A Volunteer Makes a Difference

A volunteer devoted to chess 

By Rachel Perry, Volunteer Wood Buffalo

Saturday, December 15, 2012 12:23:03 MST PM

 

More women play chess in Fort McMurray than in any other part of Alberta. This unique fact about the Fort McMurray Chess Club has gained them the privilege of hosting the 2013 Alberta Chess Championship in July, parallel with the Fort McMurray Open Tournament.

The club’s success can be seen as a result of the many hours long-time chess player Jina Burn has volunteered to advocate for the game. Recently nominated to join the board of directors for the Alberta Chess Association, she says she is “very excited” about what is happening with chess locally, and shares her dream to have chess as part of the school curriculum across Alberta and Canada.

Originally from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, where chess is part of the culture, Burn started playing at the age of eight. She taught her son Johnny to play chess when he was eight and wanted him to have the opportunity to play with other children. Burn approached Principal Mme. Rushdy at Ecole Dickinsfield School in 2010 to start a school-based chess club.

“She saw the benefits of chess for the kids and was absolutely supportive, providing the club with everything needed to start. The kids advanced fast and started their first tournaments. A big achievement was the Alberta Scholastic Team Championship last spring with each of the Ecole Dickinsfield School team players winning 100% of their games, proudly adopting the title ‘Absolute winner.’”

After a while the popularity of the club attracted attention from other schools. Burn says that was when she decided to initiate the Fort McMurray Chess Club, welcoming children from all schools and adults as well.

“I am amazed with the support I receive from the volunteers, our Board of Directors, the media — everywhere I go! It shows me that the need of chess and the time to make it popular in Fort McMurray is here and it just needs someone to initiate the first spark!”

Since opening in October 2011, the club has grown to about 100 members with monthly tournaments, including a trip to the provincials in Red Deer last April.

“We are exploring all possibilities to play with kids and adults from outside Fort McMurray without traveling by taking advantage of the technology. We are working closely with Roving ChessNuts in Edmonton, giving opportunity to our kids to play every Saturday morning online rated games and tournaments with opponents from Edmonton and Red Deer.”

Another first for Fort McMurray Chess Club was the first simultaneous exhibition in Fort McMurray with expert Marc Sicotte playing against 23 people at once.

When describing the club, Burn says, “It’s incredible. They create friendships. They learn good sportsmanship, which is being competitive but at the same time being respectful. They are learning essential life skills such as to analyze, to plan out their actions and to think.”

A Fort McMurray resident since 1997, Burn says she loves the diversity of Canada and how open people are to learning.

“I love Canada because it’s multicultural. People from all over the world bring a part of their culture here and we learn so much from each other on a daily basis. Chess is part of my culture. It’s not that big in Canada yet. I feel that it will be my contribution to make chess popular here because chess is a great game. My dream is that chess will be part of the curriculum in our schools one day.”

Jina recently started a chess club at Ecole McTavish Junior High Public School. Burn says their Halloween tournament was very well attended and she is “very proud” to see the teens “so enthusiastic, eager to learn and progressing really fast.”

FMCC meets at the Westwood YMCA every Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. All chess players in Fort McMurray are invited to the upcoming Christmas Open Tournament on Dec. 16, 2 to 6 p.m.

For more information on Fort McMurray Chess Club email fmchessclub@hotmail.com or visit http://fmcc.shawspace.ca