The Largest Chess Tournament Ever!

...a couple of sunday's ago i meandered up the road a bit to nashville, to check out the super bowl of scholastic chess, with over 5200 kids from every state competing...

in the days prior i had become quite agitated at the lack of press coverage, with barely any mention from the local newstation, and none whatsoever in the newspaper. the 4 day event was held at the gaylord opryland hotel, one of the largest hotels anywhere, an experience in itself not to be missed if you get a chance...

within a few minutes i found myself at the uscf bookstore, and about the time i realized the friendly gentleman sitting a few feet from was yasser seirawan, i met someone from the local scene who gave me a tour, and politely pointed out everything that was going on that afternoon...

the final round was starting in a few minutes, so i quickly picked out a book for yasser to sign and had a short conversation with him...pleasantly surprised at his upbeat personality...the main reason i had decided to go that particular day, was to listen to anatoly karpov discuss his chess school, so everything else was just a bonus!

the two huge rooms with over 5000 kids grew very quiet as the final round began, and i strolled along the outer edge to check out as many "openings" as i could...i must say, i was quite amazed not to have recognized any of them, excluding the bishop's opening! it quickly became apparent that 2 hours a piece was just way too much time for these kids...almost immediately, several were up walking around, waiting on their opponent's next move, some of them with mp3 players, some wearing sunglasses (poker influence?), ...and moves that i thought were obvious, taking 10 minutes before a decision was reached...you could really sense the pressure on these players...

what totally blew my mind were the championship games, up on a stage at the front of the room, seem to be drawing no attention at all...so i wandered up there to have a look, and was quickly turned away, being told i couldn't stand there...hmmmm...so i stepped back to have a look...no video, no projector, no screen, no one besides the players themselves were even aware of how these games were unfolding!!! i just couldn't believe it, and i still haven't a found a transcript of these games posted anywhere!!!

and i thought it was gonna be like in the movie "searching for bobby fischer", with closed circuit television nearby, so everyone could watch, ha! speaking of that movie, i had been told earlier that bruce pandolfini was there, so i was really hoping to run into him, and there he was! ...bruce? "no, i'm not bruce"...(and i thought it was just a mind game to him;) ...and he went on about how chess must be televised on saturday mornings on abc even for just 20 minutes, if chess was to ever become very popular...

only later did i remember, an actor played bruce in the movie, and i recalled a real picture of him in one of his books, so the teacher i had met from new jersey was not him!!! whew! how embarrassing!!! LOL!!!

another surprise was the rudeness showed by many who continually came in and out of the small room during karpov's lecture...to start with, it was delayed by 20 minutes as he posed for pictures and signed autographs, and then, as soon as he began to talk about his childhood and life leading up until now, people were constantly shuffling in and out, as if they couldn't focus for 2 minutes on what he had to say!
i was absolutely appalled, and couldn't blame him if he had walked out...but his demeanor was such that i'm willing to bet he wasn't even aware of the inconsideration.

and that brings me to my last surprise of that day...meeting susan polgar and having her autograph her book for my daughter...she was so polite and professional, as were anatoly and yasser...i expected to see arrogant grandmasters, full of their own ego, and rightfully so, but instead were three very humble and gracious champions, eager to share what they know with the youth of the world, i'm very appreciative.

...and on the way home, the thought crossed my mind...bobby fischer, how disappointing, ...you could have been such a positive influence these past 33 years.
and yet so many seem to still admire you...

well, i have some new idols now... :)