Northland College leading chess resurgence

ADVANCE GUARD: Under key figures like Harko Brown (above, in background), chess is starting to enjoy a resurgence of interest at secondary school level throughout Northland.PHOTO/CAROLE TEIXEIRA

Organisers of the Northland Secondary School Teams Chess Championships are planning to capitalise on the success of the event to strengthen the profile of the age-old strategic board game.

A strong resurgence of interest in competition chess at local secondary schools has been led by Northland College principal Jim Luders and colleague Harko Brown.

The latter, perhaps more well known for his kaupapa in promoting traditional Maori sports games, said chess had become really popular with students at the Kaikohe institution.

"Forty to 50 fight it out for a board every lunchtime. If they can't get a board, they play 3v3," he said, going on to compliment his principal for his support before and during the aforementioned championships which were hosted at Northland College.

"It is unusual, but gratifying, to have a principal of a school attend a chess tourney as well as lead the hosts' mihi whakatau for their visitors."

Challenges remain, however, in getting other schools on the bandwagon with interest yet to become widespread, Brown noted, adding there was a rather poor turnout for the championships.

Only five schools entered, while several others who had registered withdrew at the last minute. Brown was determined to keep up the good fight by noting solid strategies have been put in place to combat the lack of response.

Back home, the initiative had already been taken, with Northland College meeting the internal demand for chess by ordering another eight boards to allow the school chess club to stage a few challenges with staff and parents.

As well, Brown recently approached the NZ Chess Federation to enquire about getting a New Zealand Grand Master to visit, possibly Murray Chandler, and play 20 boards at the same time in the school library.

Meanwhile, Kerikeri High School has accepted an invitation to play the first leg of a provincial inter-school challenge next month. Kudos, too, went to Kaitaia College's Mike Bryan, for the work he has done over the years to keep the chess torch alight.

Bryan will be working with Brown to select some Far North representative teams to challenge the rest of Northland and even travel to Auckland for the odd challenge.