Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 14, 1993 TAG: 9305140037
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KEVIN KITTREDGE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PEARISBURG LENGTH: Medium
That is, unless you're darned good.
Olson, 6, is the only kindergartner on the chess team at Macy McClaugherty School in Pearisburg.
The only one ever.
Call him "The Kindergarten Kid."
Ryan, the son of Pam and Paul Olson of Pearisburg, grew interested in chess when his older sister took it up. Courtney Olson, 9, also is no slouch.
In fact, "she's improving like a house afire," said Russell Potter, the Roanoke chess master who is giving both Olson kids lessons.
But it is Ryan who is opening eyes, because of his tender age.
The Macy McClaugherty chess team coach, Charlie Gregory, said Ryan was allowed on the team only because he already understood the basics of chess.
His progress has been rapid. A year ago he barely knew the moves, Gregory said.
Last month, Ryan finished sixth in his age group at the National Elementary Championships in Charlotte, N.C.
"He's playing at a level where he can beat kids who are five or 10 years older than him without much trouble," Gregory said.
A budding Bobby Fischer, maybe?
"I don't know," said Gregory. "I think he shows a lot of promise."
What Olson's prowess may prove more than anything is just how much a smart kid can accomplish at an early age, say his teachers.
"We limit children with their own limited expectations," said Potter, Virginia's reigning chess champ. "You're basically dealing with just six little figures [in chess]. . . . If they're gifted and inspired and you use humor," chess can be taught to youngsters.
Gregory agreed.
"Very bright children, I think, can pick this game up when they're 3 or 4 years old if someone is willing to spend a lot of time with them," he said.
It's also good for them, Potter thinks. Studies have shown children who take up chess at an early age will outstrip their peers in analytical reasoning, among other things, he said.
Ryan said he started by playing entire games with pawns. Slowly he worked in the other pieces until he could use them all.
"At first it's hard. Then it gets easy," Ryan said.
For him, maybe. Ryan has been known to beat junior high school students at tournaments.
"They all go, `How old are you?' " said his mother.
He even has beaten his sister - once.
His mother, alas, is no contest. Pam Olson only recently learned to play.
"She still doesn't know how to move her rooks," said Ryan. "She moves her rooks like bishops, and her bishops like rooks."
"Ryan creams me," his mother admitted.
Chess isn't Ryan's only skill. A kind of Renaissance kid in Nikes, the kindergartner also takes piano and violin lessons and plays soccer.
He prefers chess to the violin - but isn't aiming to make it as a pro. If the chess tournaments ever dried up, Ryan reasons, he'd find himself out of a job.
Other career options include doctoring - his father is a Pearisburg physician - and mining for gold in space.
For the short term, however, Ryan's goal is clear: He wants to win a game against chess coach Gregory.
There's a powerful incentive.
"As soon as I can beat him," Ryan said, "I get to throw a pie in his face."
by CNB