A couple of weeks ago The Chess Drum ran a story about Ronnie "RJ" Nelson of Trinidad and Tobago. The six-year old chess player participated in the HB Global Chess Challenge in Minneapolis and was featured in a local newspaper. In Trinidadian news, a story was run on RJ talking more about his chess abilities and aspirations.

"I read a lot of books on chess. Sometimes when the reading gets too difficult, I do the puzzles in the chess books," he said.

This attitude may help him to reach his desire of becoming a chess Grandmaster. Meeting and playing Maurice Ashley, the world's first Black GM, may have made an impression. Of course, chess is an activity where only a small amount of players reach the top level of Grandmaster, but young RJ appears to have the ambition which is half the battle.

RJ makes the June 15th Trinidadian Guardian newspaper. Click on the image above to read the article.

RJ has interest in other activities, but chess appears to have captured his imagination at this time. His aunt and guardian Lesley-ann Nelson hopes to attract the attention of corporate sponsors to further his development. According to the Guardian article, RJ has received sponsorship from TIDCO and American Airlines, to which the Nelsons are grateful. "There are two more international tournaments this year that we will need to get sponsorship for in order for him to participate," she is quoted as saying. Those interested in sponsoring RJ can contact Lesley-ann Nelson at lescarmn32@yahoo.com  or lescarm@tstt.co.tt.


"RJ -- no typical six-year-old...chess prodigy features on US Website," 15 June 2005.

Posted by The Chess Drum: 16 June 2005