Bermudian players lose Government funding for chess

Bermudian chess player laments loss of Govt funding
By Jonathan Bell
Published Aug 26, 2014 at 8:00 am

Bermuda’s chess competitors, fresh from international exposure the 41st Chess Olympiad in Norway, are now calling on Government to renew its support for the game.

Chess overseas is afforded television coverage, player Michael Webb noted, with chess masters viewed as celebrities — while the game has languished at home.

“After experiencing what I just experienced, after seeing young geniuses being challenges in this game, my eyes have been opened to the possibilities,” Mr Webb told The Royal Gazette.

The results are still being tallied for the event, held from August 1 to 14, in the city of Tromsø.

Bermuda’s five-man team had to carry the cost on their own, after a hoped-for grant didn’t materialise from Government.

“We’ve asked for help and been declined, which put us between a rock and a hard place — under the Progressive Labour Party we were getting some degree of funding, and in this case we asked for help with our tickets,” Mr Webb said. “The Olympiad was already expecting us, but this time Government didn’t give us support.

“I’m not trying to knock the Government, but it would have been great if they had been able to meet us halfway.

“It’s tough to do your best representing your country when your country doesn’t care that you’re there.

“With this huge tournament, it’s a team thing. It’s not for individuals. This is country to country.”

He extolled the experience of “like minded people of different faiths, different colours, from countries you’d seldom hear of, coming together in this incredibly concentrated, competitive event and still calling each other friends”.

The event was marred by two deaths: Seychelles player Kurt Keier succumbed to a heart attack, while Uzbekistan player Alisher Anarkulov was found dead in his hotel room — both on Thursday, August 14.

Mr Webb found it particularly shocking since he had just played a game against Mr Keier. But his top memory is of taking on chess master Jorge Massana of the US Virgin Islands — and winning.

“Your very first tournament, first Olympiad, you’re rated zero and your opponent is rated ridiculously high? Amazing.

“A great win for the team after being such an underdog — I was getting high-fives, people yelling out ‘Great job’; I had people recognising me in the street — I felt it was great for Bermuda as well as great for myself.”

Mr Webb, who discovered chess by chance in his neighbourhood after being invited to join in by some older players, said the Bermuda Chess Association had faded in recent years as members had left the Island and others found it difficult to make the time.

Chess is a fixture in many overseas parks, bars and coffee houses, but seldom seen around Bermuda.

A plan by the Corporation of Hamilton to establish a park at the corner of Court and Dundonald Streets for pursuits such as chess to flourish is unlikely to go ahead any time soon, according to City Secretary Ed Benevides, who said the concept remained at the planning stage but hadn’t been budgeted for this year.

“For our young people here in this country, it would be a great way to expend some energy and bring people together — it could be a very positive thing,” Mr Webb said, adding that European audiences seemed to regard top chess players as akin to “movie stars”.

“There are so many benefits to it — if we could establish a regular meeting place and have our young people come in and be introduced to chess, we could get some new blood in,” he said. “We’re looking to get some new faces and get ready for the next Olympiad in two years’ time.

“Our minds are set on going — we’re just looking at fundraising and really hoping we can secure a little help this time. We shouldn’t have to pay again.”

A spokeswoman for the Department of Youth Sport and Recreation said Government “did receive a grant application from the Chess Association after the grant applications had closed and the 2014 Budget was allocated.

“The Department was not in a position to offer assistance. The Department would like to take this opportunity to remind organisations to apply for grants before August 31 of each fiscal year.”

Source: http://www.royalgazette.com