A Gambit Against Memory

Move 20 :I blundered my queen

Move 25 :I lost on time

Move 30 :My opponent thanked me for the ‘free rating points’

Hi ! I am , Shivika Rohilla one of the top chess players in Delhi and have been in the top 100 girls in the world in my category .
Coming back to chess after six months was not the glorious return I expected especially the next day after my exams finished—-But it was an eye opening experience. Six months away from chess felt like an eternity. I expected it to be challenging and my expectations didn’t disappoint me but what surprised me was how much I had actually learned during this time off and how it has worked in my favour. To my wonder I received an award at this tournament.       

I am really passionate about maths and physics and therefore I decided to pursue it for my last year of  high school. Thus, I had to take a long break to focus on my studies solely .Now being finally done with my exams and graduating high school I have ample time to work on chess. I decided to play in a local FIDE rated rapid and blitz tournament the next day after my exams.

Lesson1: A break doesn’t mean starting over

For the first game I played after this break I felt like I had lost everything-tactics felt foreign, my calculations were slow. But within a few games, I realised I still had it in me. Each game showed me an opportunity to improve .With each game my accuracy kept increasing and so did my confidence. Thus I realised ,chess is like riding a bike;you might be wobbly at first, but you never truly forget how to play .

Lesson 2: Mindset matter more than Memorization

I forgot most of my opening lines,but what surprised me was how my general understanding of positions had improved .I had a new outlook .Without relying completely on memorization, I had to think creatively-and that actually made me a better player. I had a chance to use my meditation techniques which actually worked during the game.

Lesson 3: Rest is also a form of improvement

Before my break,I felt stuck—I was playing but not improving. The time off helped me reset and realise what areas I actually need to be more focused on . And once I played my first move I had a new motivation to play not to win but just for the love of the game et voila! I could see patterns I had previously missed.

Lesson 4: Learning chess isn’t just about playing

Even though I wasn’t actively taking parts in championships and tournaments I was very much involved in other activities related to chess. I occasionally studied the classics and read various articles. I realised the passive learning kept my chess knowledge alive and when I returned I wasn’t as out of practice that I had imagined.

Also this break gave me a chance to reconsider how I could give back to the society which led me to open Shivika Rohilla Chess Academy  SRCA and Chess Coffee Connect Club.

My biggest lesson? Breaks don’t make you weaker, they can actually make you stronger ,Now I am back with a fresh mindset ,a renewed love for the game and a smarter approach to improvement. If you’re ever worried about taking time off,don’t be chess will always be there waiting for you .