NTP-NTMV-21-A-0025
In 2021, we were unable to participate in the youth world championship because the dates were changed twice, and then the location was also moved by the FMJD, citing COVID-19 as the reason. This decision was quite baffling since the original location was supposed to be Antalya in October, where the tournament could have been held in 24-27°C temperatures with open windows and fresh sea air during the autumn school break. Instead, they selected a Polish venue in the mountains with temperatures ranging from +2 to -5°C (no open windows were an option) in mid-December during school time. Moreover, just before the competition, the roads were marked with red warnings due to snow and ice. Sometimes it’s hard to understand the reasoning of the “big” decision-makers. One thing is certain: they were not considering the children’s interests.
The FMJD promised that the 2022 youth world championship would be held at the original 2021 location, in accordance with the original announcement (which included a Turkish draughts youth world championship) and with an U20 age limit.
However, the announcement was changed just two months before the competition. The age limit was reduced to U19, which meant that one age group was deprived of the opportunity to participate in the youth world championship for three consecutive years—and permanently. Although we wrote to the FMJD, we received no meaningful response. Additionally, the funding system was changed to a completely incomprehensible and unfair system, which was not explained either. This was unprecedented in the history of draughts.
The only positive aspect of this sad prelude was that the funding secured for the 2021 championship could be carried over to 2022 due to the COVID situation, so we at least did not lose the support won through the NTP application.
We are grateful for the support and assistance!
Our team for the world championship was somewhat disrupted by the change from U20 to U19 as the age limit, as well as by the cancellation of the autumn break and the advancement of university exams (which meant not everyone dared to commit to playing). Our preparation was not helped by the COVID period of 2020-2021 (libraries and community centers were closed, external visitors were not allowed in schools, and teaching was online), as well as the uncertainties of 2022. During the winter and spring, we prepared for the Brazilian and Russian draughts youth European championships, which were eventually canceled. We also prepared for the Turkish draughts youth world championship, which was removed from the program.
We held our planned training sessions, competitions, and summer camps. Players from the draughts “great powers” typically practice only one or a maximum of two types of draughts. Due to our smaller numbers, nearly everyone here plays everything. This is very beneficial for developing thinking skills but does not favor competition results. It’s easy to see that less time is devoted to each type of game. Moreover, players constantly have to switch their thinking. Not to mention that we prioritize creative thinking and problem-solving over rote learning. If tournament schedules and announcements are constantly altered, it puts us at a significant disadvantage.
Antalya is a real tourist paradise. Travel there is only possible by plane. The team was able to travel together on the way there, but four of us had to take a different flight back, resulting in an additional 8 hours of travel time. There are many 4-5 star hotels along the coast, but not the one where we were accommodated and where the tournament was held.
The accommodation was mandatory—only those who stayed there were allowed to participate, with no alternatives. It was located 3 km from the sea on agricultural land and resembled a prison from the outside. The accommodations were not assigned according to the prearranged room distribution, which was an unpleasant surprise. And this was just the beginning.
The hotel and small buildings could have worked well if the maintenance staff hadn’t been utterly incompetent, careless, and inconsiderate. I don’t want to burden anyone with long horror stories, but, for example, in our bathroom, the toilet couldn’t be flushed. I tried to request pliers to fix it, but they wouldn’t allow it. Two people came, dismantled the working toilet, and replaced it with a broken one because the tank on it was functional. They didn’t secure the toilet bowl, so it wobbled and leaked everywhere. They returned twice more and injected silicone into the water under the toilet, which didn’t fix it but made it wobble even more. For ten days, we disinfected three times a day (we stole disinfectant and a broom since none was provided) to avoid getting sick from the leaking sewage.
Breakfast was abysmal, but lunch and dinner were quite good. The garden, however, was filled with enormous rose bushes, olive and palm trees. The orange, lemon, pomegranate, and grapefruit trees were just starting to bear fruit, much to the delight of the children. The three pools looked great, and on some days, the water reached 18-19°C. The sea was much warmer, but we only managed to go twice due to the tight tournament schedule. On the first day, we had time for sightseeing (ancient ruins, harbor, bazaar).
The tournament rooms had large windows, but for some reason, the organizers kept them closed (quite puzzling at 22-27°C) and used air conditioning continuously. As a result, by the end of each round, the rooms were filled with stale, oxygen-deprived air. Upon request, they would open windows. The lighting could have been natural, but instead, lamps were used with the windows either fully or partially curtained. On the positive side, coffee machines, tea, and cookies were available daily next to the tournament rooms. Silence and discipline were ensured. The tournament was fair, with no cheating or inappropriate behavior (the Russians and Belarusians were not present).
We didn’t have medal hopes; achieving a score around 50% was the maximum goal. The team included several newcomers, partly deliberately and partly as reserves. We only expected them to learn from each round and fight honorably. Among the results, we must highlight Péter Uzonyi (U19), who achieved a master title in 2021 and maintained this level now. He achieved commendable results in all three events, with a particularly brilliant performance in the rapid tournament, where, ranked 22nd (out of 25 participants), he finished between 7th and 12th place, winning the last three games. This was the best Hungarian result in the oldest boys’ age group!
Continuing the translation:
Bence Andicsku (U13 classic and rapid: 9 points, blitz: 8 points) also delivered an excellent performance. Anna Vécsei (U16) met the master candidate level in the classic games. Among the U16 girls, points were distributed across the disciplines: Anna Vécsei scored 9 in the classic, Kata Meszesán 9 in blitz, and Kitti Meszesán 8 in rapid. All three girls lost some painful points in each discipline. While their fighting spirit was commendable, their focus was not always consistent.
In the U13 girls' category, five of our players were involved, but due to registration rules, two had to compete in the U19 category in the classic games, though they could compete in their own age group in blitz and rapid. In rapid, Jázmin Bíró scored 9 points, in blitz, Noémi Meszesán scored 10, while Noémi Balogh and Kamilla Homoki each scored 8 points.
Nojka competed in the classic U19 alongside newcomers Gina Pálfi and Hanna Bölcskei.
Unfortunately, in the U19 girls' category, we ended up clearly at the bottom of the rankings, even though in many games the girls were in better positions or almost winning. At this level, even a small mistake results in a loss.
Gina, as a newcomer, started very weakly but showed significant improvement in her gameplay, focus, and fighting spirit by the end of the tournament. Hanna took every match very seriously. We were glad she could compete again after her illness. Her gameplay held much more potential. Nevertheless, she was a great asset to the team, helping to keep the group together. Nojka is an exceptional talent. Before the tournament, she won a very strong blitz tournament against 5-6 masters. However, her fighting spirit, stamina, and physical condition are not at their peak, and we must admit, she is lazy. That is why she was a reserve. Based on her talent, she could have been a medalist at European and World Championships long ago (she won a silver medal at the U10 World Championship). Kamilla Homoki is also very talented but still very inexperienced. However, she is a fierce competitor and can be motivated. Noémi Balogh is another great promise who can beat anyone in 64-square draughts (even European and World Championship medalists can attest to this), but she still knows little about 100-square draughts. Even so, I expected much more from her. She lacked the concentration and fighting spirit she usually displays (in her first match, she played for over four hours). She was a bit stubborn and overconfident, but I’m sure this was just a one-time weaker performance, and she will fight for medals in the future. Jázmin Bíró is no longer a beginner. If she wants to be a regular team member, she must prove herself consistently. She has started on the right path now, but we expect continuous improvement from her.
In the U10 category, Buda Pauer participated in his first international tournament. Based on his score, he performed reasonably well, but he made every mistake a beginner could make. In rapid and classic games, he threw away won games. In one match, he even lost a winning game due to an incorrect score report. Still, he did not disgrace himself; he was not last, but he could have easily finished in the middle of the field. He loves playing but moves incredibly quickly and is scattered. Naturally, he still has much to improve in draughts, but his primary focus should be on enhancing his concentration.
In addition to the tournament, Bálint Ambrózy, Dóra Köllner, Hanna Bölcskei, and Péter Uzonyi participated in coach training (Ica Egri and Ödön Köllner also attended the sessions). We had the opportunity to learn from a European Champion Russian grandmaster. The 2-3 daily sessions alongside the tournament were exhausting but extremely useful. We were able to analyze most of the classic games for every player. Péter Uzonyi and Bence Andicsku benefited the most, consistently applying the new knowledge in their tournament games.
I believe that, apart from the 2012 European Adult Championship and the World Mind Sports Games, we have not learned and practiced as much in a tournament in the past 10 years as we did here. The 12 competitors, 2 young coaches, and 2 accompanying members all developed significantly and gained a new perspective. We also received a lot of new literature, which we have started to study individually and in groups. We hope this will be reflected in the games by 2023.
We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in the World Championship, to learn, grow, and gain experiences!
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