Power of patience: Young chess players at Abilene tourney talk about what chess teaches them
By Charles G. Anderson Sr.
Special to the Reporter-News
Posted February 18, 2012 at 7:48 p.m.
Young players at the 15th annual Abilene Scholastic Chess Tournament on Saturday seemed to be in agreement: Chess teaches concentration, and patience is indeed a virtue.
Some of the 70 players — ranging from elementary- to high school-aged — came as early at 8 a.m. to warm up for the event, which began at 9 a.m. in the Taylor Elementary School cafeteria.
Joshua Mansur, 11, a fifth-grader, and his brother, Jonah Mansur, 7, a second-grader — both students at Taylor Elementary — waited eagerly to enter their first chess tournament.
“I know the king and queen are powerful,” Jonah said. “The queen can move anywhere.”
Tori McBeth, 12, a sixth-grade student at Mann Middle School, and four other players came with their sponsor, Andreas Royal. They are members of the Fallen Knights Chess Club.
“Chess really takes concentration,” said Tori, who was entering her first chess tournament.
“I have played chess off and on for a few years. It teaches me to think.” said 12-year-old Robert Davidson III, a seventh-grader at Clack Middle School who wants to be an astronomer.
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What’s the kid doing?