Chess: Maria Tischler wins South American and aims for the world – 01/31/2023 – Sport

Maria Tischler, 8, from Rio Grande do Sul, says she is still getting used to giving interviews, but responds with ease to questions about her rapid rise in chess.

Five months after entering the official circuit, she was already Brazilian champion among girls up to eight years old. Six months later, in December last year, she became South American champion in the same category, in Paraguay.

His next challenge is the School World Cup, to be held in April, in Greece. It won’t be easy, but Maria never looks at it that way. “I always go to win. I think that, if it’s not to win, it’s better not to go”, she says.

His first participation in a championship took place at the Floripa Open, last January. She was the only girl among the 14 chess players aged between six and eight. She came in fourth place.

Now, exactly one year after its debut, it went to compete in Florianópolis again, but this time in categories above its own. He wanted to face older opponents, to accumulate experience with an eye on Worlds.

She traveled, as always, accompanied by her parents, civil servant Tiana Tischler, 44, and magistrate Eduardo Vandré Lema Garcia, 54, recently promoted to judge at the Federal Regional Court of the 4th region.

“It’s a little tense, but we enjoy all the involvement, enjoy following the matches”, says Eduardo. “She already spent three hours and 40 minutes in a game. We are anxious, and it only passes when the result comes.”

Eduardo has liked chess since he was little. He started playing in the late 1970s, enthusiastic about Henrique Costa Mecking, Mequinho, a prodigy boy who faced the best in the world.

When Maria was four years old, Eduardo started teaching her chess. The girl didn’t take long to get excited.

“I liked the strategy, the plans. I love planning, so it kind of matches my personality,” says Maria, from Porto Alegre who has lived in Santa Cruz do Sul since she was two, the city in Rio Grande do Sul where Mequinho was born.

In a short time, noticing Maria’s talent, Eduardo created a training routine. About ten months ago, he decided to invest in an elite teacher – not necessarily for his daughter to pursue a career on the boards.

“I think we have to do our best. She’ll have to answer that question later on. While the moment for that decision doesn’t appear, it’s important that she do her best. The title is forever”, says Eduardo.

There are three hours a day, from Monday to Friday, divided between exercises with his father and private lessons with André Diamant, 32, who is an international grandmaster (a kind of black belt in chess).

“She impressed me from the first game I played with her”, says Diamant, Brazilian champion in 2008. “It was strange, because her level didn’t match a seven-year-old person. It was too high.”

Maria does not complain about the training load. Instead. She loves it and still finds time for other activities like dancing and playing the piano. She also plays with dolls and even carries one to tournaments. Sometimes, she misses classes at her school, Colégio Mauá, but her report card remains exemplary. Because of chess, she has a 50% scholarship.

“I’ll dedicate myself as much as I can while I enjoy it. My parents always tell me that, when I stop enjoying it, I won’t need to play anymore”, says Maria, the youngest of a brand new generation of Brazilian chess players.

NEW GENERATION OF CHESS

Lucas Flesch, 8, for example, is just two months older than Maria. Born in Florianópolis, he also debuted on the circuit last year and has already won the Brazilian and South American Championships in his age group.

Another accumulator of titles is Tobias de Oliveira, from São Paulo, 8, three months older than Maria. Accustomed to lifting trophies since he was five, he won in 2022, among others, in his category, the Brazilian school and the South American blitz (games lasting about six minutes).

At the age of 11, Olavo, Tobias’ brother, also started early. He has already been Brazilian school champion and, last year, South American champion.

Mathias Casalaspro, 10, is another promise of Brazilian chess. Born in São Paulo, he has been playing in tournaments since September 2019. He has participated in 202 competitions, of which 67 were international. Last year, he won, among others, the Brazilian and South American blitz for children up to ten years old.