U.S. Peace Corps Sponsors First National High School Chess Tourney

U.S. Peace Corps Sponsors
First High School Chess Tourney in Liberia

The first National High School Chess Tournament in Liberia took place June 7-9 in Kakata, Margibi County under the auspices of the U.S. Peace Corps. The Chess Tournament brought together 12 finalists from six high schools in Grand Gedeh, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Bong, Nimba, and Lofa Counties to compete. Peace Corps Volunteers teach and run chess clubs in those schools that sent students to the tournament.

Filled with anxiety to play chess, the 12 students arrived on Friday, June 7th and were put into two groups of six each. The six players in each group played against each other one time on a knockout basis. On the first day, the students played two of their five group stage games with students Benjamin Quaye and Mohammed Zinnah of Sass Town, Bomi County leading their groups, though the rest of the field appeared to be wide open.

On Saturday, they played their remaining group games which saw each student trying their hardest to make the finals. Not everyone could make it to the next stage, and the semi-finalists were Abass Barry and Vamuyan Sheriff of Gbarpolu County and Benjamin Quaye and Mohammed Zinnah of Bomi County.

The star of the semi-finals was Benjamin, who won two games straight to move on to the championship game. Mohammed and Vamuyah played three games but in the end it was Vamuyah who prevailed to advance to the championship game. Abass and Mohammed competed for third place. Abass managed to overcome a stomach illness to win third place with very aggressive play.

The final was played in isolation, to allow the players their full concentration, while the rest of the students and spectators watched the game on a projector screen in a separate room and debated the games as they happened. In the first game, Vamuyah had a lead but Benjamin managed to checkmate with some very crafty plays.

In the next game both players were tentative until Benjamin trapped Vamuyah's king on the back row with his queen, making him the champion. Quaye said, "Before the game I was a little bit scared but I knew I could win against him," in the final. Quaye added, "He was focused on trading pieces and I was focused on putting him in checkmate. My strategy was to protect my pieces while attacking his king." Vameyuh Sheriff said of the event, "This was the best weekend of my life."

At the end of the first National High School Chess Tournament in Liberia, on June 9, the Peace Corps gave each player a certificate, and math and science textbooks.