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Today we are going to speak with our friend Brad Borkowski a.k.a. the Colorado Woodworker from United States. Brad is a high school woodshop teacher based in Colorado Springs. Since 2013, he's run a successful store on Etsy in his spare time selling beautiful, handcrafted chessboards. After the release of Netflix's The Queen's Gambit, his sales skyrocketed!

His unique design includes various types of luxury hardwoods that he commonly uses on his custom made chessboards. They are built to be extremely long-lasting. I just ordered one beautiful masterpiece myself.

This is Cristina from Opening Master – the biggest human quality chess database with 9.7 million official chess games, sharing the chess wisdom, education, and great stories around the world. Opening Master is a proud supporter and partner of Colorado Woodworker.

Cristina:

Brad, your journey from having nothing to your name when you moved to Colorado Springs and then becoming a teacher and successful woodworker who just skyrocketed on chess.com commercial is truly inspiring. Can you share with us a moment or a memory during those early days that touched your heart and motivated you to keep going despite the challenges you faced?

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Thank you

Today we are going to speak with our friend Lena Miladinovic from Serbia. She is a Woman International Master in chess, an international arbiter, and a FIDE instructor, coach, and CEO of Outpost Chess. The Outpost Chess is a new global platform that connects event organizers, chess clubs, players, arbiters, trainers, and offers a comprehensive hub for tournament organizers where they can find an end to end solution for running their events under one roof. And she won a startup of the year.

This is Derek from Opening Master, the biggest human quality chess database with 9. 6 million official chess games, sharing the chess wisdom, education, and great stories around the world. Opening Master is a proud supporter and partner of Outpost Chess.

Opening Master - Lena, your journey in chess has been truly fascinating from being a successful player to becoming an inspiring trainer, arbiter, and now a visionary businesswoman with Outpost Chess. Can you take us back to a specific moment or experience that ignited your passion for chess and made you realize that it would be an integral part of your purpose in life?

Lena - Hello Derek, nice to meet you. Well, the first question is, it's not easy to answer it all. So, when did I find out that chess is going to be an integral part of my life?

To be honest, I have no idea because I started to play chess when I was five.  Um, and then I started winning trophies and everything. It was so interesting. And after that,  I started being a trainer and started teaching little kids, which was so interesting.  And I wanted to know more. And then I started, you know, passing tests for arbiters and I become intern international arbiter.

So it was so interesting. And I have no idea when was that moment, but I always knew that I. Don't want to be focused only on one thing. I want to meet everything  So once I meet every single angle in chess,  I started thinking of okay Let's meet the business angle and let's fix the things that chess needs to be fixed like bad connection bad Communication bad representation of us as a players.

I'm having a trouble to find a club. I'm having a trouble to find a tournament  Let's, you know, gather everything together at Outpost Chess and that was like my vision and my idea. Let's help chess people monetize out of their skills. Let's help players find a club. Let's help arbiters find some tournament.

  Let's help trainers and students find each other and eventually let's help tournament organizers to organize their tournaments  on easy, easy, smooth Way because of them we are playing in tournaments and that's what is important. So, uh, that was the aim of, uh, Outpost chess in my whole career. And your dedication to chess and its community is evident in your role as a FIDE certified instructor Teaching and inspiring young minds.

Opening Master - Is there a particular student or moment in your teaching career that deeply touched your heart and reaffirmed the importance of passing on your knowledge and love for the game?

Lena - When it comes to me being a chess trainer, that came just after me being a professional player. And I found out that I wanted to contribute my knowledge and my experience and to teach mostly kids.

Uh, when you ask me who is my favorite, uh, students, I'm going to say kids, but chess is for everybody for adults, both. So, uh,  from zero to 100 years, whoever is interested actually to learn about chess,  you can reach out and find a fine trainer. Maybe Outpostchess is the best platform to find somebody to teach you to play chess.

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Last month, our first chess sets were printed in Ghana. This is symbolic because it's most likely a novelty. The Royal Ladies of Klean Afrique 64 with technical support from M I T alumni, empowered by the New York Charity Foundation. The Gift of Chess made this a reality. Said with humble voice, ordained minister of the Gospel, Ghana Lawyer, International Chess Federation organizer and coordinator, and the Gift of Chess representative in Ghana.

Let me welcome Reverend Charles Tandoh, who agreed to have a short interview with us, explaining why he thinks printing chess sets in Ghana helps the local community and how he plans to expand the factory to be self-sufficient, producing quality chest sets from plastic waste to the world. This is Meredith from Opening Master.

The biggest human quality chess database with 9.6 millions  official chess games, sharing the chess wisdom, education, and great stories around the world.  Let's talk about your life in Ghana. Finding the purpose in life through chess and charity. Kids who cannot afford chess sets and 3 D chess sets, you are printing from plastic waste in your factory.

Charles, it is very nice meeting you. Nice. meeting you Meredith. My name is Charles Raymond Tandoh, from Ghana, West Africa. I am an ordained minister of the Gospel, a lawyer and a social worker. I consider myself to be an entrepreneur and I happen to be the Gift of Chess Ambassador to Ghana. Now, presently, I'm involved to get out my team here in chess production at Klean Afrique 64 Company Limited.

We produce chess sets. Using 3D printing, but it is a hope to scale production by using injection molding technology that can produce en Mass and supply not only the Ghanaian community by the whole of the African continent and beyond... more in the interview

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Whether you're looking to improve your rating, compete in tournaments, or simply enjoy the game of chess at a higher level, the Unstoppable Chess Academy can help you achieve your goals. With its knowledgeable instructors, cutting edge training tools and supportive community of fellow chess enthusiasts, the Academy offers everything you need to master the art of chess and become an unstoppable player.

We have asked our fellow student from Ireland, Mary Lea, about her recent experience with UCA and the head coach Abi. This is Rosie from Unstoppable Chess Academy, powered by  Opening Master, the biggest chess database.  I welcome you to our regular interview sessions with Greatest Minds in Chess. Hi, Mary.

It's pleasure talking with you. I have few questions for you, and I'm pretty sure our chess community would love to hear about you more. Let's start with easy one, how it is working with Unstoppable Chess Academy. What can you say about Coach Abi? Well, at the moment I'm studying with, uh, Unstoppable, uh, chess academy.

And, um, my coach is Abi, who's been helping me, um,  with board visualization and improving my tactics.  I've played terrible chess for many, many decades, and he is helping me undo bad habits and understand the game, um, better, which has really helped me, um, play, um, Better chess, um, you know, chess, that I'm actually pleased whenever   I, I don't, I don't make as many blunders, at least not in every game.

 And it's also helping me enjoy watching the game more. Enjoy, you know, um, the patterns and sophistication of the game. The other thing that he's helped me with a lot is I'm finding it easier to sort of, uh, keep the moves in my head. And because, um, I'm partially cited and I'll probably, you know, not be able to see the board at all at some point, um, I can actually,   I can actually imagine that there will come a point when I'll be able to play comfortably,  uh, just using the braille board.

I'd always been worried that when I went completely blind, I'd not be able to play chess anymore. I know, know that I will be able to play chess, and that's entirely because of the, the help I've been getting, um, from the, from the academy. It's never too early or too late to study, even if it means decades.

Congratulations. My next question is related to your achievements in chess. Can you tell us more how you started or what patterns do you use? How is your middle game? My greatest achievement in chess, I think, is the fact that I'm actually, uh, finally beginning to get better. After about 40 years odd of playing badly, um, it's   quite hard to root out bad patterns and learn new patterns,  and I'm very pleased with myself, but I'm beginning to understand, um, some kind of positional.

Um, ideas, you know, to do with, uh, the middle game that had been completely beyond me that I just couldn't understand at all until fairly recently. So I'm happy about that. I'm also happy that, um, I can, I can sort of move the pieces around in my head that I can, um, You know, I, I can see the board, you know, more clearly and, um, think more moves ahead.

 Um, the other thing  I'm enjoying is that, uh, there's a lot of children locally, um, learning chess,  um, that I'm able to help with. I'd say just the fact that I enjoy chess and I'm able to share it with other people, um, is my greatest thing so far. Um, you know, that and the fact that, uh, Even though I'm, uh, not, never going to be a grandmaster, I'm definitely, um, going to keep enjoying the game and learning a little bit more about it.

Um, so yes, uh,   I'd say just the fact that I'm enjoying the game and still learning is, is my biggest, um, success in chess.  40 years of playing chess, that is already an achievement. Wow. I would like to ask you, how is it working with   Coach Abi? He is right now in India, establishing UCA India,  I guess you work only online?

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Bernice Wambui is Kenya 2022 Chess Open Champion. She's also the Gift of Chess Global Youth Ambassador, AFI Child Ambassador to the United Nations and UNICEF Kenya Voice of Children Ambassador.  Did we forget to mention she is just 12?  Bernice believes chess is not just a game, it's a tool for education.

 As ambassador to  Gift of Chess Foundation, she helps to run the program in Kenyan schools  and believes in the power of chess to develop creativity and decision making skills for students.  Join us in our mission to empower young minds with the Gift of Chess.  Join us to welcome Bernice on this interview with Young Chess Prodigies.

This is Erica from Opening Master, the biggest chess database. I welcome you to our regular interview sessions with greatest young minds in chess.

OM: Hi, Bernice. It's pleasure talking with you. I have few questions for you, and I am pretty sure our chess community would love to hear about you more. Let's start with easy one. What inspired you to start playing chess at such a young age? And can you tell us more about your favorite chess piece?

BW: My name is Bernice Wumbui . I'm 12 years old. I was with parents when I joined First Grade.   The school was exhibiting different clubs.  I attracted to chess because of the way the pieces looked, especially the Knight I wanted to learn how to play with them. My favorite chess piece is the Knight, and I like it because it. The only chess piece with a face,  I'm the one that gives the most forks. It is also the most mysterious and it gets the opponent off guard.

OM: It's incredible how much you learnt and you are only 12. I would love to know how do you balance your schoolwork and chess practice? Is it hard? I have read about your chess achievements. Which one do you like the most?  

BW: I have a personal timetable. I wake up early for chess practice and concentrate while while in school. My greatest achievement is being the Kenya National Youth Chess Champion of the Under 12 Open, and also being the Global Youth Ambassador for the Youth of Chess. I'm also one of the Fair play winners from the African News Chess Championship in Accra, Ghana.

OM: Wow. I wish I could balance my work in school like you do. Our viewers are interested about your coach. Is it your mom or somebody else? How do you work together? Also, if you could tell us about your next challenge or tournament. How are you preparing?

BW: I've had many mentors. These are my mom, Women Grand Master Jenniffer Shahade, Grandmaster Pontus Carlson, Mark Hogarth, John Rigai ,Mr. Michael who introduced me to chess when I joined first grade,   the school who permits me to skip some days for chess tournament that are on school days  and Her move next. I am preparing for the African Youth Chess Championship in Egypt.

OM: I am surprised how many coaches you have. No wonder you are a champion.  Do you know many chess girls in your age? What message would you like to share with them?  What challenges are you facing as a young chess player in Kenya?

BW: You have to keep fighting harder to achieve your goals. Even if you make a mistake, you learn from each, and I don't say that I lose. I say that I learn first. I am a young chess player in Kenya, and the challenges . I usually face are the lack of funds travel to many tournaments for exposure,  which is required for chess to improve.

OM: Thank you for the interview.

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Nasir is only 11 years old. He moved from Nigeria to the United Kingdom with his family early last year to seek better life and opportunities for chess. Before he left, he planned to conquer Nigeria and Africa in chess. His relocation only meant a change in plan. Conquer Wales, then the United Kingdom, then Europe and maybe the world.

OM: Hi, Farouq. It's pleasure talking with you. I have few questions for you and I am pretty sure   our chess community would love to hear about you more. Let's start with easy one. Who inspired you to  start playing chess at such a young age,  and what is your favorite chess piece?

FN: My dad actually inspired me to start playing chess because one day when I was like five or six,   I saw my dad playing chess against one of his friends. I still became interested  and my dad saw my curiosity, so he began teaching me and got a coach and everything. After a few years, it became so good. I started beating him. And after that, I guess the rest is history.   My favorite chess piece is the rook  because he plays such an important role in the game. It defends the king and it is very essential in end games. It moves vertically and horizontally and just looks really cool. My name's also Farouq and arook, so it's kind of natural. I like the Rook.

OM: My next question is about your coach.  Who is the magic man and how do you work together?  Are you preparing for your next tournament?

FN: My current coach is Coach Peter. He, he's a really good coach in the sense that he has a way of just making you just make the thing seem way more fun than he really is. Like a while ago I was playing a chess game and   I really didn't feel like playing it.  But then he made a joke that just made everything seem better. The next tournament, major tournament I'm playing is the Golony Cup in um, Scotland, Glasgow, I think it is a tournament. It's a team tournament, and we're all playing to represent Wales in the regionals between Wales, Englands Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

OM: Let's go back to your home country. What challenges   have you faced as a young chess player in Nigeria,  and when you compare to uk what has changed since you moved here?

FN: I'm currently 11 years old, so to all kids around my age, I would say the best thing you do is  keep playing chess because it's fun and helps you in other aspects in life.  Playing chess in Nigeria. It is a bit different from UK chess because there are a lot of children in Nigeria that would like to play chess but don't have enough opportunities.   But I think there are bit less people that wanna play chess in the uk, but there are loads of opportunities.  How do you balance your schoolwork and chess practice?

OM: Can you tell us how different is school in UK compared to Nigeria? I have one question from audience. What is your greatest achievement in chess so far?

FN: Chess a very well rounded game, in sense that's very fun and helps with different aspects of life, like math, critical thinking and puzzle solving. Honestly, there's a much difference between school and Nigeria and the uk. The real difference, I would say is the way teachers teach and the curriculum and school activities. It's really hard to choose between all my 18 Achieve achievements.  I have so far, but I would say my favorite one is the one I won a few months ago. It was an under 13 championship that played in Cardiff Wales.

OM: Looks like we are approaching our final questions. Can you tell us how has chess affected your life outside of the game, and do you have any advice for other young children who want to learn how to play chess?

FN: Chess has really helped me with my maturity. Leadership and especially teamwork skills.   Teamwork is really important in literally every aspect of life.  The advice I have out there for young kids is play chess. You never know. You could be the next greatest player of all time.