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A little chess champion: No. 1-ranked Marion boy comes from family of talented players

by ashley wiehle
the southern

Tuesday, December 27, 2005 7:02 AM CST

MARION - While some kindergartners are learning to use their silverware politely, Ian Gilchrist is more concerned with forks.

Forks, for chess neophytes, are complex movements within the game of chess that invite a knight to threaten two other game pieces simultaneously. Mastery of the fork landed 6-year-old Ian an impressive title in a championship most people aren't aware of - No. 1 kindergarten chess player in the United States.

Actually, Ian tied for title of the best with two players from Dallas - but sharing the title of best in the country is an enormous accomplishment for a gentleman who wears Spiderman shoes.

Ian lives in Marion with his parents and older brother Josh, a fellow national chess champion. Little sister Hailey is an aspiring chess champion, progressing along at the same pace as her older brothers.

Both Ian and Josh learned chess at an early age, said dad Dave Gilchrist, a lifelong chess player.

"He knew where the chess pieces went when he was just 2," Dave said of Ian, explaining that Josh, who is 7, learned chess along with his brother. "He was 4 when he started getting good."

Because there is little scholastic chess in Southern Illinois, the boys travel more than three hours to attend chess tournaments where they can compete against others their age. The national tournament, sponsored by the United States Chess Federation, was held in Houston.

Winning the national championship helped Ian add to the collection of trophies in the family's chess room. Approximately 60 trophies, a few taller than the brothers, adorn the room, so named because of the glittering trophies that occupy each available space.

Another advantage came with the win - an international travel opportunity before the first grade. Ian and Dave are scheduled to travel to Turkey to compete in the international championships, as a result of winning in Houston.

Mom Faride doesn't get to travel as much with the boys, but she said she is proud of her sons' accomplishments. When she does travel, she spends most of the time at the tournament with Hailey, who is destined to be the third Gilchrist chess champ.

"She likes to play with the pieces, too," Faride said, "but she can't understand yet."

Although Ian's hobby seems unusual within Southern Illinois, chess tournaments for young children are very common throughout the United States. Learning chess is a great learning tool for children, Dave said, which will help them with any intellectual pursuit.

"People think smart kids play chess, but chess makes kids smarter," Dave said. "It's the other way around. It helps them focus better. If parents would try to get chess more active in school, after two or three years, it starts helping these standardized test scores."

With the intellectual benefits of chess in mind, Dave has taught a chess class for young children in past years. This year, other commitments will not allow him to teach the class, but he will lend his expertise to another teacher who is taking the reins.

Last year's class saw 28 students learning the finer points of knights, bishops and rooks. Classes aren't strenuous, lasting only an hour, but experience has taught Dave that chess practice needn't be strenuous to get impressive results.

"Ian and Josh only spend 20 minutes a day on chess," Dave said. "Ian's No. 1 in the nation from 20 minutes a day. If you give it less time, you can do it every night."

Although Dave spends a lot of time working with the boys, he said anyone could learn to play chess. Teaching children is a bit more involved than teaching adults, Dave said, but they catch on surprisingly quickly.

"You never know who the next state champion is that just hasn't learned to play yet," Dave said.

Parents of potential chess players can contact Dave at (618) 889-6378.

 

ashley.wiehle@thesouthern.com

(618) 997-3356 ext. 5807