Needless ruckus over Barve’s Comments

There was certainly no need for an uproar such as the one we are witnessing in Goan chess today. Shrikant Barve made some observations on the net on All India Chess Federation circular that spelt fees to GMs/IMs for coaching that they would impart to players around the country. If Barve, who is a life member of the state chess association (GSCA) chose the wrong forum to express his views, the wiser men in the association also made the same mistake. The GSCA, unnecessarily, got worked up. It was a personal and unilateral opinion, and theirs is no reason why GSCA should even take serious notice of it as along as it (Association) was not dragged in to the controversy it or it did not cause the game in the state to come to a halt. It appears that Barve’s detractors were lying in waiting for a lame excuse to checkmate the man behind the success story of Taleigao Chess Academy.

The past come to haunt
About a year ago, I had got a whiff of behind –the-back scenes as the growing stature of Barve through numerous competitions for youngsters and his so-called ‘success’ with the coaching regiment for beginners was making some prominent chess buffs uneasy. When I enquired whether he has blessings of the Association to conduct various activities, he just gave me wry smile. I did not want to pursue the matter, but was certainly expecting a tirade against him. His detractors finally grabbed the opportunity when Barve posted his comments on the AICF circular on the net. They even tried to dig into his unglorious past, which I think is of no concern as long as he’s helping in development of the game.

More knowledgeable men in GSCA
The most difficult job of a coach in any game is to impart the basics to his pupils. The sporting fraternity in the state would want to know whether Barve’s style of functioning or his presence is good for the game to prosper or in he’s charging exorbitant fees. If his resume of an ‘unrecognized and unrated’ coach is not suitable for providing the best of training, the GSCA should create an awareness about it so that the parents refrain from sending their children to the Academy. With almost all its members quite knowledgeable of the game, some as much as Barve and many even more than him, it would be better for GSCA to start its own academy. I’m sure that the members, whenever required, would certainly offer their time and services for free as much as the GMs/IMs from outside the state – Goa has no GMs or IMs- have offered to do so. In case the AICF imposes a life ban on Barve, he will certainly not be able to use the services of the GSCA. But can they stop him from conducting training sessions? If they can’t, a similar situation like in taekwondo may occur, wherein players trained by Barve may not be allowed to participate in various competitions in the state. With Sameer Salgaocar at helm, chess has taken an upswing mode in the state but these bickerings won’t do any good.

Merits and demerits
Coming to the AICF circular, it merely puts a curb on the fees that were being charges by the rated coaches until now. Without doubt, the circular that prescribes a fee of Rs.10,000 for GMs and Rs.7000 to Rs.5000 for others for a 10 day coaching stint, has its merit and demerits. The main advantage is that it will make the accessibility to quality training for aspiring players easier. The disadvantage is as Barve describes it will set a bench mark’ because when our own players turn into GMs and IMs and would want to train younger players they will have to accept the fees without a murmur or just shy away from such a scheme. The poor remuneration may act as an obstacle for players in their decision to make a career out of chess and eventually it could lead to a dearth of coaches.
By SIMON ALPHONSNO on GT WEEKENDER Dated Mar 16 Pg 14