We had the good fortune of connecting with Evie Laskaris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Evie, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
My non-profit organization, CheckmateFORKids, helps children particularly in underserved communities by teaching them chess. Chess is not just another game; it has the excitement of playing and competing as any other game but it also builds self-esteem, teaches life skills such as consequences of actions, trains in planning ahead and anticipating possible outcomes, builds resilience to recover from missteps, develops perseverance in getting better, and awards confidence when efforts finally come to fruition. Unless too many mistakes have been made, chess teaches that no matter what your position is, you can make gradual thoughtful moves to improve it, one move at a time, which is same as in life. I love chess because it doesn’t discriminate.
It doesn’t care about your gender, your size, or your age.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love chess and I play competitively. I started teaching in underserved communities since I was in middle school. It required a lot of time, effort, and planning but I was determined to make it happen and my mom helped me with all the driving along the way. I believe what sets me apart from others is that my passion for chess, both for the game itself and for the experiences it provides, made me realize that the greater rewards come not from tactical victories, but from shared experiences that can have a positive impact on peoples’ lives, whether for a short period or as a life lasting skill. I get to see kids that all of a sudden find care-free moments and can take their mind off difficult circumstances. Some manage to reflect on the lessons learned and realize that with one small move after another, with proper planning and anticipation, and by compensating for missteps or misfortune that are certain to happen along the way, they can slowly overcome obstacles and reach their goals in life. Those moments resonate with me most and are also lessons for my own life.

It has been hard as a girl to be in an environment that is dominated by boys. I am the only girl in my high school that actively competes. I’ve set a goal to bring more girls into the chess world as only 13% of chess players are female. I know from my own experiences that women are just as capable as men at playing the game. The participation discrepancy starts from a young age, because fewer girls engage with chess, and becomes worse with time as fewer girls continue, probably because they often find themselves isolated and surrounded by boys. When I see a girl getting nervous to enter a room full of boys playing chess, I am reminded of my younger self and I want to tell them that there will be lots of boys but that doesn’t make them harder to beat. There were so many boys that I crashed in tournaments and so can they. Unlike other sports, chess doesn’t care if you are a girl or a boy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Some of the most exciting places to see chess would be the Houston Chess Studio. It has a live stream so if you are a parent and can’t attend a tournament, you can watch from home.

The best place to check out any local chess events is on Jim Liptrap’s web page. He always keeps a current list of local tournaments. https://chess.jliptrap.us/schedule.htm

Nothing beats entering a chess tournament live! I know a lot of people play online and so do I, but if you really want to experience the thrill of chess, I recommend attending one of the weekly chess tournaments that are all over Houston. Only then will you experience a big room filled with players, the chatter coming to an abrupt stop, the firm handshakes, the sharp click of the clocks starting, and the adrenaline that comes from anticipating the next chess move. I never get tired of it and always look forward to the next event. It can be an exhilarating emotional roller coaster worth riding again and again.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to thank my parents for all their support and love. As a chess player, I know how important that is. My mom has been my cheerleader throughout this journey. She doesn’t know how to play chess at all, but she makes sure that we bring food, balloons and fun to every event. That provides an extra motive for children to attend. I also want to thank my brother, Niko, who has never left my side. He was with me in the beginning when the pandemic put a stop to chess tournaments, but we were determined to keep playing and found inspiration in teaching.

This past November, I hosted my very first chess tournament. It was an amazing event and I am so grateful to everyone that helped with it. Many have wanted to play for years but could not afford the fees. For many students, that was the first time they earned a trophy. I want to thank Mr. Edgar Acosta for letting us host at the Houston Chess Studio. That enabled parents to watch their kids play through a live stream in the studio. I also want to thank Coach Nellie Naidoo and Coach Anita Pappu, both from Chess Masters of Houston, for helping me get the trophies and organize the event, and Grandmaster Ulvi Bajarani for letting us borrow his chess boards and clocks. Many of the families did not have rides, so my Aunt Helen, Ms. Mendoza and Ms. Karla Aguilar from Baker Ripley helped us get all the families to the studio.

Website: https://checkmateforkids.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/checkmateforkids/

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