By Danilo Padua
The number of Filipino blind chess players is increasing. Some of them are even dreaming to become the first Filipino blind chess grandmaster, or at least international master.
Before 1978, there was no known Filipino blind chess player, at least not highlighted in print or broadcast media. It is possible then that somebody who learned to play chess during that year could be the first Filipino blind chess player. That player is from Baguio.
The recently concluded 1st Baguio-Benguet chess tournament for the visually impaired persons, initiated by Ms. Ruby Gunn, herself a visually impaired individual, had its seed planted in 1978 during the World Chess Championship between the then champion Anatoly Karpov of USSR and the challenger, Viktor Korchnoi. The championship happened right in Baguio, a city described then by some foreign journalists covering the event as a “fairy tale setting”. What had become of the city now, is another story.
The seed was planted when a certain Mr. Laplaza from Spain, a member of the Korchnoi camp visited the SPED school in the city. Purportedly the only one who was acquainted with blind chess in the team, he was prevailed upon to teach chess to blind pupils at the SPED Center in the city. He was contacted by a parent, Mrs. Delgado, and convinced him to visit the school for the purpose. She was helped by two of the school’s teachers, Mr. Luis Joven (now in the U.S.) and Ms. Norma Madayag (now in Australia). That time, the school principal was Mrs. Edilberta Obana who gave full support for the effort.
Meet the first blind chess students
Mr. Laplaza (first name was not dutifully remembered) insisted on teaching chess to 1 or 2 of the oldest pupils from the 6th grade. His first student was Ramon Estolas Jr., already a 16-year-old that time being born Jan. 9, 1962 in San Pascual Tuba, Benguet. Ramon, Jun to his friends, became a Baguio resident since 1972 when he started schooling at SPED Center. Almost at the same time, Laplaza also started to teach chess to a classmate of Jun, Romeo Oli, born in Kibungan, Benguet.
Laplaza went to SPED almost daily after the chess tutorial commenced. He stopped this daily grind only when the 2 studes already learned to properly play chess.
Jun Estolas was the 6th of 10 siblings. According to him, they were taught first how to play Tik Tak Toe game for them to get the feel of diagonals, horizontals, and verticals. Then they were introduced to the chess board and the chess pieces. They had to identify chess pieces through touch and feel. It took them all of two weeks to master it by heart. Next, they learned how the various pieces moved, how many squares can a piece protect, the opening moves, when to eat, etc.
A rule was given them: queen represents the color. That is, white queen should be initially in the white square; black queen, in the black square. Laplaza used the queen of England to illustrate his point.
After the tutorials, SPED Center entertained the idea of participating in a Cebu sports joust for the PWDs. They thought of including blind chess players in the team. They then started to prepare modified chessboard and pieces based on the recommendation of Laplaza. The board had elevated white squares, and made sure that the board had holes at the center of each square. Also that the chess pieces were provided with sticking out iron at their bottom to fit in the holes made in the board.
Estolas never thought that it is impossible for a blind person to learn the game of chess. This made it easier for him and Oli, to learn and cope with the demands of the chess game. The two were just so happy, and excited to master the game. They were determined to show that the sport is not only for the sighted players. To them, the game was self-uplifting. They actually started to play against each other only 2 weeks after fully appreciating how to play the game. After sometime, other students started to kibitz as the two played. In the words of Jun, “makikarkarawa da metten”
After sometime, the two started to teach other students instead of being irked, so they could have the satisfaction of beating others.
Public exhibition of chess play by blind people
After others, including the other visually impaired individuals, have learned to play chess, the late Mr. Nars Padilla, former Baguio city councilor, arranged a public chess exhibition play for them during the Silahis ng Pasko celebrations. To entice players, Mr, Padilla offered some prizes. The exhibition plays by the VIPs were done in the People’s park, Melvin Jones, and Teacher’s Camp. It was open for public viewing. These events were covered by the print media, especially the Midland Courier. Such exhibitions were also played during the White Cane Week, held normally in August of every year. The exhibitions were held once, twice or thrice a year.
By the way, The VIP SPED Center students were first housed at a dorm called Home Sweet Home. Then they were transferred to the Bahay Pag-asa in Bokawkan where students were serviced by a shuttle vehicle to go to the school.
After the success of chess classes, foreign missionaries (e.g. from U.S., U.K.) came to teach sports such as softball, shot put, running, high jump, table tennis (without net – ball with sound)to SPED students.
Jun Estolas is happy and grateful that the first Baguio-Benguet chess tournament for the visually impaired happened, but he rued his non-participation as the date of the preliminary games came in conflict with his previously-scheduled commitments. He was glad though that many of the participants learned how to play the game from him. He hopes that the public will continue to help the VIPs so they could sharpen and bring out their God-given talents not only singing, dancing or massaging.
“Many VIPs are normally using a cell phone, and can now operate a computer proving that they can be of better use to the community”, he mused. He wishes further that the younger generation of VIPs will study hard, develop themselves, continue to use their knowledge of technology, and muster enough courage to be qualified so they could get job in offices.
“Employers immediately disqualify applicants soon as they find that they are VIPs”, Estolas laments. He suggested that concerned government agencies scrutinize the qualifications of VIP’s then make recommendations for improvement.
He tried to go into business but others cheated him. He said: “It is costly for VIPs to go into business. Don’t take advantage of the VIPs. Be fair”
It is his fervent hope that aside from the government’s initiative, “pangkabuhayan-help” from private people like Ruby Gunn, the Blind gardener, will continue to pour for the VIPs so they could become self-sufficient and develop better self-respect.
Jun is married to a similarly visually-impaired wife. They have 3 children-all normally sighted. Their eldest is a psychologist and a LET passer.
One of those lucky to learn chess from Estolas is Mr. Ever Basatan, the president of the Blind Organization of Baguio who is married to a normally-sighted professor at SLU. Ever appreciates chess so much as he said, “It does not limit anyone. Besides, playing chess somehow help prevent Alsheimer disease”. Since chess is mental, he encourages VIPs to learn it well, so they could compete with sighted persons. He was inspired by the 1sr Baguio-Benguet chess tourney for VIPs.
Despite the experience of Estolas, Ever encourages VIPs to go into business. At the same time, he implores government agencies and private individuals to help, train VIPs (e.g. soap making). “We don’t like to be exempted, but for us to live a normal life like a sighted individual”, he stated matter of factly. He established a blind chess club in Baguio.
For her part, Ruby Gunn was thankful to those VIPs who joined the chess competition.”It is a small way to develop better self-confidence”, she stated. She is proud that VIPs are coping with the present technology. She said that being a VIP is a big challenge thus, the younger generation should learn more to equip themselves for the hard battle of life ahead. VIPs should help each other, she added.
“We are created equally; God is good, He helps us always”, was her encouragement.**
