Coach: Put more money into promoting chess

Two-time national chess champion Kevin Cupid has once again showcased his skill, placing third at the 2025 SITTU Barbados Open Chess Championship Group A.

The 33-year-old FIDE Master, who was selected as TT’s national representative, topped all other regional players with only two players from Canada placing above him in the tournament which ran from February 24-28.

Cupid shared his journey to becoming a FIDE Master – the third highest chess title ranking, following the international and grandmaster titles, in an interview with Newsday on February 27.

Having grown up playing draughts with his grandfather, Cupid said he discovered his natural ability after his curiosity led him to join his primary school classmates in chess.

“I always liked strategic games and as I was waiting for SEA results in primary school I saw them playing something that looked interesting. It looked like I could apply something from draughts in it. They said it was chess and I asked a friend to teach me. She said, ‘You can’t learn this game so fast, it takes a long time to learn.’"

After persisting for days with his request, his friend finally taught him the game. Cupid challenged her and defeated her in his first time playing chess. After this victory, he went around the school challenging everyone he could to a chess match, including his teacher.

“And I defeated everybody. At the time I didn’t believe in my ability as yet so I just though that maybe they didn’t know how to play the game.”

When he began attending Holy Cross College, Arima, Cupid wasted no time in pursuing his interest in the game. After seeing a flyer advertising a chess tournament he went ahead and signed up.

“And then I came third. I finished on three-and-a-half out of five, so I only lost one game in that tournament. And the person I lost to was already a national champion in his age group.”

After his impressive win, the host of the tournament invited him to join the Kings and Queens Chess Club at the Arima Boys' RC School.

“From there it’s always been something where people would see my potential and decide to help me…and from then till now I've been playing chess, I’ve travelled all over the world.”

Prior to the Barbados tournament, Cupid also competed at tournaments in Hungary, Czech Republic, Honduras and Azerbaijan.

At the chess Olympiad in 2022, held in India, Cupid was the coach for the national women's chess team.

In 2019, he opened Cupid Chess Academy where he uses his expertise to coach children and adults. With his coaching, Cupid has been able to produce national champions in different age groups, including senior national champions outside of Trinidad and Tobago.

Although his love for chess has turned into a fruitful career, Cupid believes TT still has a long way to go in its promotion.

“Incentives are very important for any sport you choose. Especially incentives for development and financial incentives. For example in Kenya, the first prize for their national championship, for both the absolute section
and the women’s section, was a car."

When Cupid won the TT’s National Championship in 2016 and 2019 he received $3,500. This did little to offset the expenses he incurred preparing for the competition, including the $2,400 monthly fee Cupid had to pay his trainer.

“Of course, we would have to look at the population size and do a comparison, all things considered, you have to be mindful. But still, I think that aspect has definitely been lacking. The first time I won the national championship I thought that meant I could become great in chess. I thought that meant sponsors coming on board and opportunities lining up for me.

“But sadly to say, it meant nothing really. It only meant what I created out of it. But to say that there were things in place for when I won that would allow me to propel, I did not see it.

“I still had to cover a lot of my own expenses and that can be a deterrent, especially for younger players whose parents would be supporting them…but I think if we look at the pattern of what India has done with respect to the incentives put forward to the players, it allows parents to say. ‘Okay, maybe there’s a future here for my child.’"

In India, the government gives cash incentives to players who win international chess competitions.

“...I could use the First Citizens National Poetry Slam competition as a comparison. The first prize for their competition ($50,000) is huge compared to ours.

“So definitely more incentives are needed if we want to produce world-class players like international masters and grand masters.”

Despite the challenges, Cupid has words of encouragement for young and aspiring chess players.

“I always say, first find fun and joy in what you’re doing. Then see the result that produces and you can determine where you want to go with that result. But you must always ensure that the first thing is enjoyment.

“If you take things too seriously, from the start especially, it tends to diminish your interest, your enthusiasm, your passion.

“So find fun first, and focus on consistency and discipline after.”