Chess prodigy plots golden strategy at 12
Source: Agencies |
November 17, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
PENG Jou-an, a 12-year-old from Chinese Taipei, looks like many girls her age, but as the youngest competitor at the Asian Games in Guangzhou has had to cope with unusual expectations and pressures.
As Chinese Taipei's youngest-ever national champion in xiangqi, a Chinese board game similar to Western chess, Peng skipped school for several weeks ahead of the Games and was put through an intensive chess training camp over her summer break.
To ease the pressure ahead of important games, the hamburger-munching chess prodigy says she has a simple solution. "Water helps me relax. Sometimes tea helps too," said the shy and bright-faced girl from Taichung.
Peng first played xiangqi when she was six and swiftly honed her skills against her elder brother.
The Chinese chess game is one of several new disciplines here, including cricket, dance and dragon boat racing.
While Peng isn't expected to be among the medals she said the long, mentally draining, practice stints were worth it. "My classmates were envious because I didn't have to attend classes (before the Games)," she joked.
Chess sports will also feature the oldest competitor, Rani Hamid, 66, from Bangladesh, with a total of nine gold medals up for grabs.
Rather than pawns, queens, rooks or knights, xiangqi involves generals, elephants, horses and soldiers.
As Chinese Taipei's youngest-ever national champion in xiangqi, a Chinese board game similar to Western chess, Peng skipped school for several weeks ahead of the Games and was put through an intensive chess training camp over her summer break.
To ease the pressure ahead of important games, the hamburger-munching chess prodigy says she has a simple solution. "Water helps me relax. Sometimes tea helps too," said the shy and bright-faced girl from Taichung.
Peng first played xiangqi when she was six and swiftly honed her skills against her elder brother.
The Chinese chess game is one of several new disciplines here, including cricket, dance and dragon boat racing.
While Peng isn't expected to be among the medals she said the long, mentally draining, practice stints were worth it. "My classmates were envious because I didn't have to attend classes (before the Games)," she joked.
Chess sports will also feature the oldest competitor, Rani Hamid, 66, from Bangladesh, with a total of nine gold medals up for grabs.
Rather than pawns, queens, rooks or knights, xiangqi involves generals, elephants, horses and soldiers.
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