Most of his friends and chessmates call him Morg or Morgie. Because of the drubbing he has inflicted on all and sundry, including myself, I call him Morgan the Terrible. Any chess player who would like to joust with him would be welcome to do so, but you may have to wait your turn at his "place" situated at the corner of Lara Promenade and Henry Street in Port-of-Spain. Good luck to you, my friend. And if, at any time, you believe that Morg is napping, beware! Morgan's place has been a popular open air centre for chess in the capital city for more than a decade. It emerged naturally after he established his little business at the corner selling refreshments and snacks. Its centrality, of course, was only part of its attraction. There was always the opportunity of testing your chess skills against perhaps the strongest grassroots player in the country. Morgan, in fact, has acquired a reputation all his own, not simply for his formidable ability over the chessboard but also for his singular contribution to the sport itself.
On any day of the week, morning, noon and night , you are almost sure to find a chess battle in progress at Morgan's place with several players crowded around the action, either kibitzing or awaiting their chance to prove their own skills. While open air chess clubs have come and gone over the years, Morgan's place, without any formal rules, has grown into a little institution by itself. Indeed, while Woodford Square players still have a problem with lights, several of them would happily retire to Morgan's place after nightfall. Over the last weekend, Morgan received the accolades and expressions of appreciation from members of the city's open-air chess community, first at an innovative session held at Ford College, corner of Queen and Abercromby Streets and then at then at Morg's "home ground." They were well deserved tributes paid to a man who followed his own vision for chess, that is to popularise the sport at a level of the society below what he tactfully referred to as "the conservatives." Speaking for his colleagues, Johnathan Forde, Principal of Forde College, spoke of Morgan as "an icon" of chess in the city who established "an axis" on which the sport has moved forward. Leading player, Hayden Lee also praised Morgan for his contribution to the game.
By now the reader may be curious to know why DR does not give readers his full name. Oddly enough, it never occurred to DR to find out. The truth is that in his own world Morgan, now 51, does not really need any other name; he is truly one of a kind, a legend of sorts, instantly identifiable in the hustle and bustle of that part of the city simply as Morgan, or to those who have grown to appreciate him, as Morg or Morgie. The title of Morgan the Terrible that DR has conferred on him is DR's personal tribute to the man. Chess must have been a strong stabilising factor in Morgan's difficult life, although he seems quite knowledgeable in other forms of art, particularly music and the movies. DR remembers him, several years ago, arriving at the Promenade to play chess on the carrier bicycle which he used in selling pies. Morgan's pastries were quite delicious but the lickings he inflicted over the chessboard were not so tasty. About 15 years ago, Morgan launched his little business on lower Henry Street. As fate would have it, the corner spot also had a number of chess tables which happily facilitated his dream of setting up a permanent outdoor "centre" for playing the royal game.
"Big cities have places where anybody can go to play chess," Morgan told DR. "This is what I always wanted to do" Born in Pt Fortin, he came to Port-of-Spain at the age of six and attended Crystal Stream Government Primary and Tranquillity Intermediate. After his schooling he became fascinated with chess largely by hearing about the exploits of national champion F.E. Brassington who would also give simultaneous exhibitions in various parts of the city. Morgan started playing on the pavement with a group of friends on upper Edward Street, including musician Kenny Sylvester who is still one of his sparring partners. Then he joined Paladins Chess Club which met at Tranquillity and had a number of prominent players among its members. Morgan's chess skills were honed largely by indulging his huge appetite for the game as he remembers playing in different open air places including Woodford Square and Lans Mitan and also as a member of Knights Chess Club under the Araujos.
In DR's view, Morgan is perhaps the strongest T&T chess player who never really studied the game or benefited from programmes of coaching or computer training. In fact, one may well wonder, with his natural talent, what he could have become, what heights he could have attained, had he been exposed to this kind of technical and personal assistance now available to aspiring players. Also the pressures of earning a livelihood did not permit Morgan the opportunities to regularly play in regimented tournaments. But he remembers doing fairly well in the few that he did. His first, at Blackman's Private School, several years ago, saw him taking second place with victories over a number of prominent players. If the sport of chess has played an important part in Morgan's life, he has handsomely returned "the compliment" in his own way.