Young chess wizard Tewana Mellace contemplates his next move.
-Contributed photo
Kimone Thompson, Gleaner Writer
CHESS IS not only for adults, and little Tewana Mellace knows it only too well. At only eight years of age, Tewana captured the Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 chess titles at the National Junior Age Group Chess Champs hosted by the Jamaica Chess Federation earlier this month.
The youngest participant in the event, Mellace emerged victor over seven of the best players from across Jamaica between the ages of eight and 14, after beating last year's U-12 champion, Brian Ewbank, to capture the U-14 title.
About his phenomenal win, the soft-spoken second grader says he feels good. He says participating in the game helps with his concentration, problem-solving and thinking skills. Having placed second in his class, there is no doubt that chess has a positive impact on the young lad.
GRAND MASTER
"I love chess because it helps me think in school," he told The Gleaner.
Although he is uncertain of what he wants to become when he grows up, Mellace is aiming to become a Grand Master, the highest level of chess, and he is well on his way.
The little champ also topped the U-6 category of the Junior Orange Bowl Scholastic Chess Championship in the United States last December where the Jamaican team claimed third place in the nine and Under section.
Tewana's father and coach, Andrew Mellace, said he is all for his son pursuing his dream of becoming a Grand Master. He said of the more than 500 million people who play chess worldwide, less than 1,000 of them have attained Grand Master status which speaks to the difficulty and challenge of the game.
According to Mellace, who teaches chess professionally and who taught his son to play, the secret to mastering chess is to practice. He says chess thoroughly exercises the mind and with practice one will only get better.
"You know that Bowflex is an exercise machine for the whole body, right? Well chess is an entire gym for the mind. You know when you exercise the body the muscles hurt, well it's the same with chess. When you exercise the brain or the mind, your head is going to hurt, that means it's working," he said.
However, he emphasised the importance of resting when the pain sets in.
"When yuh head start hurt yuh, you know yuh going to want to rest. But it's a good game... it makes you get smarter. If you're a B student, it will make you become an A student. It's an intellectual game."
Mellace's six-year-old daughter, Teana, is also learning the game from her father and brother but, according to Tewana, "she caan play so good (yet)."
