There is a possibility that GM Susan Polgar, certainly the greatest woman chess player of modern times, may visit Trinidad and Tobago within the next year. Outgoing president of the T&TCA Anderson Gordon announced this during his address to the association's annual general meeting in San Fernando on Sunday. DR understands that arrangements are in progress for a visit by the celebrated woman Grand Master but the problem is finding a convenient slot in her over crowded schedule.
A visit by the four-time World Woman Chess Champion and five-time Olympiad Gold Medallist would be a memorable, exciting and, indeed, inspirational, event in the history of chess in our country. The last visit to our shores by a player of her stature took place in February 1939 when charismatic World Champion Alexander Alekhine drew large crowds to the Royal Victoria Institute where he gave two simultaneous exhibitions against the country's leading players.
Now, a more populous sport with a growing cadre of keen young players stands to benefit far more substantially from the contacts which the T&TCA is likely to make with the famous chess personality whose Chess Foundation in Texas exemplifies her strong belief in the royal game as a proven aid to education.
Polgar's visit to T&T should also come at a critical time to help energise the current expansion of women's chess in the country.
According to the July 1984 FIDE rating list, at the age of 15, Polgar became the top ranked woman player in the world and she remained among the top three for the next 23 years. The Hungarian-born American GM was also the first woman in history to break the gender barrier by qualifying for the 1986 Men's World Championship.
DR keenly supports the T&TCA in its efforts to bring Susan Polgar to our country; we hope that as many players as possible would have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet her, to hear her speak about her spectacular career and, hopefully, to test their strength against her in simultaneous sessions.
Apart from announcing the possibility of Polgar's visit, outgoing president Gordon gave a comprehensive account of the successes of his stewardship. One significant advance was the closer and more beneficial relationship which the Association developed with the sport's major stakeholders. He noted that the Association's strategic and holistic plan was praised as one of the best ever received by the Ministry of Sport. He spoke about the development and high performance of players and referred to the largest Sub Zonal tournament held in the country last year and the 100 percent sponsorship given to players attending the CAC.
Succeeding Gordon at the helm of the T&TCA is southern businessman David Martin whose success as president of the Grant Memorial Presbyterian School Chess Club has made him the country's leading chess trainer of young players. He was elected unopposed. As fate would have it, Martin who had quit the previous T&TCA executive after nine months is now back, this time in the driver's seat.
In his column last Thursday, DR reported on an interview with Martin in which the GMPSCC founder presented a range of ideas for creating a "new paradigm" for the royal game. The hope then is that chess, under his leadership, will continue to make significant progress, particularly in efforts to bring the Chess-in-Schools programme to fruition. To help him in his mission for change, the new president will also have recommendations for upgrading the Association's constitution submitted some two years ago by Clayton Gomez.
DR is pleased that the energy and experience of Sonja Johnson, former PRO, would not be lost to the administration. Johnson was elected first vice president unopposed. She is replaced as PRO by Alpacino Smith. Other members of the new executive: Bhisham Soondarsingh, second vice president; Naresh Bhola, third vice president; Sandy Razark, secretary; Marva Hernandez, assistant secretary; Debra Walcott, treasurer. The disciplinary committee comprises Keevin James, Aditi Soondarsingh and Elyse James while the Appeals Tribunal is made up of Andrew Bowles, Russel Smith, Naroutam Singh, Andersoln Gordon and Darryl Davis. Trustees are Adrian Winter Atwell, Ryan Harper and Dirk McKenzie.