Venue: Open FIDE Rated Chess Tournament
Time: 9:30 AM
Timers pressed. Game began.
My opponent was a little girl, not more than 10 years old. And when the game started I noticed that she had a wrong placement of king and queen (Or something like that, I don’t remember exactly). I thought, “Oh..this innocent kid, poor girl, why should I make her in trouble” I told her to correct it and the game restarted.
After sometime, she called the arbiter. Did I make any mistake? My eyes scanned the entire board..no, nothing is wrong.. then what’s wrong with her..I thought.
The timer was placed on my left side, so I was moving pieces with my left hand to meet the law of pressing the timer with the same hand which made move. And as a poke-yoke, I kept a pen in my right hand too and was writing the moves in the notepad. The cautious me, no..;)
The little girl assumed that I was playing with right hand, as it is the normal way. And when she noticed that I was pressing the timer with left hand, a bulb lighted in her head. Anyway, it didn’t take much time to make it clear for her as the arbiter was the real witness to shield me.
Another 10 or 15 moves over. I did a short castling. Again she stood up.. I scanned my board..the cycle repeated, found nothing wrong. The arbiter came and at once she said that I moved into check. Castling is only forbidden when an opponent’s piece controls a square that the king has to cross. Thanks God, I am saved this time, too. She might have got mistaken by the rules.
After a few more moves, she called the arbiter again. My heartbeats started to increase. And this time, she had a complaint about the table, that it’s not steady.. Anyway the arbiter solved this problem too…the match continued..
Please don’t ask me who win or lose the match, I give full credit to that little girl as she gave me an alternative insight to her generation.
Geetha B
August 31, 2016 at 9:14amI’ve played some opponents in championships who had dirty tricks up their sleeve (like they would ask their friends to come and stand behind me to watch the game from right behind me and try to create pressure during zeitnot) but I did not think that applied to little girls. Surely is a different generation…
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 9:20amyaa.. it was a different experience for me.. infact even after the game, i was thinking in favor of the child. i thought like, it wont be justifiable if i talk against her since herself being a little girl…but there were many who shared similar experience.. may be they are the smarter generation.
Geetha B
August 31, 2016 at 9:22amI don’t think it is a smart thing to use something out of the game to try to win the game. Chess is a noble art and must be won on its own merit
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 9:26amtrue.. but seems the world is tuning them in such a direction…the world including, everyone of us..
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 9:23amthere was no grouping based on age..since being chess game
parijat shukla
August 31, 2016 at 9:25amIt was joke 🙂 🙂
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 9:24amany why dont, while I am just nearing 11 😉
parijat shukla
August 31, 2016 at 9:25amYes this is better answer 🙂 🙂
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 10:36amha ha.. i really enjoyed your reply, a kind of advice wearing the shoe of someone in 70’s..lolz…
true that the arbiter might have got tired, as she didnt end even after three calls.. i just stopped writing with the initial three..
187puneet
August 31, 2016 at 10:37amLol don’t make me feel that old. I am 21.
Bikramjit
August 31, 2016 at 11:29amClever indeed.. and to do it in a way that in end you still thinking of her as
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 11:35amha ha..in a dilemma now.. who is more innocent..;)
Bikramjit
August 31, 2016 at 11:38amHe he he…
Carolyn Page
August 31, 2016 at 12:19pmPerhaps the lesson has something to do with naivety! Deception can come in many guises; little girls not excluded. You strike me as a beautiful soul. Some beautiful souls like to think the best of all people, when the opposite can also be true; even in little girls! Acceptance can be a wonderful key!
Getting down from my soap-box now….. 😉 😉
Really enjoyed your story… 🙂
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 12:22pmthanks carolyn. true that.. just need to accept the reality…infact still i doubt who lost the sportsman spirit..
Carolyn Page
August 31, 2016 at 12:27pmThe heroes of the world generally expect more of themselves….
Manu Michael sdb
August 31, 2016 at 3:51pmHi… share with us the insight!!
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 10:34pmshhhhhhhhh
Shalini Sharrma
August 31, 2016 at 6:00pmYou reminded me of the last time, almost years back i played chess with a kid who’s no more :’) Almost a tutor and in a year a student as the kid’s moves and mind so perfect that i lagged behind since then i left the game, almost out of my mind.
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 10:34pmoh….
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 10:23pmextra curricular activities…of course it will be a fun time to be with kids.
prashantt
August 31, 2016 at 10:58pmYeah! Actually i love bieng with kids and this week we will be bringing them to planetarium.Fun with studies.
Akhila
September 1, 2016 at 9:14amoh.. who are ‘we’ ?
Daisy in the Willows
August 31, 2016 at 11:05pmAll I can say is I wish I could play chess. The way you described it makes it one of the best sports to engage the mind in . 🙂
Akhila
August 31, 2016 at 11:13pmtrue that it is one of the best games to engage your mind..in fact i was a kind of addicted to it earlier.. a little bit relieved now
Daisy in the Willows
September 1, 2016 at 12:30amWOW! I admire you even more. You play hardcore chess. It is now officially on my bucket list of to do’s
Akhila
September 1, 2016 at 9:09amDaisy.. it is really good that you have it in your to-do list.. I am sure you will take it up.. thumbs up
myheartbeats4ublog
September 1, 2016 at 3:52amHmmmm…surprise, surprise..generation gap, perhaps
Akhila
September 1, 2016 at 9:06ammay be the generation gap…and even after hearing similar experience from many other players during that day, i was suspicious on my own sportsman spirit..
myheartbeats4ublog
September 1, 2016 at 5:48pmhmmmmm….
Josh
September 1, 2016 at 8:52amBottom line you had an amazing experience! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Akhila
September 1, 2016 at 9:01amtrue that..and above all, she was a wonderful player
Akhila
September 1, 2016 at 9:08amhnefatafl.. i donno about it…
and regarding a match: why not.. I am ready to win..lolz…
Akhila
September 1, 2016 at 9:10amabsolutely.. it’s a game enhancing focus…
Akhila
September 1, 2016 at 9:28amoh.. it’s such a nice thing prashant.. really proud of you..
Akhila
September 1, 2016 at 9:47amwish you too a great time at planetarium on week ends..share the experiences..
prashantt
September 1, 2016 at 3:40pmThanks,definately will share 🙂
fairykumar
September 1, 2016 at 2:33pmI guess this is one of your best experience!!!
Akhila
September 1, 2016 at 2:33pmha ha.. absolutely right
Nisthur Anadi
September 1, 2016 at 9:17pmBeautiful commentary of game !
Akhila
September 2, 2016 at 2:47pmha ha…who knows whether she had another version for this story..
avinamdar
September 1, 2016 at 10:35pmThank God I haven’t yet played chess with a ten year old girl. I’m going to take this post as a warning and steer clear of those little rascals. 😛
Akhila
September 2, 2016 at 2:46pmha ha…
Akhila
September 3, 2016 at 10:20ammay be i need to promote guess works with some awards
Akhila
September 3, 2016 at 10:27amha ha.. let your confidence drive you