Ilsur Metshin visited the chess department of the sports school “Pervaya” after the overhaul

(KZN.RU, February 14, Alina Berezhnaya). Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, visited the building of a chess school today. A complex overhaul was carried out and modern equipment appeared in the building №11/2 on M. Gorky Street, which was transferred to the chess department of the sports school “Pervaya”. Today, 115 young chess players do sports in comfortable conditions. The head of the city assessed the changes and talked to the athletes.

The building where the school is located has not seen repair for 65 years. For two years, the building underwent a complete reconstruction: the windows were replaced, the electrician and sewerage system were repaired, ceilings were arranged, and much more. “It was a brilliant idea to repair the premises and open a school where such an intelligent, chamber, intellectual sport like chess would develop”, said Milyusha Ibragimova, the headmistress of the Sports School.

Everything is filled with the theme of chess in the school: beige walls, floor tiles in the form of a chessboard and upholstered furniture with carved legs. Ilsur Metshin assessed the interior space. “The interior should push the children to play chess. This is not just a room where children study. Everything should correspond to the great game: walls, furniture. That's why we paid a lot of attention to it”, said the Mayor of Kazan. He recommended the headmistress of the Sports School to decorate the walls with photos of outstanding Kazan chess players.

All conditions for training and holding major competitions are created for young chess players. Tournament chess sets were purchased, 3 monitors were installed in the competition hall for online games with chess players from around the world. You can watch the progress of the games from two large screens in the classrooms. 115 children are engaged in chess in such comfortable conditions. Many of them have already shown decent results in the team tournament in chess at the Mayor's Cup of Kazan, which was held in December last year.

For example, 10-year-old Alexander Kryukov began to go to a chess school from the moment of its opening. Before that, he played with his parents at home. “Now I go to the school myself and also brought my friends here. I am happy to sit at the chessboard, here I develop my thinking, logic and train my memory”, Alexander shared his impressions.

Ilsur Metshin himself looked at how the children master the “silent sport” visiting one of the classrooms. “Chess is gymnastics for the mind. You develop your mind by playing chess. This will greatly help you in your life in the search for non-standard solutions in various situations. You bring up the pledge of success in yourself today. Practice, try, and win”, I. Metshin addressed the children. He asked the trainer Tamara Chistyakova whether the teachers are happy with the conditions created in the school.

“I attended many chess schools in the country. I can say that everything is fine from a technical point of view”, said T. Chistyakova.

Milyausha Ibragimova, the headmistress of the Sports School, noted that interest in chess has increased in Kazan over the past 2-3 years. In order to make this sport more accessible, classes for people with disabilities take place at school one day a week. However, according to the headmistress, they have difficulty getting to the building. I. Metshin instructed Andrey Lobov, the head of the Vakhitovsky and Privolzhsky districts’ administration of Kazan, to plan the accommodation next to the parking lot for disabled people, and also to equip the building with ramps.

According to the Mayor, chess lessons should be attended by as many Kazan schoolchildren as possible. This would allow elementary school children to play chess along with dancing, drawing, and other section. “It is important that all children from 1 to 4 grades learn to play chess. Who will continue to pursue further is another matter. The most important thing is that in elementary school we teach children to think and instill a love for chess in them”, said I. Metshin.

Svetlana Vostrikova, the chairperson of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sports, added that chess is developing in Kazan. Now the question of holding courses for amateurs is being considered so that they can become professional trainers in the future.

In conclusion, Milyausha Ibragimova presented I. Metshin a candle in the form of a chess piece and thanked the Mayor for her help in developing chess sports.