Plans & Resolutions

     Dear readers,

     The New Year is already here and I have new tournaments coming up, new plans.

(photo by David Llada)  

     I must say that time flies so quickly for me in the last few years... It seems to me that it was only yesterday when I was still competing under 20 yo and here I am, at 25 already. I am not very sure how this 5 years have passed so quickly. I guess that travelling from a chess tournament to another, from one country to another, one just gets sucked in by a kind of routine- make plans, prepare, travel, play, repeat... I am curios, will the next 5 years pass in the same manner?

     I have decided that I will play less this year and try to make time for things other than chess as well. In the end, playing 14 classical tournaments a year has proven to be quite ineffective. That doesn't mean I am becoming less of a professional chess player. It is actually the other way around- I will participate in less tournaments, but in stronger ones.

     My first classical tournament of the year will be in Gibraltar. This will be my first time there and I am quite excited about it- it has bean on my to do list for many years already. I hope to play against many strong opponents and also have a good time.

     Afterwards, I am thinking of participating in the HD Bank Open in Vietnam, in March. The tournament meets my requirements, having a very strong field and attractive prizes. I am not yet 100% sure that I will go there, as it clashes with the Romanian Women's Championship, but given the bad conditions and prizes from the previous years, I have reasonable doubts to believe anything might change this year. The hope never dies, so I am waiting for the regulations to be published and that will be the moment of my final decision.

     The European Individual Women Championship is going be the highlight of the season for me, as usually. It will take place in Antalya, Turkey in April. I don't have many plans afterwards, I just hope to be pleased by my playing by that moment.

     These being said, a little throwback is in place. I was very happy to finish the year on a high note, winning the "Sharjah Cup for Women". It was a strong women's event where inspired decisions and lucky moments met so I could become 1st. Here are a few photos from the event:

With Sopiko Khukhashvili

Karina Szczepkowska, me and Sopiko Khukhashvili- the first 3 places

Despite some double rounds, there was time for relaxing as well

Happy Winner!

 
    I wish you all a New Year full of accomplishments and don't forget to make time for the things and people whom you love!