Peter Holland Jr. // Assistant Sports Director
Chess is a well-known brain teaser that provides concentration, strategy and intelligence to have victory over opponents. Combine that with an inside linebacker’s physicality on a football field, and checkmate.
That’s the description of junior linebacker Anthony Wint.
When the Homestead native isn’t participating in football activities and competing with his teammates, he’s competing in chess matches on the FIU campus on Thursday nights.
The Panthers’ leading tackler had a knack for playing chess at a young age. At the age of nine, when football season was over, he and a neighborhood friend would discover the game, and he would immediately fall in love.
“I’ve been playing chess since I was in the fifth grade,” Wint said. “It was a hobby of mine. It’s not a physical game that I’m used to playing, but I really enjoy it.”
As a middle schooler, he developed his hobby by joining the chess club at his school. Now at 21 years old, because of his duties as a starting linebacker and team captain, Wint is focused mainly on football, but keeps the mindset of playing chess.
“In a lot of ways, chess is just like playing football. If he [the opponent] makes a move, you want to match that move,” Wint said. “Kind of like an offensive lineman sliding in the front over there. It’s a numbers game and a mental game. You have to remember the moves he made in the past matches, things he likes to do. It’s the same as football, you have to have a open mind and formal thinking.”
As the Panthers are 0-4, Wint has 43 total tackles for the season. The Panthers are seeking their victory as they will face Florida Atlantic University on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at the FIU Stadium.
Yes, I totally agree with you that for playing Chess, everyone must need of concentration, strategy and intelligence because this is a brain teaser.