Students on board with Kasparov
Former chess champ visits Philly
These days, Gary Kasparov's mind is consumed with more than just zapping his opponents with checkmates during high-stakes chess matches.
The former World Chess Champion is now a candidate for the presidency of Russia, his homeland. So he frequently talks about how democracy is being trampled under the "regime" of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He has also written a book, "How Life Imitates Chess: Making the Right Moves, From the Board to the Boardroom."
While Kasparov came to town yesterday to promote the book and give a lecture at the main branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, he also took time to observe some of the School District of Philadelphia's best chess players.
Before his lecture, Kasparov, who reigned as champ from 1985 to 2000, beamed as he looked on as the students challenged each other.
"It makes me always very happy," he said after observing the teens, who were from Roberts Vaux High School, Masterman School, the High School of Engineering and Science, and Community Academy Charter School.
"I think chess is quite a unique educational tool and I'm always so happy to see that people, especially in this country, use it wisely to influence the course of the educational system," he added.
The students, whose chess teams are sponsored by the nonprofit After School Activities Partnerships, were equally impressed with Kasparov, who at age 22 became the youngest ever chess champion.
Most said playing chess has helped them do better in math and to be more critical thinkers. During the lecture he noted that he's not just fighting to win an election next year, but to make sure an election even takes place.
"I think he has a lot of courage for what he's doing, and for trying to help a lot of other people," Ryan Jenkins, 17, a Vaux 11th-grader, said following the talk, during which Kasparow spoke less of chess and more on his struggle against the Russian political machine.
Shinan Jin, a Masterman 10th-grader, said Kasparov, 44, must be smart for knowing when to change careers.
"As you get older, you don't get better at chess - you get worse," she observed. "So if you're going to do something with your life other than chess, politician is the way to go."
Still, Shinan has respect for the old chess grandmaster's skills.
"I doubt it," she confessed when asked if she thought she could beat him. "But it would be fun to play him. You could say that you played him." *
