One Saturday, we watched a student walk in wearing the “learner hat.” They started with a puzzle lesson, quietly soaking it in. A bit later, they had switched into the “competitor hat,” locked in during their first tournament game. After the round, they slid into the “friend hat,” laughing with a…
At Puddletown, we’ve learned something important: leadership doesn’t grow out of perfect plans. It grows out of chaos. When you’re working with kids, chess boards, clocks, pizza boxes, and a tournament hall full of buzzing energy, things will go sideways. And that’s exactly where spontaneous leadership shows up. The Tournament Tiebreaker…
All of us chess players have faced a problem at some point: Do I go for a draw (or accept a draw offer) against a higher-rated person if I know my position is better, and potentially even winning? This question is silently in everyone’s head, no matter how much you want…