CHESS HORIZONS
Three generations : Ray , George and Nika at play in 2004
local Naval base , the college and several small hamlets in the area . What amazed me was the fact that chess was the great equalizer no matter what walk of life you were . I ’ ve met plumbers , doctors , carnival workers , teachers , students , and military personnel all with a common interest in a game that lasted two millennium .
My passion for the game grew as my father ’ s involvement for the club grew . I was eager to come to the club , but using reverse psychology he ’ d say simply “ Not yet , these guys are tough . When you are ready , I ’ ll let you know .” Ray was patient with this exuberant youth . He started to hand me the very same books that he learned from . I recall fondly , the book by Al Horowitz , “ How to Win in the Chess Openings ”. Before this , my game resembled toy football players on a vibrating table that would fall off the edge of the board . Ray , got me started down the right path by learning some basic concepts of opening play and making his copy of Chess Life and Review ( before the USCF called it Chess Life in 1980 ) available . He advocated playing over annotated games as the real meat to learning the game . I was naïve and wanted to simply play . But still , I was not ready for the club . The Fischer versus Spassky match of 1972 , was brought into our living room through PBS and the
genius work of a couple of men , Shelby Lyman and Michael Chase . The first ever real-time American televised coverage of a world championship match was being kibitzed by my father and I in our living room with portable chess sets on our laps .
One summer day , as I played Dad handicapped by the Red Sox playing in the background , I ended up not losing ! The draw was my qualification to allow me to attend the weekly Club . I started going on a regular basis , even playing in team matches against other towns like Portland , Saco , and Lewiston . He encouraged me to start a chess club in the high school and even chauffeured the rag tag team to a couple matches .
Not once in my growing up did Ray ever force this game down my throat or tell me to “ concentrate ”, or “ how could you play such a stupid move ”. These are comments , I have heard chess parents tell their kids at recent events as I watched the enthusiasm get sucked right out of these kids . Rather , he cautioned me that “ these guys at the tournaments are playing for blood .” And “ Expect to get your face rubbed in the mud by these guys ( at the club ), that ’ s the best way to learn .” He was there for the post mortem , never shaming , always encouraging , with a “ better luck next time ”.
He was there for me when I
won the top student in the state in 1979 . Not once did he rub it in my face that there were only two of us competing for the same trophy in the Maine State Championship that year . Rather , he let me feel good about the wint and bragged to all the club members of this accomplishment . He made me feel like I was part of something special .
Then I grew up and moved out . Ray kept the club going until his retirement when it got to be too much for him to keep up . He retired his title as Maine Chess Association ’ s treasurer in 2009 ( one he kept for several decades ). I had since moved out of Maine and could not keep the club going . What did keep going was the spark of enthusiasm for this game .
I did the same for my kids , as I learned from my dad . Even though my youngest daughter loses more g a m e s than she wins she still comes back for more because she likes what I like about this game . The experience of meeting people of all walks of life sharing a common bond to a game that has outlasted gameboys , play stations and Frisbees .
In Ray ’ s words : “ The beauty of this game is that the answer is always right in front of you . It ’ s your mind against your opponent ’ s . There ’ s no luck , no dice to be thrown , no cards to be drawn . It ’ s your own fault if you lose and i t ’ s your skill and ability if you win .”
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