This Saturday, the Puddletown team came together at Hope Chinese Charter School to help with the annual MLK day chess tournament. It was nostalgic to see so many young chess enthusiasts come together in the environment that I myself once spent so much time in. The cafeteria-table-turned-tournament-tables, the classrooms used as skittles rooms, even the very school that I once attended… Wasn’t it just yesterday I sat in my booster seat in the car with my very first trophy?
The MLK day tournament started when I attended Hope. Organized by parent volunteers, it was a huge hit, drawing over 60 scholastic players from Oregon every time. After the pandemic-induced shortage of chess tournaments here in Oregon, it was refreshing to see a tournament that is still going strong.
During the time that we analyzed players’ games, it was a pleasure to hear the thoughts and ideas of so many players. Valuable commentary was exchanged, and we hope that everyone left with knowledge gained.
For me, it was especially touching when one parent told me at the end that their child registered for the tournament because they heard I was going to provide analysis. It’s amazing (and a little scary) to hear that I can inspire some young chess players. Conversely, I am also inspired by them to continue improving and helping those that supported me. Hopefully, our mutual inspiration will help us all grow in our chess journeys!
