Liberia Chess Federation (LCF) began her championship festival yesterday as the federation president described the game as the “real Pro-poor” game across the world.
Thomas Karyah said the game of chess globally is one the cheapest that people around the world could invest in to and get huge results through mind-development.
“I think chess is the real Pro-poor sports because anyone can support and get an outcome with no specific financial status. You can invest a very little in chess today and get a ransom reward tomorrow,” he said.
He said other sports like football, basketball, tennis and etcetera need more capital investment to have it impact the public and those involved but chess needs just little financial investment to make the world a better place.
“Other games are very expensive to manage and run, though many of them have very little contribution to impact what sportsmanship brings to the world,” Karyah noted.
But disappointingly, he intimated that people including Liberians still think of putting resources behind the expensive sports than the game that is played without discrimination.
“An average chess board costs less than three United States dollars, and goes for more than a year with the owner. This game is played by any person regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, disability and all other conditions,” he stated.
He further explained that the game has no restriction and is friendly to decision-making that should be embraced by all countries’ stakeholders for its developmental agenda, mostly Liberia for the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development.
The federation’s president made these remarks at media engagement recently in Monrovia when he provided updates on the status of the chess festival.
Karyah at the same time rallied Liberians to support the success of the fifth edition of the National Chess Championship emphasizing that the event will flag educational programs and activities for Liberian youths.
“We are calling on all Liberians to join us in this endeavor that is starting with the championship, we want those interested in chess to get connected to the federation and visit our headquarters so be part of this program,” he urged.
Meanwhile the federation’s leadership through the national championship planning committee is calling on the business community for support to the program.
It said it is open to having partnerships with Liberian and foreign businesses that will serve mutual benefits to all parties and have all components of the planned event rewarding.
“We are already set to start the event with the few sponsors we have outstanding to support the process. We need more of the business people and the businesses operating in the country to see this very rewarding program as a conduit to respond to social corporate and other responsibilities,” the federation maintained.
