Argentine chess has a new attraction. The great impact came last year, when she achieved the title of Under 20 youth world champion, at just 17 years old. The young Candela Francisco seeks to continue expanding her history in the activity, and she now aims to be recognized among men.
-Was the title of youth champion a goal for you or did it appear as a surprise?
-It was a goal. My dream was always to be a world champion. This was the fourth World Cup that I played and it was given to me. I always played in my category, and in the one I was closest to, I finished seventh. I was leading the entire tournament, and I just lost a key game, I got a little demotivated and I didn’t finish that opportunity. But I continued studying to achieve my goal, and last year in Mexico it was possible in a category higher than mine, because I am 17 years old. My rivals had a certain advantage because of that, but I had all the faith and prepared myself very well to face the tournament. It could be decided in the last game, because it was very close, and I was able to achieve that dream that I longed for.
-And what would be your next aspiration?
-It is winning the absolute titles, which are the GM (Grand Master) and the IM (International Master). In absolute terms they would be for men, but a woman can also win them. And she will also be women’s world champion, but of all ages this time.
-Outside of chess, what do you propose?
-I imagine starting a family and having my own house, those would be the two basic pillars. I would also like to study a career.
-Is psychology needed to develop chess?
-I know that many athletes and chess players use it, but I have a relationship with God, and he gives me the necessary peace in each game to go play calmly and give my best. And of course, with the necessary study to be able to develop myself.
-What does God mean to you?
-Well, he is the guide that one has to go through life, and being close to him things are experienced in a different way and with another perspective.
-Do you believe in God’s destiny?
-I think he has to do with everything that happens to us.
Francisco was consecrated last year in Mexico. Image: Alejandro Leiva
-Do you work on concentration in a specific way?
-That happens unconsciously. When you like what she does, and have passion for what she does, she appears alone. I get caught up in the game and I’m focused on what I’m doing. But I don’t work it with anyone in particular. What we usually work on is the issue of endurance, because sometimes there are many hours of playing and one has to have an active mind.
-Can a defeat or a bad game cause you anguish?
-Completely. In those cases you have to know how to handle it, but the experience more than anything is what takes you out of those moments. Many times, in defeats, you start crying, or you leave very angry, and the only ones who find out are your family and your friends. But as time goes by, and you know why you play or why you started, you stop worrying. In the game the worst thing that can happen to you is to lose, but then you realize that nothing happens if it happens.
-Where do you place the level of chess in Argentina?
-I would tell you that we are at a medium-high level. Many people started playing chess with very good performance and a high ranking, and before when we talked about an ELO ranking – a mathematical method, based on statistical calculation, to calculate the relative skill of the players – an average of 1,700 was something low, and a Master easily beat him. And now it doesn’t happen, a Master has to fight a lot to defeat one of them. It makes me very happy that there are many people who join this sport.
-Do you think you can make a living from this activity?
-It is complicated but it is possible. It depends on the desire and determination that one puts into it, and it has a lot to do with finding the right people at the right time, since there is someone who will value your entire career and your potential more, and will pay for that.
-Among the careers you like is communication?
-Yes, there is also the legal profession. The truth is, I am very enthusiastic, and I could study more than one degree. The point is to focus on each thing at a time, so as not to do them in a mediocre way, but with excellence. One can have the developed capacity to acquire knowledge, but if you are not interested in it, it will not enter you anywhere.
Francisco has the support of Emova, the concessionaire company of the Buenos Aires Subway Network, which accompanies her so she can participate in international tournaments. Meanwhile, she is in charge of giving impetus to a career that has no limits.
2024-05-17 20:22:06
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