Geriatric Weekend Warriors' Society (80+)

[Bob Armstrong]

The 2025 Canadian Inter-Generational Chess Challenge

GWWS(80+) is the team organizer. Besides its own members playing, it can conscript non-member seniors (65+) to its team, Old Pharts, if needed to complete its team.




We are building Our Team - one player at a time!

1. "Senior Wannabe", Don Parakin (64 years and 9 months old on Aug 10), is now "legal", thanks to the flexibility of our 2 partners in crime, Chess for Connection, and Chess4Win! [See Post # 45 above]. So he is now # 1 in our "Back-up Pool" (To be on site at the match at the start, to play as a substitute for a team member, if, at the last minute, they cannot play).

2. Eli Teram has now joined our team. Eli (77 y.o.) plays at Annex CC, and in the past, at Scarborough CC. Welcome aboard Eli!!

A. Team (25/7/12)

1. Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J (Member).....80 y.o. (By match date) ...Toronto, Ont........CFC No.: 100034.......CFC: 1534.......FQE: 1517 ......FIDE:1475
2. Dixon, Javier............................................70 y.o................................Toronto, Ont........CFC No.: 162862.......CFC: 1581.......FQE: ------ ......FIDE: 1705
3. Jung, Hans (FM) ….................................67 y.o.................................Kitchener, Ont.....CFC No.: 100182.......CFC: 2047.......FQE: 2255 .....FIDE: 1933
4. Kurkowski, Ken...................................tba (70+)...............................Toronto, Ont.........CFC No.: 104537.......CFC: 1523.......FQE: ------ .....FIDE: 1580
5. Monné, John (Member)...........................94 y.o................................Brantford, Ont.......CFC No.: 193130.......CFC: (1184).....FQE: ------ .....FIDE: ------
6. Selbie, Andrew.....................................tba (70+)..............................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 190659......CFC: 1378........FQE: ------ ......FIDE: ------
7. Teram, Eli.................................................77 y,o,...............................Toronto, Ont.........CFC No.: 107314......CFC: 1331.........FQE: ------ .....FIDE: ------
8. Verde, Pino..............................................77 y.o................................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 108688......CFC: 1605.........FQE: ------ ....FIDE: 1587
   
   B. Back-up Pool
   
   # 1. Parakin, Don..............................65 y.o. (Almost)...................Richmond Hill, Ont....CFC No.: 106488......CFC: 1701........FQE: 1173 ....FIDE: 1540

Bob A (GWWS(80+) Partner Rep.)

[Bob Armstrong]

GWWS(80+) - Info Sharing



1. A good Seniors Website for world information on seniors is the one of Tim Harding: https://www.chessmail.com/seniors/Seniors-calendar.html.

2. World Senior/Veteran Teams ( 50+=Veterans and 65+=Seniors):

Location: Durres, Albania - The Durres resort hosted the European Club Cup successfully a couple of years ago.
FM Mike Dougherty advised our group, and others:
"Durres is on the coast and, as noted by Harding, hosted the World Club Championship in 2022 (and is very popular with Italian tourists - there is a ferry from Bari). Everyone spoke well of the accommodations, but (full disclosure) there were some food problems that impacted some of the teams at one of the resorts."
Date: April 18-27, 2026
Qualification: You can join the 50+ & 65+ teams so long as you turn 50 or 65 sometime during that year. So some will play in their groups, although a year short at the time of the tournament. Let us know if this is not the correct information.
No. of Teams: A country can send more than 1 team; in Canada, the CFC stamp of approval on the team is needed, however, to play as one of the national teams.

It may be too soon for full details of these events to be available yet, but you can now put the dates in your diary for next year. National organizers can start thinking of arranging provisional teams.

3. World Senior (Individual) Tournament

Location: Banja (Assumed to be the spa town of Vrnjacka Banja, where many international chess tournaments were played in the 20th century), Serbia.
Date: November 9-22, 2026.

Bob A (Non-member Interim Communications Coordinator)

[Bob Armstrong]

The 2025 Canadian Inter-Generational Chess Challenge

GWWS(80+) is the team organizer. Besides its own members playing, it can conscript non-member seniors (65+) to its team, Old Pharts, if needed to complete its team.




We are building Our Team - one player at a time!

Rob Gashgarian of Brantford has now joined our team. He is one of the admin's at the Brantford CC. Welcome aboard Rob!!

A. Team (25/7/12)

1. Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J (Member).....80 y.o. (By match date) ...Toronto, Ont........CFC No.: 100034.......CFC: 1534.......FQE: 1517 ......FIDE:1475
2. Dixon, Javier............................................70 y.o................................Toronto, Ont........CFC No.: 162862.......CFC: 1581.......FQE: ------ ......FIDE: 1705
3. Gashgarian, Rob.......................................tba(70+)................................Brantford, Ont........CFC No.: 112426..........CFC: 1800.........FQE: ----...........FIDE: 1769
4. Jung, Hans (FM) ….................................67 y.o.................................Kitchener, Ont.....CFC No.: 100182.......CFC: 2047.......FQE: 2255 .....FIDE: 1933
5. Kurkowski, Ken...................................tba (70+)...............................Toronto, Ont.........CFC No.: 104537.......CFC: 1523.......FQE: ------ .....FIDE: 1580
6. Monné, John (Member)...........................94 y.o................................Brantford, Ont.......CFC No.: 193130.......CFC: (1184).....FQE: ------ .....FIDE: ------
7. Selbie, Andrew.....................................tba (70+)..............................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 190659......CFC: 1378........FQE: ------ ......FIDE: ------
8. Teram, Eli.................................................77 y,o,...............................Toronto, Ont.........CFC No.: 107314......CFC: 1331.........FQE: ------ .....FIDE: ------
9. Verde, Pino..............................................77 y.o................................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 108688......CFC: 1605.........FQE: ------ ....FIDE: 1587
   
   B. Back-up Pool
   
   # 1. Parakin, Don..............................65 y.o. (Almost)...................Richmond Hill, Ont....CFC No.: 106488......CFC: 1701........FQE: 1173 ....FIDE: 1540

Bob A (GWWS(80+) Partner Rep.)

[Bob Armstrong]

The 2025 Canadian Inter-Generational Chess Challenge

Match Rules - Change

Chess for Connection (April Zhong) requested that, for convenience of her junior team, we increase the match from 10 boards to 12 boards.

This seems doable for us, and so we agreed!

April's Challenge Flyer has now been so amended.

So we are now continuing to send out invitations to non-member seniors (65+ y.o.) - This may well mean that the players in our "Back-Up Pool" [At the moment, Don Parakin], may well be conscripted to play to get our 12 players.

Bob A (GWWS(80+) Partner Rep.)

[Bob Armstrong]

The 2025 Canadian Inter-Generational Chess Challenge

GWWS(80+) is the team organizer. Besides its own members playing, it can conscript non-member seniors (65+) to its team, Old Pharts, if needed to complete its team.

We issued a challenge to Chess for Connection (April Zhong, Founder & President) to a 12-board, 2-game CFC-rated match. They readily accepted!




We are building Our Team - one player at a time!

Dinesh Dattani of Toronto has now joined our team. He is one of the founders (With Doug Gillis) of CHIRP (Chess Initiative for Retired Persons). Welcome aboard Dinesh!!

A. Team (25/7/14)

1. Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J (Member).....80 y.o. (By match date) ...Toronto, Ont........CFC No.: 100034.......CFC: 1534......FQE: 1517 ......FIDE:1475
2. Dattani, Dinesh...........................................tba(70+)................................Toronto, Ont............CFC No.: 134499 …....CFC: 1584.......FQE: ---- ..........-FIDE: 1559
3. Dixon, Javier............................................70 y.o................................Toronto, Ont........CFC No.: 162862.......CFC: 1581.....FQE: ------ .......FIDE: 1705
4. Gashgarian, Rob.......................................tba(70+)................................Brantford, Ont........CFC No.: 112426..........CFC: 1800......FQE: ----...........FIDE: 1769
5. Jung, Hans (FM) ….................................67 y.o.................................Kitchener, Ont.....CFC No.: 100182.......CFC: 2047.....FQE: 2255 ......FIDE: 1933
6. Kurkowski, Ken...................................tba (70+)...............................Toronto, Ont.........CFC No.: 104537......CFC: 1523.....FQE: ------ .......FIDE: 1580
7. Monné, John (Member)...........................94 y.o................................Brantford, Ont.......CFC No.: 193130......CFC: (1184)...FQE: ------ .......FIDE: ------
8. Selbie, Andrew.....................................tba (70+)..............................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 190659......CFC: 1378........FQE: ------ ......FIDE: ------
9. Teram, Eli.................................................77 y,o,...............................Toronto, Ont.........CFC No.: 107314......CFC: 1331.......FQE: ------ .....FIDE: ------
10. Verde, Pino..............................................77 y.o................................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 108688......CFC: 1605.......FQE: ------ .....FIDE: 1587
11. .....
12. ....

B. Back-up Pool

# 1. Parakin, Don..............................65 y.o. (Almost)...................Richmond Hill, Ont....CFC No.: 106488......CFC: 1701......FQE: 1173 ....FIDE: 1540
# 2.....

Bob A (GWWS(80+) Partner Rep.)

[Bob Armstrong]

GWWS(80+) - Info Sharing



The Notice below is from a very good Seniors Website for world information on seniors, the one of Tim Harding: https://www.chessmail.com/seniors/Seniors-calendar.html.

2025 World Senior (Individual) Chess Championships


A competition held by FIDE

This is the official invitation to all FIDE National Chess Federations to participate.
Organizers invite all senior Ladies and Gentlemen to participate at 33rd FIDE WSCC (50+ 65+), in Gallipoli (Lecce), from 20th Oct. (arrival day) to 2nd Nov. (departure day)


Tournaments


Senior
50+

Open to all players who are 50 or older in 2025

Senior
65+

Open to all players who are 65 or older in 2025

Women
50+

Open to all women who are 50 or older in 2025

Women
65+

Open to all women who are 65 or older in 2025

Dear Players...

We are extremely pleased and proud to have the privilege to organize the FIDE World Senior Individual Championships in Italy once more… and to do it in a awesome historical, cultural and naturalistic spot as Gallipoli known as the pearl of Ionio sea coast.
We selected such wonderful location and the “Grand Hotel Costa Brada” four star resort as venue for the event and the “Ecoresort Le Sirenè”, located a few hundred meters away, as a support hotel, because they are inserted in an isolated naturalistic context full of greenery to guarantee players relaxation, opportunities for sports practice and connection with nature.
The start of the event on October 20 should guarantee the benefits of the warm autumn of Southern Italy, with average temperatures usually around 20 degrees, and therefore the privilege of enjoying the beach and the wonderful Ionian Sea, overlooked by both resorts and the large gaming room of the Grand Hotel Costa Brada where most of you will play.
The proposed tourist package will give all players the opportunity to be able to use the private beach, swimming pool, tennis court, relaxation path in the Mediterranean pine forest and free transfer from Brindisi airport and Lecce railway station and to participate in tourist trips and collateral events that will be organized during the event.
For those who like a more “urban” stay and close to the magnificent historical city center of Gallipoli, a third support hotel is available named “Joli Park Hotel”, located at the beginning of the main street that leads to the old city of Gallipoli, from this hotel daily transfers will be organized, before and after the games, to the gaming venue. Italian hospitality cannot be provided without an excellent tasty food, so a local menu has been just prepared but also offers some international food to enjoy many different cultures, religions and lifestyles.
From the point of view of communication, most of the chess games will be played on electronic chessboards and broadcast online on the official website of the event and on one of the most famous chess platforms in the world but above all they will be commented live, in English, by GM Oskar Wieczorek and Phoebe Witte, on the Twitch channel of the same name.
Phoebe, as PR & Social Manager of the event, will interview the participating players who are the authors of the most interesting games or the most unexpected results on a daily basis and will follow the side events such as the blitz tournaments and the double Masterclass of GM Oskar Wieczorek.
Ladies and gentleman, we have many other pleasant surprises in store for you and your companions, starting with the tourist trip on the free day to “Polignano a Mare”, an amazing location and UNESCO World Heritage site, in order to make this tournament a unique and unforgettable experience!
Welcome to 33rd FIDE World Senior Individual Chess Championships 2025 from ArcoWorldChess & Chess Projects.



Bob A (Non-Member Interim Communications Coordinator)

[Bob Armstrong]

The 2025 Canadian Inter-Generational Chess Challenge

GWWS(80+) is the team organizer. Besides its own members playing, it can conscript non-member seniors (65+) to its team, Old Pharts, if needed to complete its team.

We issued a challenge to Chess for Connection (April Zhong, Founder & President), a chess juniors organization, to a 12-board, 2-game CFC-rated match. They readily accepted!




We are building Our Team - one player at a time!

Mario Moran-Venegas, of Angus, Ont., chess coach, has now joined our team. He is in our Back-Up Pool as # 2, at the moment. Welcome aboard Mario!!

A. Team (25/7/14)

1. Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J (Member).....80 y.o. (By match date) ...Toronto, Ont........CFC No.: 100034.......CFC: 1534......FQE: 1517 ......FIDE:1475
2. Dattani, Dinesh...........................................tba(70+)................................Toronto, Ont............CFC No.: 134499 …....CFC: 1584.......FQE: ---- ..........-FIDE: 1559
3. Dixon, Javier............................................70 y.o................................Toronto, Ont........CFC No.: 162862.......CFC: 1581.....FQE: ------ .......FIDE: 1705
4. Gashgarian, Rob.......................................tba(70+)................................Brantford, Ont........CFC No.: 112426..........CFC: 1800......FQE: ----...........FIDE: 1769
5. Jung, Hans (FM) ….................................67 y.o.................................Kitchener, Ont.....CFC No.: 100182.......CFC: 2047.....FQE: 2255 ......FIDE: 1933
6. Kurkowski, Ken...................................tba (70+)...............................Toronto, Ont.........CFC No.: 104537......CFC: 1523.....FQE: ------ .......FIDE: 1580
7. Monné, John (Member)...........................94 y.o................................Brantford, Ont.......CFC No.: 193130......CFC: (1184)...FQE: ------ .......FIDE: ------
8. Selbie, Andrew.....................................tba (70+)..............................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 190659......CFC: 1378........FQE: ------ ......FIDE: ------
9. Teram, Eli.................................................77 y,o,...............................Toronto, Ont.........CFC No.: 107314......CFC: 1331.......FQE: ------ .....FIDE: ------
10. Verde, Pino..............................................77 y.o................................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 108688......CFC: 1605.......FQE: ------ .....FIDE: 1587
11. .....
12. ....

B. Back-up Pool

# 1. Parakin, Don.........................................65 y.o. (Almost).................Richmond Hill, Ont....CFC No.: 106488......CFC: 1701......FQE: 1173 ....FIDE: 1540
# 2. Moran-Venegas, Mario.............................67 y.o.......................................Angus, Ont..........CFC No: 143315...….CFC: 1700......FQE: 1616.....FIDE: 1598

Bob A (GWWS(80+) Partner Rep.)

[Bob Armstrong]

GWWS(80+) - Info Sharing



TheChess4Win July Markham Open - Regular rated - July 19-20

Entry Fee: Seniors (65+) - Free IF rating over 1600+

Bob (Non-Member Interim Communications Coordinator)

[Bob Armstrong]

GWWS(80+) - Info Sharing/Project



The Oldest Active Canadian Chess Players Project

Seniors Generally

1. Jeanne Calment of France

The longest documented and verified human lifespan is that of Jeanne Calment of France (1875–1997), a woman who lived to the age of 122 years and 164 days. As women live longer than men on average, women predominate in combined records.

Wikipedia

2. This article is about the oldest currently living people. For specific supercentenarian claims validated by modern standards, see List of the verified oldest people. For the oldest verified people of all time, see Oldest people. For contemporary unvalidated supercentenarian claims, see Longevity claims.
This is a list of the oldest living people [I went from 1909 -911 only - all are women] who have been verified to be alive as of the dates of the cited supporting sources. It was estimated in 2015 that between 150 and 600 living people had reached the age of 110.^[1] The true number is uncertain, as not all supercentenarians are known to researchers at a given time, and some claims cannot be validated or are fraudulent.^[1]

• Ethel Caterham (born 21 August 1909) of the United Kingdom is the world's oldest living person whose age has been validated.^[2]
• João Marinho Neto (born 5 October 1912) of Brazil is the world's oldest living man whose age has been validated.^[3]

Oldest living people

This incomplete list is frequently updated to include new information.
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

1	Ethel Caterham[3]	F	21 August 1909	115 years, 328 days	United Kingdom
2	Marie-Rose Tessier[3]	F	21 May 1910	115 years, 55 days	France
3	Naomi Whitehead[3]	F	26 September 1910	114 years, 292 days	United States
4	Izabel Rosa Pereira[4]	F	13 October 1910	114 years, 275 days	Brazil
5	Lucia Laura Sangenito[3]	F	22 November 1910	114 years, 235 days	Italy
6	Andrée Bertoletto[3]	F	1 January 1911	114 years, 195 days	France
7	Yolanda Beltrão de Azevedo[5]	F	13 January 1911	114 years, 183 days	Brazil
8	Miyoko Hiroyasu[3]	F	23 January 1911	114 years, 173 days	Japan
9	Maria Paschoalina de Castro[6]	F	2 May 1911	114 years, 74 days	Brazil
10	Mary Harris[3]	F	13 May 1911	114 years, 63 days	United States
11	Shigeko Kagawa[3]	F	28 May 1911	114 years, 48 days	Japan
12	Beatriz Ferreira Duarte[7]	F	21 June 1911	114 years, 24 days	Brazil
13	Bonita Gibson[3]	F	4 July 1911	114 years, 11 days	United States
14	Winnie Felps[3]	F	10 October 1911	113 years, 278 days	United States
15	K. I.[8]	F	8 November 1911	113 years, 249 days	Japan
16	Fuyo Kishimoto[3]	F	20 December 1911	113 years, 207 days	Japan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Our Project

So our group now has to put together our list of oldest, current (Played a rated tournament in the year prior to being recorded) chess playing seniors.

We are hoping CT'ers will help us out by commenting on seniors they may know who qualify. We will then generate the list.

Bob A (Non-Member Interim Communications Coordinator)

[Bob Armstrong]

The 2025 Canadian Inter-Generational Chess Challenge

GWWS(80+) is the team organizer. Besides its own members playing, it can conscript non-member seniors (65+) to its team, Old Pharts, if needed to complete its team.

In May, 2025, we issued a challenge to Chess for Connection (April Zhong, Founder & President), a chess juniors organization, to a 12-board, 2-game CFC-rated match. They readily accepted!




We are building Our Team - one player at a time!

Near Completion!

1. We had 2 final positions to fill. So we moved the two players in our Back-Up Pool, into the last two regular team slots. We will continue, now, to try to find a last player for our now empty Back-Up Pool (Proved most helpful when a seniors team played in the 2025 GTCL Team Championship).

2. We are now able to present our team in its final board order/by rating!

A. Old Pharts Team (12 players - by Board No./Rating - 25/7/16)

1. Jung, Hans (FM) ….....................67 y.o.........................Kitchener, Ont.......CFC No.: 100182.....CFC: 2047.......FQE: 2255 ...FIDE: 1933 (25/7/12)
2. Gashgarian, Rob........................tba(70+).......................Brantford, Ont......CFC No.:112426......CFC: 1800.......FQE: ----........FIDE: 1769 (25/7/12)
3. Parakin, Don..............................65 y.o. (Almost)........Richmond Hill, Ont...CFC No.: 106488.....CFC: 1701.......FQE: 1173 ....FIDE: 1540 (25/7/12)
4. Moran-Venegas, Mario..............67 y.o............................Angus, Ont..........CFC No: 143315.......CFC: 1700......FQE: 1616.....FIDE: 1598 (25/7/15)
5. Verde, Pino.................................77 y.o...........................Toronto, Ont........ CFC No.: 108688......CFC: 1599.......FQE: ------ ....FIDE: 1572 (25/7/12)
6. Dattani, Dinesh...........................tba(70+)......................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 134499 ….CFC: 1584.......FQE: ---- …...FIDE: 1559 (25/7/12)
7. Dixon, Javier..............................70 y.o...........................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 162862......CFC: 1581.......FQE: ------ ....FIDE: 1705 (25/7/12)
8. Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J (Member)..80 y.o. (By match)..Toronto, Ont....CFC No.: 100034......CFC: 1534.......FQE: 1517 ...FIDE:1475 [Captain] (25/7/12)
9. Kurkowski, Ken........................tba (70+).......................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 104537.....CFC: 1523........FQE: ------ ....FIDE: 1580 (25/7/12)
10. Selbie, Andrew..........................tba (70+).......................Toronto, Ont..........CFC No.: 190659.....CFC: 1378........FQE: ------ ....FIDE: ------ (25/7/12)
11. Teram, Eli...................................77 y,o,...........................Toronto, Ont.........CFC No.: 107314.....CFC: 1331........FQE: ------ ....FIDE: ------ (25/7/12)
12. Monné, John (Member).............94 y.o.............................Brantford, Ont.....CFC No.: 193130.....CFC: (1184)......FQE: ------ .....FIDE: ------ (25/7/12)

B. Back-up Pool

# 1.


Note: (Date) = last date member's stats were checked.

[Bob Armstrong]

GWWS(80+) - Info Sharing/Project



The Oldest Active Canadian Senior Chess Players Project (80+)

(Project # 1 - In Progress - 25/7/17)

1. 94 y.o.......... Monné, John (Member)........................ Brantford, Ont..

CFC No.: 193130.........CFC: (1184)....FQE: ------ ...FIDE: ------..(2025/7/12)


2. 90 y.o....... Smith, Maurice.......................................Toronto, Ont.

CFC No.: 101793....CFC 1490.........FQE 1673......FIDE ----..(2025/7/17)


3. 86 y.o..... Pishdad, M. Hassan...............................Richmond Hill, Ont.

CFC No.: 146931...CFC 1215........FQE -----.........FIDE ----...(2025/7/17)


4. tba(80+)...Somborac, Milan................................Collingwood, Ont.

CFC No.: 175273...CFC (1249)....FQE ----...........FIDE-----...(2025/7/17)


5. 80 y.o. (Almost).. Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J.....Toronto, Ont.

CFC No.: 100034...CFC 1534...FQE 1517..........FIDE 1475..(2025/7/16)

[(Date): The day the Member's Stats were last checked]

This is an ongoing project of GWWS(80+). We would ask all CT'ers to draw to our attention by commenting below any potential seniors you know that would make this list......we will then follow up. Thanks.

Bob A (Non-Member Interim Communications Coordinator)

[Bob Armstrong]

GWWS(80+) - Info Sharing/Project



The Oldest Active Canadian Senior Chess Players Project (80+)

(Project # 1 - In Progress - 25/7/17)

Richard has now been added to our list. He was making a return to chess at the recent Ontario Open in Brantford (U 2000) in May this year. He had not played a rated tournament since April, 1999: Toronto Open - U 1700.

The List

1. 94 y.o.......... Monné, John (Member)........................ Brantford, Ont..

CFC No.: 193130.........CFC: (1184)....FQE: ------ ...FIDE: ------..(2025/7/12)


2. 90 y.o....... Smith, Maurice.......................................Toronto, Ont.

CFC No.: 101793....CFC 1490.........FQE 1673......FIDE ----..(2025/7/17)


3. 86 y.o..... Pishdad, M. Hassan...............................Richmond Hill, Ont.

CFC No.: 146931...CFC 1215........FQE -----.........FIDE ----...(2025/7/17)


4. 85 y.o....Somborac, Milan................................Collingwood, Ont.

CFC No.: 175273...CFC (1249)....FQE ----...........FIDE-----...(2025/7/17)

5. 84 y.o.....Nolk, E. Richard.................................Mar, Ont

CFC No. 100348... CFC 1536......FQE -----..........FIDE-----...(2025/5/25)


6. 80 y.o. (Almost).. Armstrong, Robert (Bob) J.....Toronto, Ont.

CFC No.: 100034...CFC 1534...FQE 1517..........FIDE 1475..(2025/7/16)

[(Date): The day the Member's Stats were last checked]

This is an ongoing project of GWWS(80+). We would ask all CT'ers to draw to our attention by commenting below any potential seniors you know that would make this list......we will then follow up. Thanks.

Bob A (Non-Member Interim Communications Coordinator)

[Bob Armstrong]

GWWS(80+) - Info Sharing


Can chess-playing seniors lengthen their life span?

Advice to our Members, and other senior chess players (65+)!

"The Longest Living People in the World All Abide by the ‘Power 9’ Rule


Here’s how to structure your days, so that you’re setting yourself up for a long and healthy life.

Every day we’re inundated with the “right” things to do to live a longer life. Drink eight glasses of water a day, they say. Go to the pharmacy for an off-label prescription, advise others. And others task us with the impossible—yet promising—task to just keep a positive mindset.
Today, the average life expectancy of an American is 76.4 years, and in 2023 over 70,000 Americans reached their 100th birthday. But in the Blue Zones, or regions of the world where people live exceptionally long lives, individuals are ten times more likely to live to 100. These places—specifically the Barbagia region of Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and Icaria, Greece—are packed with centenarians.
It was only a matter of time until medical researchers, demographers, epidemiologists, and anthropologists dug in to find out the common denominators among these places. Thus, emerges the Blue Zones “Power Nine”—or nine things that the five places who have the highest proportions of people who reach age 100—have in common. National Geographic’s Dan Buettner, published these findings in his book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest. We tapped our own longevity experts to weigh in on each of the nine pillars.

1. Move naturally

Studies show that sedentary behavior like sitting for 13 hours a day or walking less than 4,000 steps per day can reduce the metabolic benefits of acute exercise, while occasional activity could help reduce post-meal insulin levels. Researchers even found that “soleus push-ups” (that's calf raises for the majority of us) done in a sitting position have been shown to fuel metabolism for hours. In other words: You don’t need to set aside 90 minutes every day to exercise day after day. Exercise snacks, or small bouts of movement incorporated throughout the day, are proven to be just as effective as larger planned-out workouts—and much more accessible to most.
So, where does someone begin? Dr. Kien Vuu, founder of Vuu MD Performance and Longevity, author of Thrive State, says it starts by thinking of your work day differently. Have a bike? Opt for walking or biking for short distances, including to the office if that’s an option for your commute. Once you’re at your desk, try leg lifts or seated stretches, take the stairs to grab coffee, or opt for walking meetings if you’re chatting with someone who’s also in-office. Just a few minutes of activity breaking up sedentary behavior can reap many benefits.


2. Say yes to happy hour

By now, most everyone has indulged in a non-alcoholic beverage, whether or not you're on Team Dry January/Sober October. Although there’s loads of research praising the benefits of ditching alcohol altogether, a glass of wine is praised in Blue Zones. Not because of the wine’s health benefits, per say, but more so because of the socialization that comes hand-in-hand with imbibing now and then. “In longevity cultures, moderate alcohol consumption often occurs in a social context, emphasizing the role of community and celebration,” says Dr. Vuu. “The key might lie more in the positive social interactions and less in the alcohol itself. Positive relationships contribute to mental and emotional well-being.”

3. Take time to down shift

We’ve all heard it before: Stress is no good for us. Still, it’s often unavoidable. “When you notice your body tensing or your emotions rising, take a deep breath, hold for a few seconds, and slowly breathe out through your nose,” says Dr. Michelle Loy, an integrative medicine specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and assistant professor of pediatrics in clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. “The more you practice this, the better it gets. It can be done anywhere, anytime, and doesn’t interact with any medications or supplements.”
Not sure where to start? Begin before bedtime, making a couple extra minutes before you fall asleep to practice. Then, bring it into other areas of your day.

4. Give your diet a plant slant

Rich Roll. Chris Paul. Justin Fields. Kevin Hart. We’ve covered loads of guys who stick to a mostly plant-based diet (and exhausted the benefits of a plant-based diet, too). Blue Zone researchers agree, recommending that individuals seek out plant-based sources of protein, like beans, including black, soy, fava, and lentils, over meat. And when you’re in the mood for an animal-based option, opt for 3- to 4-ounce serving of pork.

5. Find your crew

If there’s one thing many learned during the last few years when it was at times stripped away from our day-to-day, there’s extreme power within connection and friendship. Those that live the longest identify close friends, and commit to those relationships for life. “Love and positive social interactions have been shown to release oxytocin, known as the ‘love hormone,’ which plays a role in bonding and reducing stress levels,” says Dr. Vuu. “So, loving, supportive relationships can lead to long-term improvements in emotional state and physical health.”

6. Abide by the 80% rule

Researchers found that the people in Blue Zones eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening—then don’t eat any more the rest of the day. This falls into what’s called the "80% Rule," which recommends people stop eating when their stomachs are 80% full. If you’re not good at exercising this type of restraint. Dr. Loy has a tip: “When you are starting to feel full, put away part of your meal in a Tupperware—or ask for the server to pack it to go,” she says.

7. Put your loved-ones first

Investing time in your family is something that not only pays off emotionally, but in terms of longevity as well. Successful centenarians keep aging parents (or grandparents) nearby, commit to a life partner, and if they have children, they make an effort to spend time with them.

8. Find a place you belong

Research shows that attending a faith-based service four times per month could add four to 14 years to your life expectancy. If religion isn’t your cup of tea, there’s always the opportunity to dive deep into your own personal wellness. Seek out a squad that makes you feel accepted and seen, whether that’s your local CrossFit gym or a weekly trivia ritual at the restaurant down the block.

9. Know your “why”

When you know why you wake up in the morning and have a purpose in your day-to-day life, research shows that you can add up to seven years to your life expectancy. The Japanese concept of Ikigai encourages individuals to find their personal calling or purpose, adds Dr. Loy, who recommends asking yourself four questions and finding where these answers intersect:

• What do I love? (Passion)
• What am I good at? (Profession)
• What does the world need? (Mission)
• What can I be compensated for? (Vocation)

“It may take some soul-searching, but it is worth taking the time to engage in this personal quest, as when you find your Ikigai, or several, it brings clarity to how you live your life,” she says."

GQ - 24/2/6


A chess senior - aging - gracefully & into the future?
(Photo Credit - John Upper)

Bob A (Non-member Interim Communications Coordinator)