Beyond the Board

In an interview to 深圳晚报 (Shēnzhèn Evening News), May 30, 2020, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) revealed she’s about to start a new career as a professional chess teacher and trainer at the School of Physical Education, Normal College (Faculty of Education), 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University). In the early months of 2020, 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University) actually inaugurated recruitment of chess scholars, which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) regards in itself as “a good thing, as it emphasizes the introduction of chess in the university curriculum”. Thus, 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) — to which chess development 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) contributed already very much — aims at consolidating its leadership as country’s chess capital. “I hope to contribute to the development of chess pedagogy also by studying and exploring derivative disciplines of chess such as education and news media, etc. I will also work to integrate chess with other studies and subjects, such as, for instance, psychology”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said. Photo courtesy of International Mind Sports Association (IMSA).