Chess players and coaches, writers, teachers and fans of the game from around the world will meet in Dallas this weekend to explore the benefits of chess on education.
The Second Koltanowski International Conference on Chess and Education begins Friday, Nov. 18, at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. It concludes Saturday, Nov. 19.
Dr. Tim Redman, a professor of literary studies at UT Dallas, is the founder of the UT Dallas Chess Program and the conference organizer.
“I chose to have a second international conference because there has been a considerable advance in serious work on chess and education in the last 10 years,” said Dr. Tim Redman, who is a professor of literary studies at UT Dallas, the founder of the UT Dallas Chess Program and the conference organizer.
“The first conference 10 years ago was designed to be skeptical about the sometimes exaggerated claims for the benefits of chess on education. I, myself, had no doubts, but we needed to take a hard look at the evidence. Ten years later, there are many more studies that attest to what we all knew all along – chess is good for children.”
The author of a book on chess legend Bobby Fischer will discuss and sign his book.
The conference will feature such speakers as Dr. Frank Brady, chair of the Department of Communications at St. John’s University in New York, where he also founded and directs the Chess Program. Brady is also the founding editor of the magazine Chess Life and author of Profile of a Prodigy, a book about Brady’s friend and chess prodigy Bobby Fischer. Brady will be discussing his newest book Endgame, a definitive biography of Fischer.
“In Endgame, I attempt to show how Fischer studied and mastered the game, principally by himself,” Brady said.
“It demonstrates a unique way toward the pursuit of excellence in chess, both the advantages, and in some cases, the disadvantages,” Brady said. “As an educator, I feel that it is of the utmost of importance to have the wisdom and guidance of teachers, especially in chess, but that was not the case, primarily, with Bobby Fischer.”
Brady will hold a book signing on Saturday, Nov. 19, in conjunction with his talk.