The Wendell Meusa Chess Foundation (WMCF) is looking to get back into the business of teaching chess, starting this Easter holiday, with a chess camp. However, having recognised there is need for more advanced tutelage, WMCF founder Wendell Meusa is recruiting one of the best players in the Caribbean for this event.
Wendell Meusa
Like many other contact and non-contact sports, chess had been greatly impacted by the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The sport has since been able to thrive in online platforms, where teaching and competitions can be hosted.
The Wendell Meusa Chess Foundation has plans to pick up where it left off with its chess camps. This year’s Easter camp will be open to children aged from 6 to 16 in beginners, intermediate and advanced levels.
The WMCF flyer for its upcoming camp
Sharing his plans with this newscast, Wendell Meusa reflected on what he was able to achieve through these camps, prior to the pandemic.
“One of our greatest impacts was the Chess for Schools. Our Chess in Schools programme was very active before the pandemic. We had clubs we contributed to and worked with; we had Nations, Marians, where we would have assisted Mr and Mrs Lee. I worked with New Guyana School, I did some other projects with Mae’s, Saints, and all these other schools,” Meusa reflected.
“But due to the shutting down of the schools, we weren’t able to conduct the chess club. However, as I said, I’ve been coaching online. Most of our classes are being done online. We have smart apps that we’re using, we’re doing virtual teaching on zoom as well,” he said.
Having regard to all the time that has been missed, Meusa is recruiting the help of Barbadian International Master Orlando Husbands to assist in the transfer of knowledge.
“Last year we just decided to sit, wait, and see how the pandemic would’ve played out; and this year, we decided to put our foot back on the gas and get the ball rolling,” Meusa explained.
Further, he stated, “This year practically we venturing to something different. This year, Barbadian International Master Orlando Husbands, a former student of mine, will be coming to Guyana to participate in our 2022 Easter camp.
“Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope all goes well with the pandemic. If things go smoothly according to plan, he’ll be here to coach our juniors in two of our courses that we offer,” Meusa has added.
Aside from the camp, Meusa figures that Husbands can also share his knowledge with Guyana’s older players, specifically in one area that he has described to be lacking. On that topic he shared, “Most chess players locally are not equipped with enough endgame knowledge and techniques. So, that will be a big plus to have such a chess player coming to Guyana. Maybe he can motivate to get more younger player on board with chess in Guyana.”
For the camp, Meusa is aiming to have 20-230 students per session, with two sessions per day. It is his hope to add to the number of outstanding players he has nurtured over the years.
“One of my students, Orlando, this is – I could say – the greatest contribution I made. It feels very good to see that he’s on his way to becoming a grandmaster, which is the highest level. It’s always a good feeling to see your seeds blooming,” he highlighted.
Meusa added, “My students are, I could say, some of the top students in Guyana. They continue to show their best. We have, from 2009 to now, I’ve worked with Drayton, I’ve worked with Maria, so it’s always a good feeling to see my students becoming some of the best players they can be.”
