Over the past 10 years, the movement of recreational activities, training, and competitions in Chinese chess has become widespread from urban to rural areas, from mountainous regions to islands, attracting thousands of people of all ages. This is an intellectual, healthy, and engaging sport that brings players and spectators a wide range of emotions, while also becoming a unique cultural feature and enhancing the spiritual life of the people, especially during the Lunar New Year.
High-achieving chess players at the Trieu Phong District Chess Tournament 2024 - Photo: M.D.
A variety of playgrounds
The game of Chinese chess has been developing quite strongly and is becoming increasingly popular among officials, civil servants, and the people of Quang Tri province . The clearest evidence of this is the numerous Chinese chess tournaments organized by various levels of government, departments, and individuals. The most vibrant are the annual Chinese chess tournaments held during the Lunar New Year, which provide a practical and beneficial playground for enthusiasts while also becoming a beautiful cultural tradition at the beginning of the new year.
Throughout the province, numerous large-scale, high-quality chess tournaments are organized annually through the socialization of sports and physical education, making a significant contribution to the development of this sport. A notable example is the Chess Tournament of Block 2, Khe Sanh town, Huong Hoa district, held annually on the 5th day of the Lunar New Year.
According to Mr. Hoang Minh Duc, Chairman of the Block 2 Chess Club, in order to meet the needs for recreation and improve chess skills, 22 chess enthusiasts in the block unanimously agreed to establish the Block 2 Chess Club to connect and develop their passion.
The club has established a suitable venue at Hoa Vien Cafe for members to regularly participate in activities; it organizes many internal tournaments, most notably the traditional chess tournament celebrating the Party and the Lunar New Year, which has been maintained for the past 11 years, and several open tournaments to provide opportunities for everyone to socialize and compete. From this platform, many club members have improved their knowledge, skills, tactics, and competitive spirit.
At the beginning of each new year, many chess players eagerly set off to compete in the annual district and city-level chess tournaments.
Chess player Ngo Van Loc from Gio My commune, Gio Linh district, said: “For chess players, the greatest joy is participating in tournaments to have the opportunity to interact and compete. I and many other chess players in Gio Linh district are very happy that the Gio Linh District Cultural and Information Center - Sports Center always pays attention to organizing the annual chess tournament during the traditional Lunar New Year. This is truly a beneficial playground for us to satisfy our passion and have many interesting experiences with our opponents in competition.”
Chess was included as a competitive sport at the 8th Provincial Sports Festival, 2021-2022 - Photo: MD
According to Hoang Duc Bao, Deputy Director of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Center of Trieu Phong district, in recent years, Trieu Phong district has implemented many positive solutions to promote the development of the chess training and competition movement in the district and select high-achieving athletes for the district's chess team to participate in provincial chess tournaments.
The district prioritizes maintaining the organization of chess tournaments every Lunar New Year, while also encouraging and supporting localities and chess clubs to organize internal tournaments to create opportunities for athletes to meet, interact, and exchange expertise through competition. Recently, the district successfully organized the 2024 Year of the Dragon Spring Chess Tournament, attracting 40 players and being considered a high-quality, large-scale event.
They need support...
Chinese chess is considered a long-standing intellectual sport. It requires little physical strength but demands high levels of concentration, perseverance, creativity, and logical thinking. Through the training of mental skills, calculation abilities, and judgment while playing chess, players can enjoy many benefits, including stress relief and memory enhancement.
This game doesn't require much investment; all you need is a chess set, and you can play anytime, anywhere. The joy of playing Chinese chess isn't limited to just the two players; it extends to those who come to watch. Therefore, the connection and camaraderie among friends through Chinese chess are clearly demonstrated.
A highlight of the development of chess in Quang Tri province is the significant attention it receives from various levels of government, departments, and localities, as well as the support of the people through the organization of numerous tournaments.
Notably, over the past 10 years, chess has been included as a competitive sport in provincial-level sports festivals; several localities such as Dong Ha City and the districts of Gio Linh, Trieu Phong, Vinh Linh, Cam Lo... organize annual chess tournaments at the beginning of the spring; many chess clubs organize internal and external chess tournaments, creating a playing field for hundreds of chess players from within and outside the province.
Online chess clubs and groups are also developing quite well, attracting a large number of members. These lively and engaging activities have strongly contributed to the widespread development of the chess movement throughout the province.
According to Mr. Phan Anh Tuan, a chess coach at the Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center, the chess movement is currently developing quite extensively throughout the province. The number of chess players is increasing, estimated at around 3,000 people who know how to play, with approximately 500 participating in numerous chess tournaments; over 100 chess clubs have been established on a voluntary basis by the people with the goal of connecting and developing their passion.
A major driving force behind the development of the chess movement is the organization of numerous large-scale tournaments from the provincial to the grassroots level. Many people with expertise and dedication to chess have invited skilled chess experts and coaches to Quang Tri to guide and support the organization of amateur tournaments, exchange and share experiences to improve techniques and tactics. Several talented chess players from Quang Tri have participated in and achieved many successes in national chess tournaments...
However, for sustainable development and gradual improvement of the quality of the chess movement, the attention and support of all levels, sectors, localities, and businesses are essential. The greatest wish of the chess community in Quang Tri is for the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to organize an annual provincial-level chess tournament; to provide further support in terms of expertise, professional skills, and experience in organizing tournaments and establishing clubs.
Units and localities should seriously reassess the quality of the chess movement, thereby outlining clear plans and directions for the comprehensive and widespread development of the movement, contributing to the diverse landscape of sports in the province.
Nguyen Minh Duc
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