CHESSMASTER OF HARVARD SQUARE: BCC TRAINING CAMP ON THE PLAZA OF HOLYOKE CENTER, HARVARD SQUARE, CAMBRIDGE, MA

ANDREY FROIM, RESIDENT CHESSMASTER AND COACH

 

Andrey Froim, Harvard Square Resident Chessmaster  

(Note large Soviet chess clock in photo)

Story and photos by Steve Stepak

Andrey was born in Almaty (now Astana) Kazakstan, in 1942. Andrey's family originated in Husi, Romania. Andrey's Jewish heritage goes back as far as the first settlement of Jews in Husi, circa 1484. Andrey was born in the catastrophic times of WWII in 1942. His family had been living in Kishinev, Bessarabia (now Moldava) which became a critically bad anti-semitic place. So off to Almaty for refuge. After the War, the family moved to Leningrad USSR (now St. Petersburg, Russia). A talented player,  Andrey found that he could make a living as a chess coach employed by the USSR Ministry of Education, in "Young Pioneer Palace(s)" (a place to harvest talents of children in fields of sports and crafts, like chess.) training the children of the Soviet Union in basic chess techniques and tactics . Andrey came to the USA 17 years ago, 6 years after the fall of the USSR. Andrey is a great chessmaster, teacher and coach, especially for kids and those adults who are learning chess for the first time. He is very patient, very kind and gentle. 

Andrey is a welcome addition to the great tradition of chess in Harvard Square.

Here, Andrey trains chess expert Emmanuel Mevs, Harvard Law School graduate 2013, 

who has been a regular player at BCC events throughout his 3 year stay in Cambridge.

 NM Eric Godin (background right, in red shirt), regular player at the BCC for decades, observes.

 

Andrey plays chess with Harvard MFA in Film grad as

Tokyo Public TV film crew captures the event in image and sound.

 

BCC's own NM Eric Godin share a skittles game of chess with

a Northeastern University graduate student in engineering.

 Chess expert Billy (superman) Collins gives a masterly

performance on the chess tables of Au Bon Pain Cafe,

Holyoke Center, Harvard Square, Cambridge.

Chess expert Evan Rabin enjoys some laughs with the regulars at the chess tables 

of Au Bon Pain Cafe, Harvard Square. Evan is a regular at the chess tournaments 

of the BCC. He placed 5-11th in the 5 round May Thursday evening swiss event (TNS).

 (Note: Emmanuel Mevs is drinking a bottle of Pepsi)

 BCC's tournament players: 2 Tony: D and C: DiNosse and Cortizas pose for the camera.

(Where's the chess set?)

 Oh! Here it is . . .

 

And finally: resident chess spider. Yes the spider-bishop!

Come to the Harvard Square chess scene to warm up your mind

and train for the tournaments you will want to play at the BCC.

See you soon!