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2008 International Goan Convention
Toronto, Canada
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Needless ruckus over Barve’s Comments
There was certainly no need for an uproarsuch as the one we are witnessing in
Goan chess today. Shrikant Barve made someobservations on the net on All India
Chess Federation circular that spelt feesto GMs/IMs for coaching that they
would impart to players around the country.If Barve, who is a life member of
the state chess association (GSCA) chose thewrong forum to express his views,
the wiser men in the association also madethe same mistake. The GSCA,
unnecessarily, got worked up. It was a personal andunilateral opinion, and
theirs is no reason why GSCA should even take seriousnotice of it as along as
it(Association) was not dragged in to the controversy it or it did not cause
thegame in the state to come to a halt. It appears that Barve’s detractors
were lying in waiting for a lameexcuse to checkmate the man behind the success
story of Taleigao Chess Academy.
Thepast come to haunt
About a year ago, I had got a whiff of
behind –the-back scenes as the growing stature of Barve through numerous
competitions for youngsters and his so-called ‘success’ with the coaching
regiment for beginners was making some prominent chess buffs uneasy. When I
enquired whether he has blessings of the Association to conduct various
activities, he just gave me wry smile. I did not want to pursue the matter, but
was certainly expecting a tirade against him. His detractors finally grabbed
the opportunity when Barve posted his comments on the AICF circular on the net.
They even tried to dig into his unglorious past, which I think is of no concern
as long as he’s helping in development of the game.
Moreknowledgeable men in GSCA
The most difficult job of a coach in any game is to impart thebasics to his
pupils. The sporting fraternity in the state would want to knowwhether Barve’s
style of functioning or his presence is good for the game toprosper or in he’s
charging exorbitant fees. If his resume of an ‘unrecognizedand unrated’ coach
is not suitable for providing the best of training, the GSCAshould create an
awareness about it so that the parents refrain from sendingtheir children to
the Academy. With almost all its members quite knowledgeableof the game, some
as much as Barve and many even more than him, it would bebetter for GSCA to
start its own academy. I’m sure that the members, wheneverrequired, would
certainly offer their time and services for free as much as theGMs/IMs from
outside the state – Goa has no GMs or IMs- have offered to do so.In case the
AICF imposes a life ban on Barve, he will certainly not be able touse the
services of the GSCA. But can they
stop him from conducting trainingsessions? If they can’t, a similar situation
like in taekwondo may occur,wherein players trained by Barve may not be allowed
to participate in variouscompetitions in the state. With Sameer Salgaocar at
helm, chess has taken anupswing mode in the state but these bickerings won’t do
any good.
Meritsand demerits
Coming to the AICF circular, it merely puts a curb on the fees that werebeing
charges by the rated coaches until now. Without doubt, the circular
thatprescribes a fee of Rs.10,000 for GMs and Rs.7000 to Rs.5000 for others for
a10 day coaching stint, has its merit and demerits. The main advantage is
thatit will make the accessibility to quality training for aspiring players
easier.The disadvantage is as Barve describes it will set a bench mark’ because
whenour own players turn into GMs and IMs and would want to train younger
playersthey will have to accept the fees without a murmur or just shy away from
such ascheme. The poor remuneration may act as an obstacle for players in
theirdecision to make a career out of chess and eventually it could lead to a
dearthof coaches.
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