When Paul Leblanc started playing chess four decades ago, the players were all adults, the youngest being university-aged students.
These days, itB次元官网网址檚 quite a different scene.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 remarkable,B次元官网网址� said Leblanc. B次元官网网址淲hen I go down to the chess club, thereB次元官网网址檚 a kid in Grade 6 who beats me every time. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a kid in Grade 1 who is going to be beating me in about another year.B次元官网网址�
That Sooke youngster is Rowan James. HeB次元官网网址檒l get back to Victoria on time to play his opening match in the Canadian Open Chess Championship on Sunday (July 8), after competing in a series of tournaments in Chicago, Toronto and Vancouver.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 on the professional circuit and heB次元官网网址檚 six years old,B次元官网网址� said Leblanc, who attributes the trend to the introduction of chess championships in grade schools about 15 years ago.
Leblanc is one of the organizers of the upcoming Open. The nine-game, six-day event is an international tournament B次元官网网址� a step above the recent Grand Pacific Open, which generally attracts more local talent.
B次元官网网址淲e had to go to Toronto last year and put a bid in for it,B次元官网网址� Leblanc said. B次元官网网址淚t hadnB次元官网网址檛 been held in British Columbia since 1999, so we thought it was time for the province to put in a bid.B次元官网网址�
Five yearsB次元官网网址� organizing the Grand Pacific tournament gave the local group the reputation they needed to secure the bid.
There are 150 players registered, including grandmasters from Israel, the United States and possibly one from Toronto. There are $15,000 in prizes, with $2,000 going to the champion and lesser amounts to players in different ranks.
Nobody is eliminated during a chess championship. Every registrant plays nine games, but winners are matched with other winners as the games progress.
The public is invited to watch the tournament in person for free, or live on the Internet.
It takes place at the Hotel Grand Pacific on Belleville Street from July 8 to 13.
For information about tournament times, visit .
rholmen@vicnews.com
Did you know?
B次元官网网址� AlbertaB次元官网网址檚 chess champion, Richard Wang from Edmonton, is only 13.
