Father of WCM Claudia Muñoz
abedmunoz@chesscampeona.com,
Every chess family is a chess world and ours is not the exception. Our readers noticed that for the last three weeks our website has been inactive with posting leaving our 35,000 readers out to dry. There is a reason why this happened and it had to do with feelings that my daughter experienced as well our relationship as father and daughter.
Nothing that has happened in our family, during Claudia’s chess career, has been by chance, there has been awesome planning and a strong winning attitude. This summer was supposed to be the breakout season for her. We anticipated at least a 1950 FIDE rating, which for a 13 year old girl that is awesome. However 24 hours before departing to the NAYCC in New York City, Claudia faced what every young girl faces during her adolescence every month, she had never had it happen to her in a tournament before.
She arrived as the second highest seed of the tournament in her category only to face four draws, one victory and one defeat. When the tournament was finished so was her monthly cycle, but the emotional damage was done. She boarded the plane from New York to Dallas and from there to Miami and finally to Cali, Colombia she carried the emotional baggage straight into the Pan American Youth Chess Championship.
In the Pan American she had a difficult first four rounds when finally prior to the 5th round I decided to step in as a Coach, as the person that has understood her since she started this sport. She then had four consecutive clutch victories against the best South America had to offer. By the 9th round she was on board 1 playing for the gold medal and the FIDE Master title.
Peru was too difficult for her and she lost. I believe she handled the loss quite well as she dropped to the 8th position.
Two weeks later she arrived at the SUSAN POLGAR GIRLS INVITATIONAL and again she was seeded in 2nd place at the start of the event. However, in the 2nd round a tough draw sent her to 9th place and from there she had to battle her way back up the ladder. By the last round she was on board 1. With a win she would tie for first place.
The representative of Michigan proved strong and Claudia lost the opportunity to tie for first place of the Susan Polgar Girls Invitational.
When she returned home she returned emotionally hurt. Just the mere mentioning of the word “Chess” would bring tears to her eyes.
The pressure had built up and it was time to release it. I told her that if she never played chess again, I would continue to love her since my love for her was not conditional to a chess rating or to her playing the sport.
Her tears were of happiness because she never thought I would say those words. I told her that I was disconnecting her from chess until she was emotional ready to return to the game. She then finished a commitment that she had in the G45/45 league where she won her two games and them that was it since then.
No more chess classes.
This has not meant that chess has ended in the Munoz household. I decided to return to the chessboard being that now I have time. I designed my own chess study program and everyday I am studying at least two hours of chess. She watches me working hard. Last week she became my sparring partner where every Thursday she plays two long games of lines I am studying.
This last week without knowing any theory on an opening and a defense I am working with, she defeated me soundly.
She has focused on a new hobby drawing. She has been drawing letters for three weeks. She agreed to play in a non rated tournament halfway in September just to support me as I make an insignificant comeback to the board. However, last night when we were sitting holding a conversation she told me right out of the blue, “Dad, I feel that I need to play in the National Championship K-12 in Dallas in November.”
I was so happy!
I held her arms and I realized that what had happened was that we had lost focus of the game. We had placed so much attention on ratings and FIDE titles that we forgot what this was all about.
It was about loving chess. It was about watching a beautiful 6-year old girl that would tell me everyday, “Dad, today I am going to beat you.” Of observing how she would slide the pieces on the board and boldly make combinations where there were none to be made. Of the late nights when we would drive back home from the chess club licking our wounds from the beating we would get.
It was about a girl playing chess with her dad. That is what this was all about.
Well, I promised we would not make that mistake anymore. Yesterday we played two 15 minute games. We attacked each other hard while playing lines we were not used to playing, but that is skittles – to innovate, to create, to push chess knowledge or lack of it to the limit.
My adrenaline ran as I was ahead in both games but I was not able to close the games. She was using her knowledge acquired in tournaments in the United States. Mexico, Argentina and Greece.
Claudia is now training for the National Championship but not through classes and hours of lectures but through releasing the years of knowledge and experience in her. When she arrives in Dallas she will want to play because she loves chess.
Claudia, I love you because of who you are – my daughter.
Source: http://www.chesscampeona.com/
Good article.
It was the same with my son, but with football(soccer). I was just a dad playing football with his son. He played for the love of game at very high levels until an injury altered his football dreams. He still plays anywhere with grass and a ball because he loves the game.