Let's Do This Better, Canada!

Mike Klein put his head and $10,000 on the line by challenging Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, to a chess match last week in his tweet. The face of Chesskid.com, FunMasterMike, is called “fun” for a reason. Who wouldn’t want to see blindfolded(!) Mike play a match against Justin Trudeau? What’s at stake if Mike wins? Mr. Trudeau will have to sign Canada’s petition to recognize chess as a sport. If Mike loses, it’s safe to assume that he will retire from chess, broke. (Kidding!)

Now let’s just hope Mr. Trudeau accepts the challenge!

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Dear readers, we’ve come a long way since the petition to the Canadian government to recognize chess as a sport opened on January 31 of this year. But we also have a long way to go! It’s been amazing to see all the support we got here in Canada from people, chess clubs, top players, the Globe and Mail journalists, CBC Radio (Is Chess A Sport?) and more. And to see this support expand internationally with Mike Klein’s fun challenge is just wonderful. We certainly hope to see more from you – WORLD! Please join us in this movement! Any tweet, any influencer with #chessisasport hash-tagged photo promoting chess is helpful. We are one world. One great chess community!

But we need to act quickly as the petition expires on April Fools’ Day (no joke!).

In this blog, I would like to share with you my story and why we are running this petition. I will also address some of the common questions and concerns we got along the way (the pushback). For those who are unfamiliar with the petition, please take a look at this blog: Let’s Do This Canada! 

I would like to emphasize, that we are not running this petition for the sake of calling chess a “sport.” That’s not what this is about. We would like to see chess recognized in Canada beyond its current status of “just a board game.” We would like government support and funding for this incredible game. We would like to open many possibilities for chess, more tournaments, and more chess programs. We want our top chess youth to pursue their dreams, be fully supported, and much more!

Currently, there is no other better category in Canada’s funding programs to put chess into. And, as to the millions of people across the world, chess was and always will be a sport.  

We need your signatures.

Chess In Europe vs Canada (My Story)

Allow me to begin with my own story. I was born in Russia and have been playing chess since I was four years old. At the ages of eight and ten, I was the top girl player in St. Petersburg and I was sent to Kazan’ and Yaroslavl’, respectively, to compete on the national level. (Yes! I met Alexandra Kosteniuk there before the world knew her name.) My trips were fully sponsored by the government. Not only that but I also got assigned a temporary chess coach and got small pocket money to buy candy and souvenirs. I didn’t have to spend a ruble from my parent’s pockets. All of this – is because chess is recognized as a sport in Russia. And not just Russia. It is a sport in many countries and is supported and funded by the government. No talented player is left behind in those countries.

Then, at the age of thirteen, I immigrated to Canada …

All the tournament fees here, all the travel expenses came out of my family’s pocket. Within a year, I qualified to compete at the World Youth Chess Festival, Girls Under 14 category. I was ecstatic! I jumped with joy and couldn’t believe that something that was once only a dream, was now a reality!

Only … it wasn’t. “You can’t go,” my stepfather told me. “We can’t pay for it. I’m sorry”

Can you imagine the shock? Can you imagine the tears that fled down my cheeks? I’ve worked so hard at chess to achieve something meaningful. I did it! And I couldn’t go because of finances. I, who always thought that chess would always be easily accessible as it was in Russia ...

This was 25 years ago. Today, little has changed. To this day, one can encounter talented youth, across Canada, who qualify to go to the world and many other championships but they can’t go because of the expenses. To this day, those same tears are passed down from generation to generation. 

Let’s change this! Chess as a "sport" in Canada might even open doors for sponsorship from the private sector. The opportunities!

Now, I still went to the World Championship ...

Caption: Olya at the World Youth Chess Festival, Girls U16, Spain, 2000 (the second time I went). 

The Chess Federation of Canada (CFC) and the host organizer covered most of my costs, as they do for the top first player in each age/gender category. However, the accompanying parent had (and still has) to pay for him/herself. We are talking about a cost of a few thousand dollars. The second and third place winners have to cover their own expenses entirely! 

My amazing parents ran a little fundraiser to make this happen and I am forever grateful to everyone who donated and supported me. Going to the world championship was one of the most amazing and defining chess experiences in my life. And I would like the chess youth, here in Canada, to have a shot at it as well.

Unfortunately, our CFC Youth Co-Ordinator – Christina Tao, has been witnessing this kind of story over and over again, throughout the years. In fact, she lived this story herself. She’s seen her daughters cry those tears of disappointment and disbelief. She’s seen the financial struggles and sacrifices many families go through and the overwhelming distress of children whose dreams are ripped and crushed from their hands ...

Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux has recently remarked: “I've seen many young and talented players who haven't been able to reach their full potential due to financial struggles, and it's very disheartening to see that some Canadian kids are unable to play too many tournaments or even have a coach to help them." Shawn recently won the World Youth Chess Championship Under 18 and, thus, made Canada proud. Go Canada!

So, if you are Canadian and haven’t signed the petition, please help us make this meaningful change today. This is not just for the youth. More chess tournaments, programs, and support are for everyone!

And now, let's address some issues: 

Common Questions & Concerns

I don’t believe chess is a sport, so I’m not signing the petition.

We respect your beliefs. Millions of people view chess as a sport. Millions don’t. So be it … However, please allow me to ask you – how much did your life change when the International Olympic Committee declared chess a sport? How much would your life change (for the worse) if Canada declared chess a sport? I assume it wouldn’t. But if you sign this petition – you will change the lives of many others, for the better!

What about my tax money? 

The government of Canada allocates a fixed budget to sports. It will just be slightly reallocated among all the different sports it supports. A child who works very hard at chess deserves financial support for his/her achievements as much as a child who works very hard at hockey.

The government of Canada funds sports because it wants to promote physical health. This, in turn, will lower healthcare costs. Chess does not promote physical health. 

It’s arguable whether chess promotes physical health or not. When a tournament player sits through a six-hour game (sometimes twice a day!), the game is no longer just mentally draining. It’s physically exhausting too. Many excellent chess players take up physical activity in order to stay fit for their games.

But that’s NOT the argument here. The point here is – chess promotes intellectual health. That’s a fact. Studies show it reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s (a health benefit!). Like sports, chess helps keep children out of trouble, especially during those turbulent teenage years. It unites people socially and helps us feel connected with like-minded individuals. It helps children succeed in school, and develop logic and analytical skills, time management, and sportsmanship. It keeps our mental health in check. The benefits of chess are incredible! And for ALL ages! How is this not beneficial to society and not worth a penny of funding?

I’m not a chess player and I couldn’t care less about chess, nor this petition.

I hear you. I’m also not a hockey player, not a snowboarder, not a skier, not an athlete (although I do work out!). I’m none of these things either. And I don’t watch sports. But every now and then I read an article about our youth who have accomplished something in sports, or any field for that matter, and I applaud. Go Canada! And when the Olympic games come, I watch every.single.sport. I root for our Canadians with all my heart. And did I mention that the International Olympic Committee recognized chess as a sport? This means, one day, we might send our own Team Canada over there. Wouldn’t this be amazing?

Oh, and did you root for Beth Harmon of The Queen’s Gambit? Beth is a fictional character. Let’s root for the real Beth Harmons of Canada. For we got plenty.  And they need your signatures.

I am not a Canadian. Can I still sign? 

Aw, thank you. Unfortunately not. However, the more “Mike Kleins” out there who support and promote our petition, internationally, the better! It might help, especially if you are an influencer. #WeAreOneWorld

I’m too lazy to sign.

By signing - consider being a part of history! It only takes 2 minutes.

Please sign. Please spread the word. The more signatures we collect, the more likely our voices will be heard and understood.

Thank you!

And a special thanks to Olga Mushtaler, the VP of CFC, who initiated this movement. She has put countless hours and thought into this process and her entirely selfless efforts are much appreciated!