Making their moves at Glendale park.

Across-the-board success

Chess players of all ages Chess players of all ages make their moves at Glendale park.
By Christopher Cadelago
Published: Last Updated Sunday, April 11, 2010 9:41 PM PDT

More than 100 chess enthusiasts turned out Saturday for the first-of-its-kind AAA Chess Festival, which aimed to draw attention to the game.

The event, organized by the All American Assn. and Adams Square Merchants Assn., separated the 120 participants into three brackets: young children, middle-school-aged and adults, with many involved playing back-to-back games.

The outdoor tournament, which drew a healthy audience including parents and coaches, was a way for Chess Master Nshan Keshishian to introduce the game to children.

At his nonprofit All American Assn. chess clubs and schools, with locations in Glendale, Hollywood and Van Nuys, Keshishian seeks to instill self-confidence, particularly in young children and teens.

He said the idea is to boost morale and prepare young people for healthy competition.

The game, he said, teaches young players “the steps of life, and how to think not only about your, but your opponent’s move.”

“Also, it’s a really good activity for your brain,” said Eva Keshishian, 20, whose father introduced her to chess at the age of 5.

Chess also helped the UCLA student navigate what she called a complicated web of mathematics.

Here is the full article.