3 young players tied for 1st in the K-2 section of the Susan Polgar National Chess Challenge for Boys in Corpus Christi, Texas. Even though they are declared co-champions, a 3-way blitz playoff was held to determine prizes such as a state of the art Nikon Digital Camera, Chess DVDs and other goodies.
Here is a footage of Tommy in action during the blitz playoff. Here is the one against the second player.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
You can see the speed talent he inherited from World Champion Susan Polgar who still beats them all in National Open Blitz tournaments.
wow, kids would not be allowed to do that in here!! (with shoes on the chairs) 😮
Too bad they had to do this. At that age we should not have to hurt a child’s self esteem by allowing them to lose.
I think they should have split the prize for first not engaged the children in a cruel exercise.
Just my opinion.
The most important thing to teach your child is to lose. Guide them through a loss. Then when they grow up they will know how to lose. Being able to lose is so critically important to being successful. Certainly it teaches children to be responsible for their actions.
If the child chooses correctly he will be rewarded. If he chooses wrong he will lose and suffer. Now let him choose and let him win or lose on his own.
I certainly wish I had more practice at losing as a child. Growing up protected from the world is NOT growing up at all.