Game of Life taught

Portsmouth chess event teaches game of life
By CHARLES McMAHON
Article Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Seven-year-old Colleen Spear of Portsmouth ponders her next move during a gathering of chess enthusiasts at the Portsmouth Library on Saturday.

PORTSMOUTH — Chess enthusiasts of all ages gathered on Saturday morning to participate in the first Port City Chess Fest, sponsored by the Portsmouth Rotary Club.

Scores of children and their parents filled the Levenson Community Room at the Portsmouth Public Library and got a chance to test out their knowledge against other chess fans.

The event, which was made possible by the Portsmouth Rotary’s Jeremy Alex Fund Committee, was an effort to provide a forum for local youths to meet and discuss strategy and also play a game or two.Ted Alex, father of Jeremy Alex, was on hand for the gathering and said that it was great to see all of the young children walking in with the chess sets that were provided through the fund.

In early January, Ted Alex along with several other members of the committee handed out over 188 chess sets to all fourth grade students in the city. The magnetic chess sets, along with one giant set, were distributed to each of the four elementary schools around the city, including St. Patricks School, Dondero School, Little Harbor School and New Franklin School.

Alex said that the folding chess sets were paid for through the fund, but credits Bob Breneman, owner of G. Willikers, for providing them at a low cost. Breneman touted the healthy family experience playing games like chess provides and even provided a raffle for the event for children to guess how many chess pieces were in a jar.

The closest entry would receive a $30 gift certificate to the popular downtown toy-store.

Portsmouth resident Jackson Smith, 7, and his mother, Kenley Darling, brought their own chess set and got a chance to play a few games together.

Kenley Darling finds herself in checkmate by her 7-year-old son, Jackson Smith, at a gathering of chess enthusiasts at the Portsmouth Library, Saturday. Mother and son are also from Portsmouth.

“I really like the idea of consequence the game teaches you,” said Kenley Darling.

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