If Burnaby produces Canada’s next chess grandmaster, chances are Henry Chiu will have had something to do with it.
For the last three years, the Burnaby accountant has volunteered his time organizing free monthly chess tournaments for kids at Burnaby Library’s Tommy Douglas branch, and his efforts have already paid dividends for local youngsters.
In May, Marlborough Elementary’s chess team won the A section of the B.C. Elementary School Team Chess Tournament for the first time – after working with Chiu and competing in his monthly Knightmare Quads competitions.
“He’s been doing this for the last three years, all volunteer, so we’re really thankful for that,” Marlborough parent Lillian Ho told the NOW.
Chiu originally started the tournaments so he could watch his own son, now a Taylor Park Grade 4 student, compete, he said, but he also enjoys giving other local kids an alternative to video games and watching as they overcome defeat and take pride in their victories.
His first tournament attracted about 11 participants; a recent one, held on June 19, drew 33.
The competitions are open to kids in grades 3 to 12, who are organized into groups of four for each tournament based on their Northwest Scholastic Rating System rating.
Each competitor then plays three time-controlled games, with 20 minutes allowed each player per game.
Despite popular perception, junior chess isn’t all about how smart kids are, according to Chiu.
“A lot of people think that chess is about IQ,” he said. “It’s not about IQ; it’s about EQ (emotional quotient, emotional intelligence), especially at this young age. Just because you’re brilliant, doesn’t mean you’ll do well, at least in junior chess. You need hard work.”
Chess helps kids progress emotionally and intellectually, Chiu said, challenging them to sit still, focus, analyze, learn from mistakes and deal with defeat.
The game also brings together people from all over the world and from all cultures, social classes and occupations.
“Chess is cheap, unlike other things like hockey,” Chiu said. “All you need is a small chess set to get started.”
Chiu taught himself how to play from books from the library shortly after his family moved to Canada from Hong Kong when he was in about Grade 4.
He didn’t compete until he went to UBC but then went on to become one of the most active players in Canada in the 1980s, he said, earning the title of candidate master.
His proudest achievement was defeating a grandmaster at a major blitz chess tournament in 1988 in St. John, NB.
Chiu has also spent plenty of time on the organizational side of the game.
In addition to being a National Tournament Director of the Chess Federation of Canada, he recently became a FIDE Arbiter of the World Chess Federation.
All told, he has directed and organized about 250 tournaments (about 200 adult and about 50 junior), including several B.C. championships and several major open tournaments.
He was also on the executive of the B.C. Chess Federation for almost ten years.
His Knightmare Quads are supported by The Vancouver Foundation and Burnaby Neighbourhood House, which provide funding for equipment and small prizes.
To find out more about the tournaments, email [email protected].
