Eight representatives from Singapore receive instructions from grandmaster Kevin Goh minutes before their first international chess tournament on Tuesday ( October 8 ).
” Do n’t tense up”, he says, while walking them through the competition format.
One of the party leaves immediately to use the restroom, another does some stretching.
In front of the eight are their own devices, which they will use to compete against regional rivals from all over the place.
But this is no common games competition.
The devices have locked keys, the companies are supervised strongly by soldiers, and they are vying from Changi Prison.
The Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners ( IOCCP ) is about to break out.
AN” INSATIABLE HUNGER”
Last year, the Singapore Prison Service ( SPS), in collaboration with the Singapore Chess Federation, introduced a chess programme for inmates within Changi Prison’s B1 institution, as part of the Chess for Freedom ( CFF ) initiative.
The goal was to use games to promote inmate rehab and stop recidivism.
Integral to CFF’s commencement was Mr Goh, who’s one of just six games overpowers in Singapore. This headline is the highest one a game player you hold.
” Ever since I joined the Singapore Chess Federation, ( I had been thinking ) about how we can improve the awareness of the game and all its healthy benefits”, he told CNA.
We had a couple important ideas in mind, and one of the ideas that came up was this specific program.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim praised the initiative, saying,” It’s fine to give our residents other hobbies or even interests so they can get up and then concentrate on something they eventually grow to including.”
The program was run by 34 prisoners in August of last year. To date, a total of 58 have participated in CFF.
” When people heard that the chess ( grand ) master was coming to teach them how to play chess, they got very interested”, recalled , Rehabilitation Officer ( RO ) Lim Wee Siong, who heads the CFF.