April 24, 2015
By Jessica Bock
Former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov is in St. Louis this weekend to play in the Battle of the Legends at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis in the Central West End.
He played Friday night against invited guests and on Saturday and Sunday will face English Grandmaster Nigel Short, whom he defeated in the 1993 World Chess Championship.
Kasparov, 52, who lives in New York City, was No. 1 in the world from 1985 until he retired in 2005. He sat down for a few questions Friday evening.
What do you like about spending time in St. Louis?
Well, it’s the chess capital, not only in the United States, but in the world. I always enjoy being here. It’s also given me enormous pleasure to see the respect chess enjoys in this town and in this club.
St. Louis has had an expansion in chess in schools, with students from both affluent private schools and inner-city football players learning the game.
What do you think is the biggest benefit to playing chess?
Oh, it has no downsides. Having chess at an early age helps kids to improve their cognitive skills and improve their vision of the big picture and to sort of improve their sense of logic.
Any advice for parents who want to start their kids on chess?
Start early. I think age 5 is a really good time to learn how to move the pieces. Definitely at age 5, 6 you can see whether a kid has a talent for the game. But even if he or she doesn’t have this sort of tremendous devotion for the game, learning the rules, grasping the idea, helps.
What are you most looking forward to this weekend?
I don’t have any (professional) practice and that’s a big challenge. I don’t think anyone knows how difficult it is to go back and play someone who is still in the circuit.
I’m curious to know what I can do. (Nigel Short) still has sense of his fingers. I have to try and replicate how I did it many years ago.
Who were you playing against Friday afternoon?
Mainly kids. And Rex (Sinquefield) played also and few other adults. Chess fans. Some of them decent club players, most of them, of course, were amateurs.
What do you think St. Louis has done for the world of chess?
It’s too early to say because I think this contribution is enormous. It’s about respect for the game of chess. Just to show the chess players treated with such respect and even an aura. It created an institution that was probably the greatest built in the history of chess. Everybody who comes to St. Louis for the first time is just amazed.
Any predictions for this weekend?
I wish I had a magic ball to look at that, but I still hope I will emerge victorious.
Who do you really enjoy watching these days?
Magnus Carlsen. He is a tremendous asset for the game of chess. He has done great things, not only at the chess board but also promoting the game. He is a young world champion, media friendly, public friendly, who is willing to promote the game. Many chess players, they were not as comfortable. I expect as long as Magnus stays on top, chess will continue to gain popularity.