Chess |07 October 2023

Mr St Ange making a move on the chess board (Photo: Roland Duval)

The Gift of Chess reaches Seychelles Prison

• Think before making the next move

Most, if not all inmates have earned the status following a bad move, where they did not think before acting, while the game of chess is purely based on good and perfect thinking before making a move.

To try and reverse the former, the Gift of Chess, an organisation which aims to transform lives through the universal language of chess in partnership with the local prison authority has introduced chess among the list of activities to help rehabilitate inmates, precisely to help them think before they act, helping them not to commit additional crimes once released.

It was during a small ceremony held yesterday at the Montagne Posée prison that local representative of the United States-based Gift of Chess, Robin Bonne handed over 30 chess sets to superintendent of Prisons Raymond St Ange during a small ceremony held at the prison, in the presence of staff, and some of the inmates with interest in the game of chess.

The gift is part of a batch of 500 kits received from the charitable and non-profitable organisation, with the aim of helping the country to become part of the vibrant global chess community, more committed in pushing each other to new heights and creating a sense of belonging and inclusion.

The group distributes chess sets globally, leveraging the game as a low-cost high-impact catalyst for opportunity, especially among the youth.

Since receiving the chess sets, Mr Bonne has been distributing them all over the island, while partnering with various local organisations, including ministries to ensure the equipment are in good hands, but most importantly that chess propagates across the country.

Accepting the chess sets, Mr St Ange firstly thanked Mr Bonne for thinking of the inmates and to include the prison in his programme, noting that it will offer an additional opportunity for the inmates to engage themselves in, not only a new, but also a very educational and important activity which will help them to concentrate and move logically.

He said most of the time, the inmates made the wrong move in life, and through chess they will learn that with a wrong move in the game, they will lose their pieces, while a wrong life move cost them their freedom.

Mr St Ange added that through chess, the inmates will tend to focus more on the positive aspects of life, in other words, the game will become more of a guide, leading them to be more mindful, especially when it comes to decision-makings and the consequences.

On behalf of the Gift of Chess, Mr Bonne noted that the organisation believes in the power of chess to make positive changes to many around the world, as it is, without doubt, one of the most productive sports in the world today.

Mr Bonne, who has offered his service free of charge to come and teach the inmates how to play chess, thanked the prison authority for accepting the gift, noting that he is looking forward to see the development of chess among the prisoners.

It is worth noting that under the leadership of Tony Ballard, the Gift of Chess looks to expand access to chess sets, chess programmes and chess educational materials for those incarcerated across the USA and beyond, and currently it reaches over 250 jails and prisons across the United States.

Ballard is a Kansas prison inmate who turned a 25-year sentence into a passion for chess. He used the game to teach other inmates critical-thinking skills, and became the director of Prison Outreach.

"Chess is my passion and has been my personal tool in reshaping my thinking and rehabilitating my life after being imprisoned at the age of 25,” said Ballard who added that in doing these chess exercises, he developed the tools necessary for his personal growth, including patience, controlling his emotions, and setting strategic goals as a means to the end result.

“These cognitive tools that I developed, cultivated, and nurtured within every game equipped me for success in my actual life,” said Ballard who added that his confidence and self-esteem soared as he used these skills in his daily interactions.

It was in early 2021 that the Gift of Chess was born, with the goal of distributing 10,000 chess sets to public students across New York City, USA.

With children confined to their apartments and spending most of their time on screens, the organisation hoped to rekindle their love for chess and allow families and friends to connect over a physical chessboard.

Over the next few months, the organisation raised money from members of the local chess community to support the purchase of the sets.

The initial board of the Gift of Chess included founders Russell Makofsky, Tyrone Davis III and Ian West, but has now been expanded to include Rochelle Ballantyne, Michael Shuman, Ryan Rodrigues, and Tunde Onakoya of ‘Chess in Slums’ in Nigeria.

Compiled by Roland Duval