My Frýdek-Místek tournament journey
I just returned home from a tournament that shaped my chess journey into a long-lasting love (and sometimes hate) relationship. I stopped playing competitively some time ago but chess somehow found its way into my mind yet again, resulting in my 6th total appearance in Frýdek-Místek. My initial plan was to to play my intuitive chess without any special preparation, being more of an observer of my own game rather than a fully concetrated athlete. I have tried but here I realised once more that chess is simply too intense for me to not take it seriously.Here I present to you my journey lasting from 2015 to 2023 with this special event .
First moves
Back in 2015 I somehow made it to the tournament without my usual travelling companion-my mother. My recollection of events is not entirely clear however there is something I will never ever forget - hostel Paskov. Extremely dirty place with no hot water, with stains all over the sheets and with an incredible spectacle of fungi on the walls.My brain decided not to remember much from the nights spent there just yet so I can only say I survived rather successfully. Tournament was held in Národní Dům where me, my coach and my friends were awaiting the first round pairing.I do remember how I felt the first time I stepped into the majestic venue inside and felt the atmosphere of a real competition.That is why I was displeased to see that my first game was supposed to be played on one of the last boards outside this beautiful playing hall.I walked the stairs, passed the other tournament that was meant for an older players- Pobeskydí Open and entered a room with very little air inside and with very cheap-looking chessboards.I have got white pieces and I promised to myself that I need to make it up to the grand venue beneath me.
Mountain to climb
Once you make it to the grand venue you soon realise that the fight is not yet completely over. Playing hall can be divided into three parts : lower, mid,top. In the lower part you have to play on a foldable chessboard with the basic wooden pieces and your space is fairly limited since the majority of players are there.Moving on to the mid part you are awarded with a very nice wooden chessboard with finely carved wooden pieces, your national flag and more space between you and other players.The very top belongs to the titans of the category,6 best players clash there and each of them smells that victory is close.
Sweet rivalries
In the 6th round of 2015 tournament I was paired with a danish player Koch-Muller Oscar. I remember his father with a death stare looking at me, almost hypnotising me so I looked down at my opponent. His stare was no less frightening but you don't want to show any emotions before the game. Entire game I double checked everything, lost so much time and after a tiring opening and middle game I finally reached a position that was more or less safe. I exhaled, lost needed concetration and managed to lose in a few moves.
Fate knows its ways everywhere, even in chess. Next year in the second round we have met again.His father did not look at me with death stare anymore , he even smiled. What was the chance that still 11 year olds from Slovakia and Denmark will meet twice on the same tournament? Here I got a chance to avenge myself from a previous year.
Endgame
Podium games I have played were always the most intense. There is a different kind of silence between the very few chosen players and the rest of the field. You can walk around and look from the top all the way to the lower playing field where players fight for some last points in the tournament. 2 minutes before the game beginning are very nervewracking for me. Arbiter announces "Everyone please take your seats." A little later he announces again "Welcome to the last round of the tournament, so for the last time put away your mobile phones. We wish you all good luck, black can start the clock." After these final loud words the entire venue falls into the midst of silence.Tension breaks and the fight begins. I knew my task.If I win I get to the final three, if I draw I will end either 4th or 3rd but chances are very slim, if I lose I get to the 5th and lower.
Unfortunately it did not happen for me.In the following year I got to the podiums once again. However my overall performance was not good enough and I ended up in a midfield area of the grid. 
Getting older
Following years I was too old to play categories so I stepped into a completely new area called Pobeskydí Open. Unfortunately for two years in a row I got sick and that heavily influenced my performance. I have played decent chess however in order to win you need to step up much much further. As we all know in 2020 Covid-19 froze everyone, everywhere. Last week I traveled back finally to compete for one final time. I expected myself to play rather slow and dry chess but thankfully that was not the case. I scored 4 and a half points from 9 games which is exactly 50% success rate.Not too good but the goal of playing for fun and pleasure from the game itself, was completed.
Seeing all the newcomers to the game, fresh winners of the categories where I used to compete too, made me feel extremely grateful for those times. Playing chess online is simply fun but to experience the magnitude of such events, that is an entirely different kind of a story. Pressure,struggle,those painful minutes before you have to resign and also those same victorious minutes when you know your opponent has to resign, that is where the beauty of chess lies. I have been lucky to feel all of that.
