Imagine a room full of boys and girls enthralled in playing a game that’s not on video. It’s not even electronic. The game began about a thousand years ago – give or take a century.
Michael Tisserand is a big fan of chess. He’s taught his own two children, Lusher School students, and last year organized the first New Orleans Chess Fest. It drew about 250 children and adults interested in the cerebral board game.
He says it’s not that hard to get today’s children excited about chess.
“You see these young first- and second-graders, they just want to get their hands on those pieces and start moving them around," he said. "And once they find out that every piece has its own little personality, its own little story, its own little way of moving out into the world, and you tell them that they're in charge. They get to control this little army -- this little collection of knights and kings and queens and bishops and pawns. And it’s their plan versus their opponent’s plan.”
There are headliners for the festival – including seven-time U.S. Chess Champion grandmaster Irina Krush.
“There’s going to be a chance to play grandmaster Krush. She’s going to play a ‘simul’ against 20 players at once," he said. "We’re going to have an expert chess player coming in from Chicago named Robby Rasmussen, who’s also going to play 20 kids at once – and adults.”
There will also be a living chess set in the Harry Potter style. And, of course, food and music.
Tisserand says it’s free – and will be held rain or shine Saturday at the Rosa Keller Library and Community Center in Broadmoor from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
