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Excellence is Lifestyle:

Philip Godrey wins ACE Chess Grand Prix Cup MVP Honor

Click here to view the full article detailing Philip Godfrey and his Chevalier Noir teammates first place prize in the 9th Annual Honeywell Fiesta Bowl Aerospace Challenge, from Ahwatukee Magazine.

Like many before it, the focus of this article was supposed to be chess. However, after sitting down with young Philip Godfrey to talk about his achievement, I can honestly say that I was reminded of something I tend to forget from time to time: Life beyond chess. Many of the lessons taught to us by the “Game of Kings” go well beyond its 64-square border: Better Judgment; Discipline; Curiosity; Persistence; and an appreciation for the unknown.

I am someone who has devoted himself (in many ways) to the “love of the game, for the game itself”. I enjoy it, I find purpose in it, and chess is, for lack of a better way to put it, my job. With that said, I must admit that am guilty of losing sight of the big picture sometimes.

Many of us will not become Grand Masters or any form of a “chess professional”. Many players who devote themselves to the game, with all their hearts, already have other things they love equally, if not greater. There are many who learn from their wins and losses over the board, only to find ways to apply those lessons in other walks of life.

In the case of our reigning Most Valuable Player for the Master Trek Grand Prix Cup there is no mistaking it: Philip Godfrey is exceptional. If you don’t believe me, then let me ask you a few questions: Was it shocking when a relatively unknown member of Chevalier Noir tore through a string of Master Trek’s to gain over 250 ratings points and win the first ever Grand Prix Cup MVP honor? Not really… Was it surprising when the younger Godfrey (Philip’s older brother David has been a regular Trekker for some time) ran away with the 1000-1299 Section so early in the year that he didn’t even have to compete in the last Trek of the season to clinch the title? A little… What if I were to tell you that Philip’s incredible chess achievement was probably 3rd on his list of great accomplishments last year? Now you’re interested right!

“I didn’t even know I was leading until one of my teammates told me in April”, said Philip when I asked him if he was nervous about almost blowing his lead down the stretch.

“From chess I’ve learned not to be nervous. When you lose, you learn to think about what you’re going to do the next time, instead of being nervous. That’s why I did well in Science, I think. When other kids got nervous, I tried to think what was coming next. I tried to think about what questions they might ask, before they asked them. I think we did a good job preparing.”

What about Science? Well, when Philip and several of his Chevalier Noir teammates put there heads together in a field completely unrelated to chess, the results were magnificent! With no outside help, this group of young kids built a model space station, mapped out exactly how the “real life” space project might come together, and developed original ideas for how life in space might actually work, should the day ever come. This was not a project for giggles; it was a competition that had over 300 contestants; and anyone at the Fiesta Bowl game last January might have noticed when they walked onto the field at halftime! For their efforts, they were rewarded with first place at the 9th Annual Honeywell Fiesta Bowl Aerospace Challenge. (Click here to view the full article from Ahwatukee Magazine.) The list of prizes included an all expenses paid trip to visit the Aerospace Museum in Houston, an intimate experience at the Apollo-era Mission Control Room in Houston, as well as an Astronaut guided tour of the actual Space Station (where they launch the rockets, in laymen’s terms). All those prizes sound almost as good as our ACE Chess All-Star Jackets!

I asked him to tell us something about Astronauts that we wouldn’t know, “They were all really funny. I was surprised, but when we went to lunch, the Astronaut made lots of good jokes”. Good to know…

During this time, Philip also competed against hundreds of other Pianists his age in an international music competition, and he won. Twice! After winning in Ohio two years ago, the Godfrey family relocated to Arizona, and Philip saw no reason not to compete again. He did, and he won in a level two tiers higher than his previous victory in Ohio.

But with all these achievements, where does he ever find time for Video Games?? In all seriousness, he does enjoy some downtime:

“I like to listen to music, my favorite book is The Three Arrows by George Grant, and my favorite movie is now the Dark Knight.” Again, good to know…

In conclusion of my work during the interview process and actually writing this article, I can definitely say that I learned something about versatility and the importance of believing in yourself. Philip told me that he knows putting his mind to something is all he has to do to be successful. He said he knows that there are always people in the world better than him, at everything he does, and that means he always has a goal. I hope reading this article inspires anyone looking for a little motivation, because writing it inspired me.

Speaking of goals, what is Philip going to do next:

“I’d like to go to College, become a Lawyer or a Doctor or maybe both, and probably become a chess Grand Master too.” Sounds good to me…

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