Young chess players make their moves in Glendale

Young chess players make their moves in Glendale

An international chess master is grooming young players in a city whose large Armenian population knows that the game is part of their culture.

By Baxter Holmes
October 9, 2009 10:03 p.m.

Every Friday night, a group of noisy youngsters shuffles through a side door at First Baptist Church of Glendale. They laugh, shove and talk over one another as they enter a large, brightly lighted room with three long tables.

Inside, silver-haired Armen Ambartsoumian waits for them to settle down so the session can begin. Ambartsoumian, an international chess master who is determined to groom Glendale’s next generation of elite players, demands their focus. This can be a chore when dealing with more than two dozen kids ages 5 to 18.

Once the players unpack their black-and-white boards and chess pieces, Ambartsoumian instructs them to pair up and play. Then he paces the aisles between the tables, one hand on his hip, the other pointing out mistakes.

“I’ve told you,” he reminds one, “always save your king.”

For Ambartsoumian, this is more than a game that teaches logical thinking, problem-solving and the ability to anticipate your opponent’s next move. It’s a part of the culture of Armenia that has extended to Glendale, where one third of the city’s 200,000 residents are of Armenian descent.

Chess’ popularity in Armenia began in 1963 when Tigran Petrosian defeated Mikhail Botvinnik, an elite Soviet player, for the world title. Petrosian won five more titles over the next six years, becoming more than just a role model in Soviet-dominated Armenia.

“He was [our] hero,” Ambartsoumian said. “I belong to that generation.”

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