18-08-2012, 10:17 AM
I have long argued that proper pre-event preparation was essential for both players and parents. When Jonny turned up at his first event we had no idea about how these events were run, the intensity and standard of play, how we should have prepared his chess in the weeks before and how to prepare during the event. And so on.
Part of this should be a realistic setting of targets, with an understanding of how few points are likely to be scored early on, for each player. Without this, and combined with the usual generic statements about our players being world beaters etc, means that consciously or unconsciously, players have unrealistic expectations and the shock is all the greater when they struggle (that is a relative term!).
Part of this should be a realistic setting of targets, with an understanding of how few points are likely to be scored early on, for each player. Without this, and combined with the usual generic statements about our players being world beaters etc, means that consciously or unconsciously, players have unrealistic expectations and the shock is all the greater when they struggle (that is a relative term!).