Chess is life, and life is chess in El Paso, Texas, the unpretentious setting for an inspiring, true story. As told to Seidlitz through hours of interviews, Ramirez's account is a movie-ready narrative about how he--a scrappy, dauntless Henderson Middle School art teacher--took a dozen students, most from underprivileged or lower-income backgrounds, to the 2015 National Chess Tournament and won. Readers are introduced to 12 Mexican-American and Mexican players who not only choose to learn chess, but are determined to compete. "Mister," as his students fondly call him, cleverly relates life's lessons to chess strategies: protect the king (oneself); cherish your queen (practice proper etiquette and good manners); control your center (or emotions and actions); know when to walk away; and don't judge by appearances. Nuggets of Spanish are intertwined, accurately evoking the border's Tex-Mex sound; translations are efficiently offered as footnotes. While the kids are the stars, it is Mister's coaching and preparation that motivate his players; he believes that race and economic status have nothing to do with what a person is capable of accomplishing. It is not smooth sailing all the way, which makes the journey all the more endearing. More than anything, Mister's account is a love letter to these students, to chess, and to El Paso. Accessible for all readers, this story is a natural for the big screen: check and mate. (appendix, afterword)
In April of 2015, a team of "border kids" from South-Central El Paso surprised the country by competing in the national chess championships. For these kids, dreams of beating highly privileged students from "fancy" schools in upper-crust neighborhoods aren't on the radar. They have bigger issues to deal with in life. And yet, they choose to voluntarily--even enthusiastically--commit countless hours every week to the practice of a game that they had known virtually nothing about until art teacher Saul Ramirez started a chess club at Henderson Middle School.
Under Ramirez's caring but firm tutelage, the rising stars of El Paso hunker down, deal with the challenges of life and trust Ramirez to mentor them in their new extracurricular passion--chess.
The Champions' Game: A True Story chronicles Ramirez's efforts to create a revolution of the mind.
Ramirez's genius is not so much the chess that he teaches (even though he's a former Texas state chess champion), but in his ability to intertwine life principles with chess rules to expand the minds, the insight and even the future possibilities of the students he teaches. The book's 14 chapters lay out Ramirez's rules for life--and chess, introducing concepts like guard your queen, control your center and protect your king.
Ramirez grew up in El Paso's Segundo Barrio, a neighborhood that might bring to mind Compton, or South Central, or 8 Mile, often noted as the poorest zip code in the United States. Ramirez seems to possess a singular ability to draw out the talents of his students, perhaps because chess is much more than just a game to him. In The Champions' Game, he writes, "I want to start a revolution. A revolution of the mind. I want to do what was done for me by [the people] who were always there for me when I was a child, guiding me, teaching me, showing me how to be a man, an artist, a teacher. I want to build children anew, from the mind up. That does not take genius. It takes love."
"Sobre este título" puede pertenecer a otra edición de este libro.
Gastos de envío:
GRATIS
A Estados Unidos de America
Descripción Paperback or Softback. Condición: New. The Champions' Game: A True Story 0.51. Book. Nº de ref. del artículo: BBS-9780997740233
Descripción Condición: New. Nº de ref. del artículo: 29830152-n
Descripción Soft Cover. Condición: new. This item is printed on demand. Nº de ref. del artículo: 9780997740233
Descripción Condición: New. Nº de ref. del artículo: ABLIING23Mar2317530108731
Descripción Condición: New. Nº de ref. del artículo: I-9780997740233
Descripción Condición: New. Buy with confidence! Book is in new, never-used condition. Nº de ref. del artículo: bk099774023Xxvz189zvxnew
Descripción PAP. Condición: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. THIS BOOK IS PRINTED ON DEMAND. Established seller since 2000. Nº de ref. del artículo: IQ-9780997740233
Descripción Paperback. Condición: new. New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Nº de ref. del artículo: Holz_New_099774023X
Descripción Paperback. Condición: new. Buy for Great customer experience. Nº de ref. del artículo: GoldenDragon099774023X
Descripción Paperback / softback. Condición: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. Nº de ref. del artículo: B9780997740233