Article in The Asian Weekly – Interview with Sumit Deshpande Under-8 Champ

Posted on 22 November 2010

For a country with a disappointingly low coverage of chess events in the mainstream media, it’s refreshing to see a free weekly (The Asian Weekly, 19th – 25th November 2010) step in and give us such interviews:

Article in The Asian Weekly - Interview with Sumit Deshpande, Under-8 Champ

Article in The Asian Weekly - Interview with Sumit Deshpande, Under-8 Champ

(Click image to view larger version)

A big thank you and thumbs up to The Asian Weekly team and Caine Correa!

Also, thanks to Kim Bhari of Nairobi Chess Club for bringing this to our attention.

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  • Mehul

    I got to meet this young fella at the NCC league yesterday. An excellent move by his parents to introduce him into the senior chess fraternity where he will learn valuable theoretical and psycholigical lessons.

  • Kim Bhari

    Wow

    I am very impressed by this event. I think Mr Deshpande has played a good move by taking his kids for this event. This event is an open event which means you just pay the entry fee and turn up. The other point to note is that it is only a four day event, held over the Christmas holidays which means that kids do not miss school and easy on the parents budget and time constraints. I would seriously consider taking my kids for such an event based on the above factors.

    The entry fee is USD 223 or KShs 18,000 (yes 18,000 and not 1,800). If you paid early then you got a 50% discount so say KShs 9,000. Accommodation with 3 means is USD 50 which makes it affordable.

    Best of luck to Sumit and Sanjana. We will monitor their progress

  • Satish Deshpande

    I just wanted to inform everyone here that my children Sanjana & Sumit have reached Singapore safely this morning where they will be taking part in the Singapore International Chess Festival. They are the ONLY participants from Kenya. Both of them will be proudly wearing the Kenyan uniform from today till the closing ceremony on December 30th. More details can be had from http://www.singaporechess.org.sg/new/?p=5058. Click on U8 and GU14 in the Participants List under Point Number 3. My children will need all your best wishes, blessings & support during this tournament. I am extremely positive that 2011 and beyond will be very bright for chess in Kenya. I also wish to take this opportunity to wish a very Merry Christmas and a superb, safe & successful 2011 to the chess fraternity in Kenya in particular and to the whole world in general.

  • Kim Bhari

    I think Sumit should be getting ready to play for one of the clubs next year. There are two events lined up and he should look for a team to join. There is the Nairobi Chess Club League which should start in January 2011 and the National League which will start sometime in June 2011.

    There are usually one or two games held on a Saturday afternoon so the time required is not too much.

    A good idea for Sumit would be for him to come with his parents to the next league match which is scheduled for 4th Dec 2010 when Nairobi Chess Club will take on CBK Chess Club from 2.30pm at the Goan Gymkhana.

    If things go according to plan then Nairobi Chess Club will enter two teams next year. One will be for juniors like Sumit

  • sandhya

    thank you very much Mr. paras

  • Satish Deshpande

    Mr. Paras, I wish to take this opportunity to thank your good self for taking the trouble to scan and upload this article of my son. Needless to mention here that as parents, we strive to give the best to our children and I am extremely happy to say that BOTH my children have done us proud. My son is the Under-8 Boys Champion and my daughter is the First Runner-Up in the Girls Under-14 category.

    • Paras Gudka

      Satish, I am on a mission to popularize the sport of chess in Kenya and the EAC and so posting this article here hasn’t been any trouble at all. A chess revolution has been brewing in this country for a long time and it is just a matter of time before its effects are felt nationwide. If your children go on to become Kenya’s first IMs and GMs, it won’t be surprising. Thank you for introducing them to the wonderful game of chess.

    • Tendai

      Now get your son and daughter to play against the older seniors who are the best players in the country. Otherwise they will stagnate and not improve. No junior player in kenya has broken into the senior ranks for the past ten years. Chess Kenya largely to blame because they have prevented the juniors from playing in senior events or have actively discouraged it.

  • Soulman Nyandiek

    Paras,

    This is good and am glad to say it can only get better. Congratulations and keep it very up.

    • Paras Gudka

      Thank you for your kind words, Soulman. Together, we can create an environment where chess will flourish and maybe even become the source of national pride for us Kenyans one day.