I simply admire my daughter Claudia because it has been through her tenacity that I have grown as a father. At the Friday Night Swiss, she had the tournament of her life! She came in 6th place out of 35 players, she was in the middle of nothing but 2000 rated players, yet she fought until midnight for each point - from 1612 to 1699 in four rounds (she has gained 166 points in 3 weeks of tournament play now that she relocated to North Texas especifically to play chess).However twenty-four hours later, she had lost the first three rounds of the ¨TEXHOMA FIDE OPEN¨ at the Dallas Chess Club on day one.
1. Defeated by Akshay Malhotra (2022)
2. Jordan Pamatmat (1775)
3. Anshumann Atriwal (1721)
Each player played excellent over the board and we applaude them for the great play.
As Claudia went to sleep, my wife and I affirmed to her that Sunday would be another day. In the morning, after her breakfast, I told her we had to finish strong and she did. She left Dallas with 1.5/5, but most of all with new experience. If climbing to the top were easy, everyone would do it. Those that know Claudia would agree she has fight in her.
She still left Dalls with 57 of the newly acquired 87 points she gained the night before, but building character and affirming her personal goals are more important to us right now.
This weekend, Lord willing, she will be on the boards once again ready to cross 1700. If what she has achieved in just three weeks of active play can be sustained throughout the year, I believe that by November 2, 2010, America will have a very strong teenage playing chess player.
On that day she will be thirteen years old.
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