Chess Player versus Chess Coach – 29/05/2015

I often get asked when I will be playing in a tournament. People seem keen to link my ability for coaching to how well I could perform in a tournament. In order to prepare for a tournament, you need to spend many hours studying and reviewing games of opponents. In order to prepare students for tournaments you need to spend many hours studying, what style would suit their game for example defensive or attacking, and reviewing games of opponents. It is impossible to do both without compromising.

I have played tournaments for many years, but when I started coaching I made the commitment to my students to be completely devoted to their growth, not my own. Not only do I need to prepare their technical skill, a coach also focuses on all the aspects around the game; posture, attitude and mental state. A coach does not need to be the best chess player, they need to be able to transfer their skills and aim to have their students become better chess players then they are. Grandmaster Judith Polgar retired from chess last year to start her own chess school; she did not start this level of coaching until she had finished competing for herself.

Current World Champion Magnus Carlsen has set the ultimate example for finding good coaches and how they not necessarily need to be known for their play. After working with Garry Kasparov for many years – yes the former world champion Garry Kasparov – Carlsen dropped Kasparov and chose to be coached by a team of people, among others Fide Master Espen Agdestein. Espen is not a grandmaster, but is very good at analysis and provide positional expertise for Carlsen, showing the world that you should not judge a coach on their own play.

Just because you have been a good footy player, does not mean you are good at coaching an entire team. Just because you are a good tennis player, does not mean you are going to be good at transferring those skills to others.

Many countries like the Netherlands and even the world chess organisation have recognised this concept for years and have in place coaching courses and certificates. They have all realised you should not judge a coach just on their own chess skills, but rather on the way they are able to transfer their skills.

So I am sorry to disappoint if you were waiting to see me compete in any upcoming tournaments, I have retired from competitive chess a long time ago. But I love what I do and study chess so I can transfer that knowledge to my students so they can flourish and grow. And even though I enjoyed winning tournaments during my chess career, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing young players on stage being acknowledged for their hard work.

Autism – 15/05/2015

As Aspergers has become part of our vocabulary, we are starting to understand moreabout the amazing minds of students that are diagnosed within the spectrum of Autism and how they view the world. I am sure it comes as no surprise that there are many students with Autism that love the game of chess and are excelling their skill. And it is especially for these students that teaching chess has very little to do with rules of the game and so much about their development. On a regular basis I am invited into the home of a family that would like to try chess for their child, sometimes because the student has already taught themselves the game and parents want to encourage their growth. The key to teaching someone with Autism is communication, creating a world so small that it becomes purely about the 64 squares in front of them. Clear rules and structure provide the safety when they attempt this new game. You teach them how the different pieces move, providing evidence on how different rules apply for different people depending on their role in life. And then suddenly you see it happen – the best part – a smile, the start of a conversation; first with the pieces in front of them and then with the face on the other side of the board. They discover it is safe to talk about their plan of attack, how they will defend their king and what they will be doing next, with the person they are playing with. For those that have great difficulty in making new friends and holding a social conversation, they have just discovered a whole new world or people that they can interact with safely! Chess can become the bridge between two worlds.

In an environment where it has become so easy to interact via electronic devices, it has made making new friends even harder. The comment I hear most from students is why they like to play chess; it has allowed them to make new friends. And the truth is this is not just for students with Autism. A parent that has difficulty communicating with their teenager, grandpa that does not understand his 8 year old grandson – all can communicate over a game of chess!

Why not comment and tell us how you make new friends.

Monday 4th May 2015

You do What?!?!? I am a chess coach. As in the Game? Yes, as in the game. Don’t worry – you are not the first one to ask, I hear it all the time. Some continue that conversation by comments of disbelief; ‘when are you finding a real job?’ but others are pleasantly surprised and admire the fact I have created a job out of passion. And that is exactly what I am doing – I live and breathe chess – have done so from a very young age. Every day I look at games played around the world, prepare classes and study tactics. I have made the switch from chess player to chess coach over 20 years ago and my experience in teaching others has led me to where I am today. So what do I do exactly? My wife and I run ‘Chesslife’ – coaching chess in and around Adelaide to over 500 students every week with a team of enthusiastic coaches. Our friends have watched us from the sidelines over the last few years and seen this has made us happier than anything else before. Of course running your own business is hard and comes with all the same issues anyone faces – there is staff training, cash flow and marketing, but the core of what I do – coach chess – is what makes this the most rewarding job I have ever had!

Let me give you an example; I love how I can train not just the skills of the game – you can learn how the pieces move from a book – but how I can focus on all these extra benefits that come with this mighty game. Last year one of our students was progressing nicely with his chess skills, but when it came to tournaments he was struggling. He was completely devastated after a loss and brought to tears in front of the other players and found it hard to pick himself up for the next game. His games got worse after each round and left deflated at the end. With guidance, support and coaching, this young man has now completely turned around and has become a strong independent and confident chess player. This is reflected in his games, his posture during tournaments and how he deals with a loss, but the benefits have far outstretched the game of chess. His school work has improved, his social network has grown and he is now using his confidence in his first job as a chess arbiter this year (arbiter is a chess umpire). This boy is not the same as last year and chess has been able to help him shape his growth. Of course his loving parents are very much part of this journey as well, but the point I am trying to make is that the sport you choose as a child, will have a great impact on your future and I am grateful I can be part of the lives of these young minds.

Why not comment and tell us about your passion.