Smart moves taught

[caption id="attachment_135889" align="aligncenter" width="508"] CHESS M AT E S : Grandmaster Aleksa Ugrenovic gives some chess tips to young master in training Seth le Roux, 7, at West End Primary School. Picture: EUGENE COETZEE[/caption]

Visiting chess grandmaster shares skills at schools

CHESS saved him from a dangerous lifestyle many years ago in Serbia and now grandmaster Aleksa Ugrenovic wants to give back to communities much like the one in which he grew up.

Ugrenovic, currently in Port Elizabeth, is excited to be helping youngsters by giving of his time and skills.

West End Primary School in the northern areas – where crime and gangsterism are rife – caters for children often exposed to the uglier side of life.

But the school is dedicated to positively uplifting the community – with developing serious chess players one of the goals.

Ugrenovic, 55, who lives in Spain, was introduced to chess at the age of five, and started taking the game more seriously when he was 15.

At 25, he became an international master and 10 years later he attained the title of grandmaster.

“Chess changed and saved my life. I grew up very poor so I can understand this life,” Ugrenovic said.

“If I can help [in any way], it will be great.

“I like to do things for young people, especially where there are big problems.

“Life was dangerous [in Serbia]. Drugs made it difficult and a lot of my friends gave in to that lifestyle.