Dart Minds Inspired is proud to announce its sponsorship of the upcoming Interschool Chess Tournament, scheduled to be held on Wednesday, 27 February, at the Arts and Recreation Centre in Camana Bay.

Hosted by Cayman International School, the competition will feature round robin and championship rounds with divisions for primary, middle school and high school students.

Dart Education Programmes Manager Glenda McTaggart says that, by encouraging a broad range of skills, the game of chess can have a positive transformative impact on young people.

“The skills developed through chess are visible in and out of the classroom,” she says. “Volumes of research have shown that chess contributes to skills such as problem solving, memory, spatial reasoning, patience, concentration, thinking ahead, and consequences of actions.”

Mrs. McTaggart also says playing chess and participating in chess tournaments can create opportunities for Cayman’s youth to compete at national, regional, and international chess events.

“By sponsoring this interschool tournament, we hope to encourage the development of chess clubs at other local schools that do not currently have chess programmes,” she says. “It would be incredible to see all schools represented at this inaugural event.”

The tournament will complement the Chess In Schools programme organised by the Cayman Chess Club.

Tournament organiser Stephen Wise notes that: “Chess not only promotes the spatial and sequential thinking so important in problem solving but provides a window to a larger world. Like music, chess is a universal language.”

Going forward, the event is expected to become an annual fixture on local schools’ calendars as a Minds Inspired programme.

To register for the inaugural Interschool Chess Tournament, contact Mr. Wise at [email protected]