Hundreds of players sit hunched over chessboards, their eyes fixed on the pieces before them. Apart from the occasional click of a chess clock or the precise movement of a pawn, barely a sound breaks the stillness.
It is in this world that 12-year-old Miara Cruize Davidson feels most at home.
As she studies the board, her mind works through countless possibilities, weighing strategies, calculating risks and anticipating moves several steps ahead.
It's a remarkable mental exercise for someone her age, especially when most 12-year-olds are thinking about school, friends or what to do over the weekend.
Every game is more than a contest. It's a puzzle waiting to be solved, a lesson in patience and another opportunity to become a better player than she was yesterday.
As Miara looks across at me, she wears the thoughtful expression of someone who would much rather be studying a chessboard than answering questions from a journalist.
Conversation doesn't come naturally to her.
"Yes, she's an introvert," confirms her father, Davidson Christopher, with a laugh.
Perhaps that's why chess suits her so well. It's a game that asks for little more than two players, a chessboard and complete concentration. There's little conversation. Instead, every move does the talking.
The Year 7 student at King's International School in Seremban has already represented Malaysia on the international stage and built an impressive list of achievements.
Her breakthrough came in early last year when she won the under-12 girls' title at the National Youth Chess Championship organised by the Malaysian Chess Federation. The victory not only crowned her national champion, but also earned her selection to represent Malaysia on the international stage.
She went on to compete at the Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship in Zhuhai, China, where she helped Malaysia secure three bronze medals in the team event. A few months later, she represented the country again at the FIDE World Cadet Chess Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan, competing against young players from 88 countries.
She rounded off the year by donning the national colours once more at the 28th Commonwealth Chess Championship, where participants from 17 countries battled for honours.
This year, Miara added another milestone to her growing list of achievements at the Majlis Sukan Sekolah Malaysia (MSSM) Championships in Miri, Sarawak, where she captured the under-12 girls' title, ending Negeri Sembilan's wait of more than 35 years for an individual gold medallist in the category.
For Miara, the victory was the latest milestone in a journey that has taken her from a curious eight-year-old learning the game with her brother to one of Malaysia's brightest young chess talents.
FAMILY BONDS
Long before Miara learnt her first move, chess was already a favourite pastime in the Davidson household. Both Davidson and his wife Vanie are avid chess players.
Recalls the 42-year-old: "After we got married, Vanie and I would spend hours playing chess together. Sometimes we'd go on for three or four hours. Even when she was pregnant with Miara, it was just the two of us sitting across the board, enjoying the game. Perhaps, in a way, we passed it on to her before she was even born."
Whether there's any truth to that, he says with another laugh, is anyone's guess.
Miara, the eldest of four siblings, was joined by Roman two years later. When the pair were old enough, Davidson and his wife introduced them to the game they loved.
Shares Davidson: "We always liked the idea that we could all sit together as a family. So, it was just Miara, Roman, Vanie and me around the dining table with a chess set. The two of them would watch us play and ask all sorts of questions. 'Why did you move that piece? Why not this one? Why didn't you make another move instead?'"
Patiently, the couple would explain the game, one move at a time. It wasn't long before they realised both children were becoming increasingly fascinated by the game.
"They became intrigued by the different pieces. Every piece moves differently and has its own role on the board. They wanted to understand how each one worked and how they all came together," says Davidson.
Miara and Roman soon began playing each other regularly, each game sharpening their understanding of the board, and challenging the other to think several moves ahead. Before long, Davidson and his wife found themselves facing increasingly formidable opponents.
"Pretty soon, they were beating us," he adds with a laugh, adding: "That's when we knew they had really taken to the game. Nowadays, Vanie and I think twice before accepting a game because there's a very good chance we'll end up losing!"
PERFECTING THE GAME
Miara grins at her father's frank admission, though she says nothing.
When I ask how she first discovered chess, she instinctively looks towards Davidson before answering: "I first saw my parents playing. I was curious, so I asked about it. My dad taught me the basics and then I became interested."
Like many introverts, she doesn't elaborate unless prompted. So, what is it about chess that she enjoys so much?
She pauses briefly before replying: "I like the critical thinking. I enjoy calculating and solving puzzles."
Critical thinking? It isn't the answer I expect from a 12-year-old. It seems she simply enjoys the challenge of thinking through a position, weighing her options and finding the best move across 64 squares.
The decision to nurture Miara and Roman's interest in chess came almost by chance. Davidson recalls striking up a conversation with an elderly gentleman in his mid-70s, only to discover that he was a chess teacher.
"I thought, 'Why not let the children learn from him?'" he says.
That chance encounter led the family to Master Loganathan in Seremban. Miara was eight and Roman was six when they began training under the veteran coach, marking the start of a more structured journey in the game.
It wasn't long before someone suggested entering the pair in an under-12 tournament.
Davidson admits the idea seemed ambitious. After all, Miara was only eight and Roman just six. "We told ourselves, 'Let them go for the experience,'" he says, adding: "If they lost all seven rounds, that was perfectly fine. We just wanted them to enjoy themselves."
Like many first-time tournament parents, Davidson and his wife had little idea what lay ahead. "It was seven rounds. We thought they'd probably lose every game, and that was okay," he recalls.
Instead, they surprised everyone.
"They won..." he begins, turning to Miara for help.
"Four," she replies matter-of-factly.
"Yes, four rounds each," he says, laughing.
It was an impressive showing, especially considering many of the other competitors were experienced under-12 players, while it was Miara and Roman's first taste of tournament chess.
LEARNING THE GAME
Encouraged by their first tournament, Davidson and his wife continued entering both Miara and Roman in competitions across the country.
With each competition came another lesson, another opponent and another opportunity to improve.
I ask Miara if she always knew she would be good at chess.
She shakes her head, before replying: "No. I just enjoyed playing. But after my parents enrolled me in tournaments and I started winning more games, I became more confident."
Confidence, however, doesn't erase the nerves. Before every match, Miara has a routine. "I pray a lot," she shares, adding: "Then I tell myself that I'm going to win. I stay focused and calm."
Not every game ends the way she hopes.
On how she copes with defeat, Miara answers: "I get upset. Then afterwards I analyse my game with my coach."
Before she can say another word, Davidson cannot resist adding with a laugh: "She does cry!"
Miara smiles sheepishly. For Davidson, the tears are simply part of the learning process. "Every loss teaches you something," he reflects.
That lesson extends beyond the chessboard. Davidson believes growth also means knowing when it's time to seek new challenges and new mentors.
"In chess, like any other sport, you have to keep progressing," he explains.
After completing their beginner lessons with Master Loganathan, Miara and Roman continued their training under Coach Sivanesan in Seremban. Davidson shares: "He was very strict. No nonsense. But he was the one who really moulded them. You could see the results."
As their game continued to develop, the siblings progressed to intermediate and advanced training under Coach Kaushal Khandhar of Kaushal Chess Academy in Bangsar. The steady progression through different coaches has helped both siblings develop into accomplished young players, while allowing their individual strengths to emerge.
Although Miara and Roman began their chess journey together, Davidson says their different personalities are reflected in the way they play the game.
He elaborates: "Roman is a very intuitive player. He trusts his instincts and sees opportunities naturally. Miara, however, is more methodical. She likes to calculate, analyse and think everything through."
Over time, Miara's disciplined approach and willingness to faithfully apply what she learnt from her coaches made her the more consistent performer, although Davidson is quick to add that Roman continues to show plenty of promise.
GROWING TOGETHER
Of course, there's the occasional dose of sibling rivalry. Davidson laughs as he recalls the early tournament days. "When we first started taking them for competitions, if Miara lost a game, the first thing she'd ask wasn't about her own result; she'd ask, 'Did Roman win?'" he shares, chuckling.
The friendly rivalry pushed both siblings to become better players.
Says Davidson: "They've always motivated each other. Roman is very keen too, but Miara has been the more consistent one. Hopefully he'll have his turn as well."
For all her success on the chessboard, though, Miara is still very much a child. Davidson chuckles as he recalls what she asked for after winning last month's national championship.
"She wanted a kitchen play set as a reward!" shares Davidson, laughing heartily.
Not a new phone. Not the latest gadget. "A masak-masak set. Pots, pans, saucepans... everything," he adds, as his daughter breaks into a smile.
"So, who does the cooking?" I ask.
"We take turns!" she replies, grinning.
It's an answer that says as much about the 12-year-old as any trophy ever could.
Away from the tournament halls and the intense concentration of competitive chess, she's simply an elder sister who still enjoys make-believe cooking with her younger brothers. Besides Roman, now 10, who first learnt chess alongside her, Miara also dotes on eight-year-old Rovan and six-year-old Ronan.
Still, all the hours of training, countless tournaments and sacrifices have led to moments that make the journey worthwhile.
For Miara, nothing compares to wearing the Malaysian colours and competing against some of the world's best young players. "I'm very happy to represent my country," she says, her reserved demeanour giving way to a smile.
As our conversation turns to the game itself, the shy 12-year-old suddenly comes alive.
She eagerly explains different openings, from the Sicilian Defence to the French Defence, speaking with an enthusiasm that belies her quiet nature. To her, every opening is like the beginning of a carefully planned campaign, where every move influences the next.
She explains: "The opening is important because you're trying to control the centre of the board. You have to think ahead and prepare for what your opponent might do."
It's a reminder that chess is far more than moving pieces across 64 squares. It's a game of strategy, patience and foresight, where success often belongs to the player who can see possibilities long before anyone else.
Davidson is clear that, above all, he wants both Miara and Roman to continue enjoying the game. "We've never wanted to force them. As long as they love it, we'll continue supporting them in every way we can."
He does, however, have one wish for his eldest daughter.
"I hope she can continue as Malaysia's champion and keep improving her FIDE rating," he says, adding: "Every chess player wants to improve their FIDE rating because it's recognised internationally."
For now, Miara is content to keep learning, one tournament at a time, one game at a time and, perhaps most importantly, one move at a time.
After all, in chess, as in life, the next move is always the one that matters most. - NST
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.