Giant Chess Game in Half-Way Tree Dec. 13

A giant Chess game at the Half-Way Tree Transportation Centre, in Kingston, will be one of the special activities that the Jamaica Chess Federation will be carrying out, as part of its effort to increase public interest in the game, and attract more Jamaicans to the sport.
In an interview with JIS News, President of the Jamaica Chess Federation, Attorney-at-Law, Ian Wilkinson, said that on December 13, “we are having what we call, a Public Chess Exhibition, to expose the public to what Chess is all about. We want them to see that it is not a difficult game and it is something that can be tremendous fun. To that effect, we are going to have a giant Chess game, where you have the huge pieces that you have to lift up.”
According to Mr. Wilkinson, the exhibition would start at 12:00 noon, and there would be an Outside Broadcast with a radio station, which is the first time in Jamaica’s history that Chess would be featured for several hours straight, on radio.
The timing of the exhibition is quite fitting, coming on the heels of the recent Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany, where Jamaica recorded its best ever performance, finishing tied for 64th out of 154 competing nations. A number of the Olympic players will be on hand at the exhibition to impart their knowledge on the game of Chess.
“The Olympians who went and did so well in Dresden, including our unbeaten star, Jomo Pitterson, will be at the exhibition and the people can meet and greet them. Also, there will be players who will be willing to give free lessons and there will be chess equipment on sale, including materials, books, chess sets and so on, at vastly reduced prices,” the President informed.
“There will be music, food, the whole works, it’s really going to be a lot of fun and it will be an atmosphere, which will show people that chess is here to stay,” he added.
In the coming months, Mr. Wilkinson disclosed that the Federation, its Magnificent Foundation and other institutions affiliated with Chess in Jamaica, such as the Chess Enterprise, Liguanea Chess Club and Five Star Chess, would be having more public events.
“We will be having simultaneous exhibitions, where one player plays several persons at the same time, more seminars and Outside Broadcasts and events, where we will bring chess right into the public places – Emancipation Park, Downtown Kingston – and a number of other events are planned, so that we can bring chess to the public’s attention,” he said.