Tips for NAG

I cannot stress this enough. Each player has their own unique gifting and they will all mature at different times. Remember also that not all start the game on the same footing. Some have parents who are strong players already or have outside trainers.

So if you start at around 12yo like we did and you meet a player also 12yo on the other side, they may have already been playing tournaments from the age of 6yo. That means that in chess terms the player is 5/6 years his/her senior on the table. But don't despair. Read this. Here.

The most important thing you can do for your child is to protect their fighting spirit. Nurture them. It's not over till the fat lady sings. Don't make him/her feel insecure and inferior to the other player. That is the worst thing you can do.

There is a lot you can learn from chess even if they do not decide to continue chess but do keep them away from the negative people. They can do terrible damage to your child. If you can do this your child will shine in time. Here.

I hope to see your child grow in strength year by year. That is good enough. It is not the beginning of the race that matters. It's the finishing line that counts. Whether he/she crosses it or not?

Protect the spirit and the technical will come in time. All my best to the competitors. Fight hard but fight fair. Your time will come if you stick to this principle. See you at the finishing line.