Obchession

Once we introduced Dominic to chess, it took only a couple of hours before he was able to pick up all but the most obscure of rules.  We had wondered if he was too young, but it turns 6 is just the right age.

To help him learn more about tactics, we borrowed a couple of chess books from the public libraries.

He was delighted with the books and consumed them  with obsession. He studies them at night before nodding off.  He reads them first thing in the morning, even before getting out of bed.  He skims them while eating breakfast (to the distress of Mommy who needs to make sure they get to school on time).  He scans them while brushing his teeth, and he ponders on them while sitting...well, you can guess where.

Of course, the best way to learn is to play with your peers, especially those better than you, so we enrolled him in weekly chess class at his school.

One day:

Daddy:  Did you play chess today?

Dominic: Yes.

Daddy: Who did you play with?

Dominic: With Lxxx (a girl)

Daddy: Did you win?

Dominic: No.

Daddy: (surprised) How did she win?

Dominic: She tricked me.  She told me that her bishop cannot go backwards.

 

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