(VOVworld) – Chess Master Pham Van Tuyen has established a chess club called Cam Pha in Quang Ninh province. The club has attracted a large number of people, particularly children.
Club members meet every weekend. Beginners learn the names of the pieces and basic moves on the chessboard while more advanced players learn by competing against each other. 6th grader Nguyen Sinh Cung of Cam Binh high school said: “Playing chess is one way to train my intelligence. I come here every week to read chess books and play with others. My passion for chess has grown with time.”
Tuyen converted his areca garden into a sports center where people can come to play chess, Chinese chess, badminton, or table tennis for free. Many school children have come to learn to play chess. Nguyen Thi Thanh, a former national master of Chinese chess and one of Tuyen’s best students, is a trainer here: “I’m Mr. Tuyen’s third generation student and my two children are learning chess here. This club offers a good training environment.”
Tuyen says that to get people interested in chess you need to help them discover how enjoyable it can be. He used his own money to buy bookshelves, desks, a lighting system, and portable air conditioners for his Bai Tu Long library, which is designed particularly for chess players. Tuyen said: “Children who are good at mathematics often play chess well. My wish is that more children will play chess, which will keep them from bad behaviors.”
Tuyen’s initiative has encouraged chess playing in the town of Cam Pha. It’s easy to play chess but to become a master a player must have good health and logical thinking. Nguyen Xuan Quy, a former national youth chess coach, has also been teaching at Tuyen’s club: “We have a problem. Most of the junior players learn chess to improve their ability in mathematics, not to become professional players. Very few children want to pursue a chess career.”