Chess mates eyeing state tourney
Daniel Flatt
Herald-Citizen Staff Sunday, Feb 07, 2010
COOKEVILLE — Cookeville High School Chess Club members William Earl Pyle and Nayshil Dalal can technically consider themselves as one of the top 32 players in the state. Both qualified for the State Scholastic Individual Chess Tournament to be held Feb. 13. But even with this success, both Pyle and Dalal seem to agree that they merely enjoy their favorite pastime.
“We play it everyday,” William said. “It takes a lot of practice. You have to have a lot of experience, and we have a lot of experience. I think the way you learn is when you lose. And I guess we did (well) because we play everyday.”
The senior member of the team has played since the third grade when his father, John, who serves as the club’s coach, introduced him to the game of strategy. According to his father, William soaked the game right up and has been playing quite well ever since.
“I liked it right off the bat,” William said. “I started getting good in the fourth grade.”
Freshman Dalal started a bit later — the past school year.
“I started playing in eighth grade, I guess,” Dalal said. “I kind of took classes in India, but I wasn’t that good at that time. It was like students come in and they have a class-type thing.”
After the class, Dalal said he enjoyed the game but didn’t have a partner to square off with.
“I kind of liked chess, but I didn’t have anyone to pay with. But then I met (William), and I started playing with him.”
Here is the full article.
Good coaching matters.