RUSSIAN Chess Grandmaster, Anatoly Karpov has said: “Chess is everything: art, science and sport,” a sport which local chess star, Sheriffa Ali has mastered in her own way.
Ali, a law student at the University of Guyana, said she started to play chess 13 years ago and won her first chess tournament at the age of 8 years old.

“Since then I have competed in numerous chess tournaments. I have represented Guyana in the Inter-Guiana Games multiple times from 2011-2014. In 2016, at the 42nd Chess Olympiad that was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, I gained my Woman Candidate Master Title (WCM). Currently, I am the only holder of a WCM title in Guyana. I also represented my country in the 43rd Chess Olympiad that was held last year in Batumi, Georgia,” said Ali.
She believes that all her accolades have given her the right to call chess her game. And though some may say the sport is boring and complicated, she finds it as an intricate battle of the mind.

“I love playing chess, it takes my imaginations to extraordinary lengths. I love that chess challenges me to think harder and strengthens my analytical skills. I also love reading and learning new openings. In the evolving world of chess there is always a new and better variation of an opening,” said the young chess star.

Continuing along the path to success, she hopes to one day be the holder of a Grandmaster title, preferably before she reaches the age of 30.

Ali said chess has moulded her into the person she is and it has taught her how to be patient and how to manage her time.

“When I am about to begin a chess game I envisage myself being the protector of a kingdom, this makes me very competitive. As a woman, chess is my way of showing boys that we can be competitive as well,” said Ali.

For budding chess champions, she encouraged them to practice since practice is key. She also said that solving puzzles helps persons to think outside of the box.

“Stay focused and remember that anything is possible. Try to work out the idea behind your opponents’ move and also don’t forget to castle.”