European Championships in Dresden

post by Martin Seeber

Dresden is getting closer for us. Sophie's first game is Tuesday afternoon. The draw is interesting. She would play Nadezhda Kosintseva from Russia in round one if the top plays bottom in the draw, but if the draw is split in half it would be someone rated about 190-200. Its all a bit like the dream of the Olympics (although it's the Europeans) when its just great to compete and take part. Having said that Sophie wants to do well and she has been very nervous all week.

Chess is the most fantastic game. It seems to produce a totally different game each time you play. Its full of secrets which you have to learn to progress. Sophie has enjoyed the challenge of chess since she was about 10. In her first UK chess challenge final at Sheffield she sat down in round one to play Sarah Hegarty who was three times champion. I took her photo and made a right fuss of her, gave her a few tips. I think my daughter expected to win. Hegarty went e4 and sophie went e5 back, this is her no compromise a straight fight. Hegarty won but Sophie gave her a game.

On Tuesday she'll need to fight again.