Chess Prodigies

You are a child. You are of average or above average intelligence. One day, while visiting your grandfather, you ask him what the old, antiquated checkerboard with all the funny looking pieces is. He laughs, and tells you that it's not checkers, but chess.

"Wow," you say. "What's the difference?"

"Well, it's similar to checkers, but all these different pieces move in different ways."

Enthralled, you sit patiently while he explains the rules.

"How does the horsie move again?"

"Two squares ahead, and one to the side. And it's not called a horsie. It's called a knight."

You play a few games, losing to your grandfathers passing knowledge of strategy and tactics. Then, slowly, you begin to see the pieces differently. Before your move, you can visualize how your grandfather will respond. You take steps to counteract what you think his next move will be. Suddenly, your bishops don't hang anymore, and you realize the importance of stationing knights on key, central outposts. You many not know what a pin is, but you understand that it makes things more difficult for your grandfather if you force his knight to stay in one spot because moving it would put his king in check. It makes sense to double your rooks on open or half open files.

Your grandfather recognizes your potential, and signs you up for some junior tournaments. You plow through them, winning the trophies easily. Your FIDE rating climbs steadily, earning the ranks of Expert, FM, and IM. The chess world takes notice of you, saying how you are the next super-grandmaster. Lesser mortals fall before your towering calculation skill.

You have become, this kid: The Most Feared Competitor Ever