No Limits For Youth Masters Tactics and Life Lessons Through Chess

By Kami-Leigh Agard

This past Saturday, September 21, at the BRIDGE Family Enrichment Center, you could hear a pin drop as youth and parents sat across from their opponents with deadpan faces at the 7th Annual Chess Tournament hosted by No Limits For Youth. Intently watching each other as they moved their chess pieces, this was a sight to behold as no one was distracted by their phones, but instead calculating each other’s move with sheer concentration. As Scholars’ Academy 7th-grader Joshua Mada shared, “What I like about the game is that there’s just so many things that can actually happen. So, trying to figure out which one’s the right one is interesting.”

No Limits For Youth (NLFY) was founded in 2017 by Darryl Madison, a 26-year veteran of the NYPD as a detective, who retired and then became a special education teacher.

He said, “Seven years ago, we started NLFY after one of my students asked me to teach him how to play chess. I was the former president of another nonprofit called The Courtsmen, and after resigning from there, the program remained dormant, so we created No Limits For Youth.

“We started doing community chess events in Brooklyn and Queens at community centers, NYC public middle and high schools, charter schools, Queens Public Library system, event spaces like Dred Surfer Grill in Far Rockaway, and we even did some workshops with the NYPD’s Explorer Program. Also, wherever there are any back-to-school or special summertime events, we’ve actually set up tables and had exhibitions. For this Saturday’s tournament, we hosted a couple of workshops over the summer and after discovering the BRIDGE, thought it was nice a place to host the tournament.”

When asked how the game of chess impact students socially and cognitively, Madison said, “Over the years, we learned that students that play chess actually perform better in school. They have better behavioral skills and socialization skills.”

A recent study by the National Educational Chess Association found that among elementary-school students enrolled in a NYC chess program, playing chess significantly boosts students’ math performance and spatial-analysis skills. The process of thinking through all the variables of a move teaches logic, and countering an opponent’s tactics is a problem-solving challenge. The game also offers intense practice in spatial analysis, as children have to visualize the changes on the board—without touching the pieces—and picture a position several moves down the line. What was perhaps more surprising in this study was that playing chess also improved children’s performance in reading.

Madison said that chess was also found to be very helpful for senior citizens because it helps with memory.  “There was a study that found that with seniors showing specific signs of Alzheimer’s, dementia or any kind of memory loss, chess and any kind of activity that promotes critical thinking and memory helps. We’ve actually been asked to bring our chess workshops to other programs besides those that serve youth.”

At Saturday’s tourney, Madison was accompanied by two other chess coaches, Justin Baron and Jesse Williams. All three gentleman were quite serious in their demeanor as they watched each players’ move, while offering advice.

For Baron, joining No Limits For Youth was an opportunity for him to expand on his passion for mentoring.

He said, “I’ve been with Coach Madison for two years. I’m big into mentoring, so when I heard about how NLFY was teaching chess to the younger generation, I was all in. Chess teaches youth to learn from losing. You’re not always going to win, but you learn from your mistakes.

Madison said that even during COVID, he still ran the program. “We followed the safety protocols and didn’t stop hosting the workshops. We were actually outside, using masks, following the six-foot distance protocols using tables and were typically outside. Once it didn’t rain, we were right there providing opportunities for kids to come out with their parents to learn how to play chess. This is actually another reason why we are teaching chess because we want parents to learn and play with their children. It gives them an opportunity to bond,” Madison said.

Majida Toleb, a parent at Saturday’s tournament, shared that she was there to support her son’s passion for chess.

“My son is pretty almost obsessed by the game, but in a healthy way. I love that he wants to keep developing as a chess player, and I see the benefits mentally as he’s learning strategy. He gets excited by learning about different options and different strategies for tactics. And though it can be tough on him to lose a match, he’s learning how to lose gracefully and have respect for himself and others,” she said.

Another parent, who admitted that it was her first time learning to play the game, quipped, “One thing I’m learning is that my son has to live life like he’s playing chess, not checkers. It’s all about strategy, not just jumping over your opponent.”

For BRIDGE Director Curtis Turney-Rentas, hosting NLFY was a no-brainer because this is what the center is purposed for. “We are here to host individuals, groups and organizations that are trying to uplift the community across the peninsula and Broad Channel. And at today’s tournament, it was wonderful to see the diversity of youth and parents as they both bonded, learned and competed,” he said.

For more information about No Limits For Youth and upcoming workshops and tournaments, visit: nolimitisforyouth.com For more info about the BRIDGE Family Enrichment Center, visit: fecthebridge on Instagram.