with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), Department of Education and Alphaland Corp. in our initiatives highlighting the 15th anniversary celebration of Kasparov Chess Foundation.

“We are working out the visit in October of the great chess champion Garry Kasparov, one of the 100 modern day geniuses along with Bill Gates, to inspire kids to take up the sport of chess and if they are already into it to work hard to improve their craft.”

“The staging of the championships for young talents and the seminar for teachers and local instructors is KCF’s recognition that the Filipino has got what it takes to be world beater. Just look at Wesley So, he’s now No. 2 in the world, ” NCFP president Butch Pichay said.

KCF president Michael Khodarkovsky, a FIDE senior trainer, is the key speaker in the seminar with Peter Long, KCFAP projects manager, assisting him.

Prizes of $250, $150 and $100 in travel subsidies to the 2017 ASEAN Age-Group Championships in Malaysia plus trophies await the podium finishers in each boys and girls age group. The fourth-10th placers also get trophies.

The participants in both events bring home a certificate bearing the signature of Kasparov.

Red Dumuk, KCFAP director for Philippines and organizer, said they are targeting at least 1,000 and 200 warm bodies in the championships and CIE, respectively.

Entry fee for the kids is P100 and registration fee for the teachers is P1,000 inclusive of lunch and handouts.