While standing in a parking lot outside of the Horatio Williams Foundation Center at 1010 Antietam near Ford Field early Friday morning, June 20, Minerva Murff-Brown confided that her daughter and nephew had a difficult time sleeping Thursday night.
But the smile on Murff-Brown’s face hinted that the childrens’ restlessness was connected to a good cause. And, in fact, that was indeed the case as the Detroiter went on to explain.
“My daughter (Kymoni Brown) and my nephew (Jordan Robinson) were so excited about this tournament and going across the water that they could barely sleep,” Murff-Brown, a volunteer for the Detroit City Chess Club (DCCC), which teamed up with the Toronto Chess Club (TCC) to put on the inaugural Great Lakes International Youth Chess Cup from June 20-22 in downtown Toronto, said. “We had to keep telling the kids to go to sleep, but they were so excited because Toronto is a new place for them to play chess and they’re excited to see what the competition is like in a different country.”
Kymoni and Jordan — middle school students at Edmonson Montessori and Bunche Academy, respectively — were joining 28 other DCCC members ranging from first to 12th grade that were making the trip on a spiffy yellow bus from the Horatio Williams Foundation Center to Toronto for a weekend of competition, featuring classical chess and blitz play, and cultural exchange.
The excitement for the tournament that Murff-Brown described was music to the ears of Catherine Martinez.
“Detroit is known for sports, the automotive industry and Motown. And we also want the world to know Detroit for powerful youth that display their brain power in chess,” said Martinez, who serves as DCCC’s board president. “This tournament also expands our competitive reach and is a good reminder to our young people that they are a part of a global society and residents of the entire planet.”
Several of the “powerful” youths that Martinez proudly spoke of on Friday morning stood nearby, including Christian Williams and Darius Piper.
“I hope I do well at this tournament, because at Nationals (this year) I almost got first,” Christian, who will be starting the 10th grade at Cass Tech next school year, said. “So, I’m really excited about this opportunity and the chance to play in Canada.”
Darius echoed Christian’s enthusiasm, while also identifying some additional perks that the tournament offers.
“When I heard about the tournament, I thought it would be a fun trip, and having a chance to raise my international rating makes it even better,” Darius, a rising senior at Renaissance High School explained. “It shows, too, that the Detroit City Chess Club is absolutely necessary. We already have Detroit Public Schools Community District chess, but it’s even better to have all of the Detroit community come together and bond over chess.”
Kevin Fite, founder of DCCC, says the idea for the tournament that kicked off on the first day of summer, actually began taking shape during a “cold call” to a Toronto phone number in December 2024 that got a warm reception.
“My first response when I received the call from Coach Fite was, ‘Why me?’ and ‘Why us?’ Because there are so many great clubs around,” explained Peter Lambert, founder of the Toronto Chess Club, who spoke on the morning of June 20, as the Detroit City Chess Club members, coaches and other supporters were en route to his city. “But we are very excited and feel very privileged that we are hosting this historic event. This is our first breakout event branded with our own name! I really must thank Kevin Fite for reaching out to me, starting the conversation, and inspiring me to start planning under our own name.”
Fite says he viewed a tournament in Toronto as a natural next destination for DCCC, given the many national tournaments the club has participated in during its 22-year history.
“We’ve done everything we can do in our country as far as travel — North, South, East and West,” said Fite, who arrived at the Horatio Williams Foundation Center with a truckload of snacks and some cash for members to use for additional treats in Toronto, largely due to Detroiter Lamika Adams, who made the donation in honor of her son, Ja’monte Adams, a former DCCC member who died in 2018.
And just as the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs faced off four times — 1945, 1948, 1949 and 1951 — for the Stanley Cup during the “Original 6” era of the National Hockey League, the young players representing DCCC and TCC will be vying for a host of medals and trophies until the final match of the tournament is played. The hardware also will include what Fite described as the “Perpetual Trophy,” which will be awarded to the club that has the overall best performance during the competition. That trophy will be held by the club until the next Great Lakes International Youth Chess Cup is played.
However, one DCCC coach who has earned the title of “Expert” in chess, says there is an even greater prize that awaits each participant if they apply lessons learned through chess to the game of life.
“I tell everyone that chess saved my life, because every Saturday when my friends (growing up) were doing things that they had no business doing, I was at a chess tournament,“ said DCCC coach Dereke Wilder, who grew up playing chess at Clark Elementary, McNair Technical Middle School and Finney High School (Class of 2006). “And for the kids playing today with DCCC, I feel like there is about a 97% chance that they will do something phenomenal with their lives, as far as going to college and getting good jobs. Since the time I began coaching with DCCC about 10 years ago (at Chrysler Elementary), the majority of our kids that graduate, they’re doing great because DCCC is a community — a village — that keeps the kids motivated. And it’s a blessing to be a part of it.”
Making winning moves in chess and life
Who: Detroit City Chess Club
What: A 22-year-old nonprofit committed to providing metro Detroit youths with quality programs and experiences rooted in chess, which will enable them to excel academically and in life in a safe, supportive and nurturing environment.
Recent activity: Participation in the inaugural Great Lakes International Youth Chess Cup with the Toronto Chess Club from June 20-22 in downtown Toronto. Tournament recap information can be found at https://www.greatlakeschesscup.com.
Summer activities following the Great Lakes International Youth Chess Cup: Free open chess sessions during the summer on Fridays at the Detroit Institute of Arts student lunch room from 4-8 p.m. and on Saturdays from the outdoor terrace of the Union Assembly restaurant (2131 Woodward near Comerica Park) from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The community is invited to the free open chess sessions.
Learn more: Please visit https://detroitthinkers.com/
Scott Talley is a native Detroiter, a proud product of Detroit Public Schools and a lifelong lover of Detroit culture in its diverse forms. In his second tour with the Free Press, which he grew up reading as a child, he is excited and humbled to cover the city’s neighborhoods and the many interesting people who define its various communities. Contact him at stalley@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @STalleyfreep. Read more of Scott’s stories at www.freep.com/mosaic/detroit-is/. Please help us grow great community-focused journalism by becoming a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Toronto tournament is latest mind-expanding adventure for the Detroit City Chess Club
Reporting by Scott Talley, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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