When I entered the bustling tournament hall at the North American Youth Chess Championship (NAYCC) in 2017, I was ranked tenth in my section. I had every reason to be nervous; after all, I was an underdog competing among talented players from all over the continent. In fact, I had just experienced brutal losses against lower rated opponents only days before this major tournament. However, this is the beauty of chess -- it is an unpredictable game where nobody knows the result until the final moment. Each game is an intense psychological battle where only the most persistent player can achieve victory. With this in mind, I fought fearlessly against my opponents in NAYCC and eventually tied for first place, winning my first ever chess master title.
The nerve-wracking experience of competing in international chess tournaments is nothing new to me. Ten years ago, I started playing chess competitively. My greatest challenge was overcoming my self-doubt that stemmed from a lack of confidence. Negative thoughts constantly plagued my mind: "You're only considered a good chess player because you're a girl." After seeing fewer and fewer female players in tournaments, I felt pressured to perform well and set a positive model for young girls. Historically and too often today, we are marginalized and isolated. This lack of support can whittle away at our self-esteem and discourage us from further pursuing our passions. Needless to say, I, too, suffered from this vicious cycle. Countless times, I almost gave up when I suffered crushing defeats. But while my morale may have been shattered at times, I didn’t let these setbacks affect my performance in the long run. Rather than wallowing in defeat, I concentrated on improving myself by practicing with friends and asking them for chess book recommendations. Slowly, I started believing in my own abilities and gaining confidence by focusing on what I've accomplished rather than what I have not.
And I believe I’ve accomplished a lot by rediscovering my passion for the game: the invigorating risks involved with choosing which move to play; the rewarding process of calculating far ahead instead of playing a quick, temporary solution; the look of terror on your opponent’s face as they realize they fell into your sneaky trap. Through devastating losses and uplifting victories, I finally learned to treat every failure as a learning opportunity and the importance of believing in your own potential by never giving up. Through chess, I came to understand that persistence is the key to life. The quiet game of chess has taught me invaluable skills that I believe have shaped me into the resilient individual I am today. In the future, I want to impart my chess-related experiences with the younger generation of girls through supportive chess camps. I want to make sure they never feel alone on their journey of evolving into the best version of themselves.
Comentarios