The Gambia Chess Federation will today, 25 March 2014, organise a day’s rapid chess competition for chess players at Badala Park in Kotu.
The tournament will be conducted by David R. Sedgwick, FIDE International Arbiter who is in the country to help improve the standard of Gambian arbiter from national to international standards.
Speaking to reporters last Thursday at the Ocean Bay Hotel after his arrival, David R. Sedgwick said during his ten-day stay in the country he hopes to achieve three main things.
The first will be to further train the four Gambian arbiters who are appointed and licensed by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), he said.
The Gambia is only one of three countries in West Africa to have licensed arbiters internationally, he added, saying it was a big achievement for The Gambia within a short period of time after being deregistered by FIDE for 25 years.
He stated that the second will be to discuss with the Gambia Chess Federation on their participation in the August Olympiad to be held in Norway.
Thirdly, during his ten-day stay in the country they will receive the Vice President of FIDE from Zambia, he also said, noting that he is as well hoping to have meetings with the Minister of Youth and Sports and Minister of Basic and Secondary Education to discuss how they can develop chess in The Gambia for both children and senior players.
He said there is no connection with the training of the four Gambian arbiters and the Olympiad, but added that he is hoping for at least one of them to be appointed for the Olympiad.
After Gambia’s 25 years of absence in the international scene, the country is starting from scratch, he went on, saying that since last year the country has been making progress.
“We have to build on that progress in due course,” he pointed out, saying the Gambian arbiters can be recognised to qualify to run events not only in The Gambia but also internationally.
Recently the West Africa Chess Association financed a tournament in The Gambia, he said, describing the championship as a success, which is certainly something to build on.
The English Chess Federation senior arbiter further stated that he also hopes to help the administration of the Gambia Chess Federation so that when the team goes for the Olympiad they perform to the best of their ability. Gambia is one of ten countries among the newly created zones of the West Africa International Chess Federation within Africa consisting of countries within the southern part of West Africa, he further pointed out, saying their will be the first zonal tournament probably to be held next year.
“I would really like to see this first tournament to be held in The Gambia as the country will be celebrating its 50th Independence Anniversary,” he remarked, saying they would talk to the Ministry of Youth and Sport and the National Sports Council about it.
Mr Sedgwick, in conclusion, said he would also do some exercises on multiple choice questions as well as see where they might also need additional training, to help them.
