By Tupou Vaipulu Jr
Chess Grandmaster, Mr. Nigel Short, MBE, from the United Kingdom, visited Ocean of Light International School, today, and gave a lecture for children to help develop chess in school programmes in Tonga.
Students and teachers from Ocean of Light and Acts Community School attended the lecture to help them understand different moves and important choices to make during a game of chess. The number of students who turned up exceeded Mr Short's expectations.
Initially, a chess “simultaneous exhibition” was set for today, however, due to Mr. Short’s tight schedule and the number of students, there was not enough time to stage an exhibition.
Mr. Short, the Director of Chess Development for the International Chess Federation (FIDE), in Switzerland, arrived on Friday 14 March, and left today.
A chess prodigy, Mr Short learned chess at age five from his father. He became famous as a 10-year-old by defeating Viktor Korchnoi then ranked no. 2 in the world. In 1977 he became the youngest-ever participant in the British Chess Championship before his 12th birthday, when he defeated the ten-time British Champion.
The visit to Tonga was organised by the Tonga Chess Federation, secretary, William Sanft.
