Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 24, 1992 TAG: 9203210020
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: NF1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
"It's an effective way to get kids to study, concentrate and analyze their options in life," says Ashley, an instructor with the Manhattan Chess Club School in New York. "It's a game that's modeled on life, with two opponents trying to outsmart each other."
Chess reveals how important long-term goals can be, he says, and it can teach players how to evaluate various options.
During a recent trip to Winston-Salem, Ashley brought his passion for the game to the Salvation Army Boys Club. Surrounded on three sides by young chess players, Ashley moved from board to board, quickly making his move and leaving the boys to figure out their response.
The boys seemed eager to challenge the master - just what Ashley wanted. "There's so much chess does without the kid realizing," he says. "It's perfect for developing young minds."
Ashley went through seven years of intense tournament competition to earn title of senior master.
He helped the chess club at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Junior High in Harlem, N.Y., tie for first in the 1991 junior-high U.S. Chess Federation championships.
by CNB