GM LP, Part 2

I mentioned some posts ago that LP's a bit of a chess player, and that her school's got a talent development program that exposes the children to different activities such as ballet, tae-kwon-do, chess, among others. First and second graders are exposed to an activity every month. LP's most recent stint was in chess.

She recounted how funny the first day of chess was, that her classmates called the bishop "priest" and the rook, "tower"and that capturing pieces was akin to "eating" them.

Then she told me how her she was the best player in class and that none of the kids wanted to go against her. Not once did she lose a match, and the teacher herself was surprised at LP's moves, specifically, the castle and en passant.

"Fritz taught me," LP replied when her teacher asked who taught her such moves. "I play with Fritz in the laptop all the time."

I had initially dismissed Fritz as too advanced for me, let alone a child. Turns out my chess skills are pathetic compared to LP's. She had also complained that Fritz was always beating her in chess. Now I realize that the beating she was getting from Fritz was way better training than playing with me (one semester of chess in college) or her peers.

So now the pressure's on me to nurture LP's talent. First tae-kwon-do, now chess.

This single mom's got a lot on her hands.