Nearly 35 residents participated in the first “Chess4Community Multigenerational Chess Tournament” at the Garden City Public Library Friday, September 27!
The brainchild of Garden City siblings Mannat Jain, along with his sister Amanat and younger brother, Armaan, Chess4Community is the first volunteer chess program in Garden City created for all ages and skill levels. The siblings all have FIDE/USCF Chess ratings and started playing chess at age 5.
The program started at the Garden City Senior Center in September 2022 and expanded to the Garden City Public Library in January 2023. Friday’s tournament brought residents of all ages and levels of expertise together on the Library lawn for a fun afternoon of strategy board gaming. The event was jointly planned by the Library and the Recreation and Parks Department and drew players for matches, prizes and fun. Two trophies were presented to eighth grader Sheldon Steadman, Jr. (Advanced winner) and sixth grader Luca Delia (Beginner winner).
“The organizers, Mannat and Amanat Jain, were very determined and their enthusiasm was infectious! It was really satisfying to help, with assistance from Recreation Commissioner Paul Blake, and Library and Recreation Staff, make this plan reality,” Library Director Marianne Malagon said.
The program’s first tournament was held in November 2022. In September 2023, Chess4Community returned with an E-Learning chess course for seniors. Mannat and Amanat led the marketing efforts, creating posters and managing social media, which generated significant community interest. A second tournament was held in October 2023. In February 2024, the Jain siblings launched the “Play & Learn” program at both the Senior Center and Library for interested patrons of all ages.
“Thank you to Mannat, Amanat and Armaan Jain for all the hard work you put into this event and for starting up such a great community program,” Mayor Mary Carter Flanagan said. “And thank you to our Village and Library Staff who have worked closely with these talented young residents to make sure our first outdoor multigenerational chess tournament on the GC Library front lawn was a great success. I look forward to this becoming a new Village tradition!”