Chess a way of bringing people together
An inaugural chess tournament today is about overcoming barriers, its organiser says.
Pastor Mark Pavelka of the Gleniti Baptist Church where the event is being held, said he has seen first hand how chess could break down language and social barriers.
‘‘Chess connects people together and is played throughout the world overcoming language barriers, and developing the mind.’’
He has been playing the strategic game since he was the age of four. He still plays games with his father who taught him most weekends.
The two people board game sees each player with 16 pieces representing a battlefield of sorts using a queen, king, knight and other assorted pieces. Each piece can move
Pastor Mark Pavelka
in set ways only and the challenge is to attack and take as many of an opponents pieces, or checkmate a player by ensuring their king cannot move.
Pavelka has played matches against homeless people in Auckland, slum dwellers in the Philippines and another pastor in Mexico.
‘‘Kevin who lived on the streets of Auckland knew all the moves of the masters. He was amazing.’’
Players living in the slums were also really good as they spent about three hours a day playing as they were unemployed, he said.
On his travels overseas where he worked and via online sales Pavelka has amassed eight different chess sets ranging from a Robin Hood theme, to a Trojans and Greek one.
He also has a three man chess set from Poland.
‘‘It is a fantastic game of perception you have to plan ahead and think about what your opponent will do. It develops good skills for defensive driving.’’
Pavelka plays his father most weekends resulting in some ‘‘epic battles’’, he said.
The tournament is open to spectators and starts with beginners playing four or five games over two rounds at 10am, and intermediate players at 4pm at Gleniti Baptist Church on Gleniti Rd today.
‘‘Kevin who lived on the streets of Auckland knew all the moves of the masters. He was amazing.’’