Gaston Chess making major move to bring chess to the people
Ramsey Stiles had played chess for more than two years before ever getting the chance to say, "checkmate."
Not that the junior at Highland School of Technology would ever say the word. Attacking the opposing king and leaving your opponent with no escape doesn't need a word, really, and some consider saying "checkmate" the equivalent of rubbing salt in the wound, aka trash talk.
Stiles, who lives in Dallas, and hopes to attend Georgia Tech to study robotic engineering and physics, has organized Gaston Chess, a club that meets 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Gaston County Senior Center, located at 1303 Dallas Cherryville Highway, Dallas.
Not knowing a counter-attack from a blockade, or recognizing a pawn from a bishop, The Gazette chose to interview Stiles in a question and answer format. He was kind enough to help us out.
When did you start playing chess?
I started playing chess in third grade at Piedmont Community Charter School. At the time, Piedmont Charter had a chess club and we met on Thursdays after school. What's funny is I didn't win a game until I had been playing for over two years. I found the game extremely challenging and rewarding at the same time. I have been a member of the Boy Scouts since 2018 and in 2019, I was elected as the Blue Moon Chess Club president. Unfortunately, this chess club disbanded due to Covid restrictions.
Tell readers about your club
My new chess club is called Gaston Chess. I started my own chess club because there are so few places to play and my school did not offer a chess club. I have been fortunate as Gaston County Parks and Recreation has sponsored my club and offered the senior center facility on Tuesdays evenings. I believe that chess meets should be for all ages and skill levels simply to bring together like-minded people to play. My website is gastonchess.com. We also have a Facebook page for event reminders.
At the moment, we have eight to 10 players attending meets. I would like to see the attendance grow where there are different levels such as beginner, intermediate and expert.
The meets are informal and there are no dues or fees to join. Again, all ages and skill levels are welcome.
Describe your style of play
I feel my style of playing chess would be described as "tactively offensive." I attempt to strike my opponent's center while capturing space for my own pieces. My favorite opponent is Tim Norris. His strategy is always counter to mine and when I play him, I always have to think outside the box. Mr. Norris is a regular at the Tuesday night meets and you will always find me playing an intense chess battle against him.
How would you like to see chess advance?
I would like to see chess played as a school sport. The game of chess is challenging and you don't have to be an athlete to play it. Chess has also been proven to increase IQ and problem solving skills.
Dream match?
A celebrity in the chess world that I would like a match with is Hikaru Nakamura. He is a chess prodigy and earned his Grandmaster rank at age 15. He is also a popular YouTuber known for planning 5-10 moves in advance.
Who would enjoy chess?
A popular chess myth I would like to debunk is that chess is always serious and intense and not fun to play. At our meets and others I have been to in the past, we always have fun playing. It is a game that welcomes anybody willing to learn.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gaston Chess making major move to bring pawnsauce to the people
