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Categories - Shopping - Free Online Business Help - Telecommunications Services Articles: Children - The Thrill of Tournament Chess for Kids
by Dan Sherman
As I became more interested in chess as a boy, I knew I wanted to play in a tournament. Of course I hoped for success, but mostly I longed to be part of a competition with rows of players at their boards, each pitting their skill against an opponent.
Finally the day arrived. I walked into the large tournament hall, on the ground floor of a hotel by the airport. There were a few hundred players, of all ages and abilities. I found the pairings sheet, which tells all the players their board number and whether they have the white or black pieces, and sat down at my board. The Tournament Director thanked everyone for coming, made a couple of announcements and instructed us to start our games.
I lost my first game, but there were five more to go and I was thrilled to be part of this chess gala. Yet the best part of the tournament, the one that would improve my play the most, took place between the scheduled games.
I walked with a group of chess players to a nearby fast food restaurant. There was plenty of time before the next round. Inside the restaurant was an incredible scene, one I had never imagined. Chess players were everywhere. Most of the tables had a roll-up board in the middle, with players seated on both sides looking on as someone played through their just completed game by reading moves from their score sheet, re-creating their tournament game. I found an open seat at one of the tables and sat down.
The player showcasing his game gave his opinion of the moves, going over other options and scenarios that could have been. The onlookers chimed in with suggestions. The atmosphere seemed casual and friendly, so I worked up my courage, finally suggesting, "Or maybe you could go here," and pointing out a move I considered good. No one criticized me for making my suggestion. In fact, I felt encouragement from the player reading over his moves. He and the others seemed to want my participation.
For the three days of that tournament I happily lived and breathed chess. There was the morning game, then over to the fast food place to analyze and eat, then the afternoon game. My mom would pick me up right after that, unless I had a very short game.
I finished with two wins, three losses and a draw (a tie) in the tournament. Although that wasn't a great result, it did wonders for my game. After that I could beat my friends at school every time. As my tournament experience grew, I could see good improvement. And of course I always went with fellow players between rounds to eat and to go over games - my favorite part.
© 2008 by Your Chess Coach. All rights reserved http://www.yourchesscoach.com/
Dan and Laura Sherman met through chess in 1992 as strong tournament players. They have each played hundreds of tournament games and have decades of experience under their belts. Laura was one of the top 50 women players in the US and Dan achieved “expert” skill level with United States Chess Federation. Laura and Dan embrace teaching the next generation the wonders of chess. Their 5-year-old son loves to play and their 2 year old cries “chess” every time she dumps the bag of pieces on the floor.
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