It's a Cultural Thing

Thursday, September 27, 2007 Greenland teen becomes NH girls chess champ GREENLAND — Fourteen-year-old Avary Bell never suspected that a simple visit to the library last year would result in her becoming the girls state chess champion. Avary placed first in the New Hampshire State Girls Chess Championship this past May. Her chess career began a little more than a year ago as she happened to walk into the Greenland Town Library and spotted some boys playing chess with former Greenland librarian Michael Sullivan as part of his Tales Told Tall private chess club. She quickly learned the basics — the bishops move this way, rooks that way — and strategy became more commonplace. "It's not just the same every time," she said while playing a game with Sullivan at the Coffee Beanery on Monday. Sullivan said Avary has progressed "amazingly fast." Full story.