The most important thing is to protect his king. Attacking his opponent can wait.
He looks at the board, analyzes it and thinks about what is defending the king.
“Once your king is safe from harm, you can go attack the other opponent,” Cristian Lopez said.
That’s the main strategy for Cristian, 11, when he plays chess.
He is a member of the Heber School chess team.
The team is preparing for its biggest challenge yet, the National Junior High Chess Championship.
Coach Tony Lambert said that the competition this weekend in San Diego is what the team has been training for.
“This is the reason we’ve been doing this,” Lambert said. “This has always been the goal.”
The competition starts Friday and ends Sunday. Each player will have to compete in seven games. Each game can last up to four hours.
“It’s very grueling because a lot of my students will stay in there three hours or so to get the job done,” Lambert said.
Lambert said that since theirs is the only team in the Valley, players have to travel all the time to find teams to compete with.
Parents and students raise funds by doing food sales, yard sales and other fundraising activities. Local businesses have also helped with donations and that’s how the team can fund its trips, he said.
Cristian started playing chess with the team before he was on the team. When he was in fourth grade he developed a love for the sport, but he wasn’t able to train with the others because they would meet outside the school.
He would play with them during recess and that’s how he learned the basics of the game.
“It takes a level of concentration to think,” Cristian said. “It’s a process on your mind, how to move the pieces, what will be the best place for them.”
For Bethamee Garcia, 12, chess comes naturally. Her grandfather taught her about the game since she was 2 years old. Her mom and her brother also play.
She said when she is in a tournament, she concentrates on not letting her team down.
“I have to play my best and win the game for my team,” Bethamee said.
Her team has been crucial to her. She said team work is one of the most important skills.
“When I lose a game I always get put down, but they always come up and encourage me and say, ‘You can do it’,” Bethamee said.
Chess is like any other sport, Lambert said. People need discipline, dedication, work ethic, focus.
“If you have any discipline and you’re consistent, you teach the children the rules for competing and you provide an avenue for them to compete at the highest level,” Lambert said.
For now, the main focus of the team is to win this weekend. Last weekend players competed in national competition in Minneapolis to prepare them for San Diego.
Lambert said the experience in Minneapolis gave them the perspective about competing under a lot of pressure. He feels they are ready for the big challenge.
“We’ve worked so hard and we’re so close,” Lambert said. “If we stay focused, we are calm, relaxed, do everything we’ve been trained. The kids have a superb chance of taking first place; they’ve got to bring their game tough,” Lambert said.
Multimedia Producer Laura Gonzalez can be reached at 760-337-3440 or lgonzalez@ivpressonline.com
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