Kinderchess
A few weeks ago, Mrs. Johnson, Principal at St. Peter the Apostle School in Houston, TX, called me to let me know that some people from the some foundation had toured the school. They were considering a grant of $5 million to the Archdiocese to be used to help five inner city Catholic schools that are in financial difficulty. At the time, the three trophies we had won at the state tournament were still on display outside the school office. Mrs Johnson pointed them out to the foundation party, and continued the tour of the school. When they passed our chess room, they looked in through the door window (I keep it locked), they asked if they could go in. Mrs. Johnson has a key, so in they went. It’s a smallish room that is entirely lined with shelves containing extra textbooks, all the old trophies from St. Peter’s illustrious sports history, plus our chess trophies from the past five years. There are three long tables with nine chess matts, nine chess clocks and pieces perfectly aligned. I keep everything “two-blocked,” as we say in the Navy. The group was interested in our chess program, and asked a number of questions about it, then went on and continued their tour.
Two weeks ago, Mrs. Johnson called me again and told us that the Kinder Foundation had made the $5M gift, and were coming back the next day to take pictures around the school. She asked if I would have our chess team in our room playing chess when they came by. I said, “Sure. We’ll be there.”
Taking the Kinder Group through St. Peter’s was an interesting process. St. Peter’s has only ninety some students, K – 8. Seventeen of them are on our chess team. I told them to report to the chess room right after lunch. Nobody showed up, because the school needed them to be in photographs in the science lab, computer lab, library, and other classrooms. It reminded me a banana republic marching their soldiers around the block again and again to impress foreign dignitaries with the size of their army.
Finally, the public address system directed all chess team members to the chess room. In they came, neatly dressed in their school uniforms, unusually orderly and subdued. I had them sit down and start playing chess. Shortly after Mrs. Johnson led our visitors in. First came a professional photographer with an obviously expensive camera, then a videographer with videocam, with attached lights, etc., then the Diocesan Director of Development, then an Irish-brogued nun who is the Superintendent of Catholic Schools, then an attractive, confident woman in neat business attire, and finally a grey-haired gentleman in a blue blazer. Mrs Johnson introduces me to MR. KINDER HIMSELF! Kinder is the German word for children, and, up to this point, I thought the Kinder Foundation was some sort of amorphous philanthropic foundation that gave grants that helped children in some way. Now I realized that the Foundation was named after Richard Kinder and his wife. Richard Kinder is said to be the wealthiest man in Houston, and founded the Kinder-Morgan pipeline company. We shake hands, and I make a gesture to our trophies (hoping he won't notice that the majority of them are basketball, volleyball and track), and then describe specifically the trophies that we won at the state tournament (fifth grade Second Place, eighth grade Fourth Place, seventh grade Fifth Place). As I mention each grade, he asked who those kids were, and we have them stand up. All this takes about five minutes, and I think they’re about to move on to the computer lab next door. The Mr. Kinder says,
“Do you think I could play a game with one of your kids?”
“Sure! Would Kase be OK? He’s our best player.”
“That would be fine.”
Kase’s eyes are as wide as saucers. They sit down at our one empty board and begin. It’s soon evident the Richard Kinder is a pretty good chess player. The other players remain at their boards pretending to play, but all eyes are on the battle on board #1. The two photographers are flitting around capturing the scene from various camera angles. The rest of the party is just standing, waiting, while the boss indulges himself in something, I imagine, he seldom has time for.
About ten minutes after Kinder and Kase sit down, the attractive woman asks me, “How long do these games go on?” I tell her, “I’d guess they’ll be done in about 20 minutes.” She nods. Apparently she won’t have to rearrange Richard’s schedule.
Kase gets the better of the opening struggle for the center, but then blunders. He captures Kinder’s bishop with his queen, without noticing that it was protected by a knight. He loses his queen! I can’t believe it. He never blunders when I play him. I was so sure Kase would win. But Kase is an aggressive and resourceful battler. He continues to attack and forces Kinder’s queen into a position where it is knight-forked on a check of the king. Now Kase has a slight advantage, and he fights one of his pawns forward to promotion to a new queen. With the queen advantage, Kase clears away obstructive pieces and delivers the checkmate on Kinder’s king. Mr. Kinder shakes Kase’s hand. “A fine game, young man!” Kase beams. As Mr. Kinder leaves he says to me,
“When he wins the state championship, I want to hear about it.”
“Yes, sir! We’ll let you know.”
That night my wife looks up Richard Kinder on the internet. He’s worth in excess of $6 billion. I find out later the attractive, confident woman with him was his wife, Nancy. Richard and Nancy Kinder - of the Kinder Foundation.
Our principal doesn't know what portion of the $5 million will go to St. Peter's, but I hope it helps St. Peter's school survive, grow, and prosper. And the Kinder Foundation has generously donated $10,000 to our chess program. God bless Richard and Nancy Kinder!
Mr. Richard Kinder tests his chess skills against a member of the 7th grade chess team, while Mrs. Nancy Kinder observes. -Photo credit Kinder Foundation website
And that's the closest I'll ever come to a billion+ dollars.
- Jim Marcely
President
CICSF