Hard work, determination, and courage. That's all it takes.

How many of ya'll have ever faced, not just an opponent in chess, but an enemy in your life.  Your brother or school bulley played you, scared you to death, and gave you another reason to think he or she was better than you.  Well, being a pretty timid person, this has happened to me. 

My most memorable opponent is one of my old classmates.  Before chess club at our school even started, all I knew how to do was move the pieces.  This guy was two years older and a lot bigger than me and knew a wee bit more and was able to beat me with little efort.  After the club started, I started.  I studied more, asked my teacher more questions, and even got an electronic game that helped. 

Then, in order for our school to participate in a tournament out of town, we each had to be placed by having our own tournament.  Other kids in my school did beat me, but that didn't matter to me bacause of one particular game.  This bulley of mine was nagging me to play him.  I was the only one who hadn't played him so far and I was kinda nervous.  Before we played, I walked into the lounge and I heard him tell all of our classmates that he wasn't worried about playing me and that he was sure he could, "...totally beat me in five minutes."  That did it.  I was so mad.  Class was gonna start in half an hour.  That would give us enough time to play our first game.  He knew it too and suggested playing.  I just gritted my teeth and said, "Fine."  While playing, I could tell he was taking more time to think than before.  Ten minutes after we started, I heard someone say checkmate and it was true.  I HAD BEATEN HIM!!!  I was so glad bacause not only did I have an extra point for my games that I won, but I gave my opponent reason to back off and take me seriously whenever I played him.  That was deffinitely one of my best chess victories. 

From experiences like these I've learned that all it takes is  hard work, determination, and courage.