BCF gearing up for online world cadets

BCF gearing up for online world cadets
A total of four players have qualified to represent The Bahamas at the Online World Cadets & Youth Rapid Chess Championships. Shown is Chika Pride who will represent The Bahamas in the championships. Shown congratulating Chika is Bahamas Chess Federation (BCF) President Elton Joseph.

NASSAU, BAHAMAS- On the heels of a very successful run through the International School Sports Federation (ISF) Online High Schools Chess Championships, the Bahamas Chess Federation (BCF) is gearing up for the Online World Cadets & Youth Rapid Chess Championships.

A total of four players have qualified to represent The Bahamas in this tournament – Max White in the under-10 open division, Chika Pride under-10 female division, Avian Pride in the under-14 open division and Aidan Mart in the under-16 open division. The Americas section of the tournament begins on December 2.

Like the online high schools championships, this is The Bahamas’ first time participating in this event, which was facilitated by FIDE (International Chess Federation).

“This will be one of the hardest challenges for our junior players as they will be facing off against the top players in their respective sections from other countries including the chess super powers such as Russia, the United States and our neighbor Cuba,” said a BCF spokesperson through a press release.

The online world cadets and youth rapid championships will be held using the Tornelo tournament platform – a web-based pairing program for over-the-board chess tournaments.

Also, the BCF is announcing the start of the second phase of the Chess in Schools Project. Phase one included the training of teachers, school and community staff on how to play chess. This project is ongoing and is free of charge. Interested persons are asked to please register at the website https://www.bahamaschess.org/chesstraining.html.

The second phase of the project involves training on how to teach chess and the creation of school chess clubs throughout The Bahamas. Those who participated in phase one have already been contacted to transition into phase two training. Persons interested in starting a school chess club are asked to complete the form on the website.

Also, FIDE has endorsed the Chessmatec app, which is an all-in-one app that can assist interested persons to practice chess independently. It is

especially good for training kids from ages four and up. It is a website and has its own Android and Apple apps.

The Chessmatec app will be used by the BCF as part of the Chess in Schools Project to assist in the development of chess in the country. Interested persons can purchase the app for personal use and receive a 50 percent discount at the website https://www.chessadmin.com/buy?type=fidebahamas. Coaches, teachers and club leaders should also review the chess program at the website www.chesslang.com.

The BCF’s election of officers is scheduled to be held in January. The nomination period for full members to nominate executive committee positions has started. The BCF will update the members on the location and format of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at a later date, based on restrictions in place in the Emergency Powers COVID-19 Orders and the effect of COVID-19 on the country.

FIDE is hosting free daily tournaments on Tornelo and anyone can register to participate. Interested persons can register at the website https://tornelo.com/chess/orgs/fide/events?page=1.

FIDE launched the first online Olympiad for people with disabilities, as 61 teams from 45 different countries are taking part. The event will run through December 3, a day recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Anna Miller, an 11-year-old participant in the 2019 FIDE World Junior Championships for People with Disabilities in Chess, said: “I don’t let my disability define who I am. I let my mind, and what I can do, define who I am. Chess is for anybody. Anyone can play chess – girls, boys, people with disabilities.”

To stay up to date with FIDE events, interested persons are asked to subscribe to the newsletter at https://mailchi.mp/fide/newsletter-017.

As it relates to the ISF Online High Schools Chess Championships, a total of 14 members of the junior national team represented The Bahamas, and Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Daijah Johnson placed 26th overall in the preliminary rounds and was able to qualify for the finals. This secured her place in history as the first Bahamian to qualify for the finals of any ISF event.

The BCF congratulates all of its junior national team members.