7/27/16 (Denker, Day -2)

Nothing fancy to start this blog post. I leave for the Denker in less than two days' time. Today will, Lord willing, feature more and greater trip preparations, while I focus my spare time on my studying. I saw this article this morning, and I thought it was timely: Fixing Your Weaknesses, by IM Jeremy Silman.

As I look ahead to when I'll actually be playing these skyscraper ratings, I'm reminded of the account of Peter walking on water: as long as he focused on the Lord, he was fine; it was only when he thought about the logic of the situation that he started to sink. Now, the analogy isn't perfect, I understand, but I am trying to dwell not on what I can do but on what He can do. With God, the impossible can become possible. I won the Alabama State Scholastic Championship that way.

Again, though, I do understand that I could still get to the Denker and "fall flat." And if that happens, what can I say but, "Thy will, not mine, O Lord."? All He does is right.

But thus far, zero-one knows what will happen. So I must still prepare as much as I can. I'm hoping that my best chess comes when it matters the most.

It has been estimated that I'll play a ~2250 first. Brrring it on!

15,498,000 jiffies,

—Dartmouth