Imagine starting to play chess at the age of 9 years old in 2011 and being crowned the National Junior Champion in 2016 at the age of 14! That incredible story is not only a dream come true, but also the real story of David Pietersz from Netherlands Antilles.
Now at the age of 16, he is representing his country, Curacao, which for legislative reasons is still classified as the Netherlands Antilles with FIDE. The list of tournaments won over the last 7 years is impressive and shows the amount of potential David has. For example, in his first international tournament in Aruba he came 3rd in the U12 category in 2013 and then 1st in the U18 category when he returned in 2015. He was 1st in U14 in a Caribbean tournament and came 2nd and 3rd in the National championships in Curacao in 2016 and 2017 respectively. (note this last tournament is not the junior event, but the general open tournament.)
In order to be selected to play at the Olympiad, chess players can play in 5 tournaments and score points (score is relative to final ranking in tournament). The five players that have the highest score are provided with a position in the national team at the Olympiad. David, coming fifth, is proud and keen to learn and grow from the experience. He has had his eyes on playing in the Olympiad for many years, so this trip is a dream come true!
He was taught chess by his dad, who had spotted a chess board at his grandma’s house and was really driven to take his chess to the next level when he finally beat one of his long-time rivals. He hasn’t looked back since and tries to get at least one hour of chess training in each day.
You have achieved quite a bit in your short career, so what are some of the goals you still have?
I definitely would like a chess title, increase my rating and represent Curacao at more international events.
David (Chesslife) has analysed David’s (Curacao) favourite game from last year. White crushes Black’s French pawn structure with the classical f4-f5. Click on the chessboard to open up the analysis.
Who is your favourite player of all times?
World Champion Magnus Carlsen. I like his dominant playing style. Although currently I am very much enjoying games by Dutch player Anish Giri, even though his playing style is very different from Magnus’ games.
Do you have any favourite chess books?
I don’t remember the exact title, but my first book was a general chess openings book and I remember that it made a huge impact having a book and learning from it.
What kind of chess player are you?
I like to think I am more of a positional player; with White I enjoy playing the Reti and the English, while with Black I play the Scandanavian and Queen’s Indian. Of course I think that I can play tactically when I have to!
What is the junior league like in Curacao?
Juniors in Curacao are definitely very competitive and there are several players who are very strong. The number of juniors playing has significantly increased over the last few years, with more publicity on Facebook, newspapers and tv. The three local clubs are doing a great job advertising their events and drawing in more players.
What has chess taught you about life?
Chess has really helped me with my schooling. I have learned to think things through and plan. Don’t rush, take your time and review all options.
What is your advice to Australian Juniors?
Continue to do your best and work towards your goals. Your hard work will pay off if you keep at it.
Country Facts!
The country was formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles and is now formally called the Country of Curaçao it includes the main island of Curaçao and the uninhabited island of “Little Curaçao”. Curaçao has a population over 160,000 in an area of 444 km2 and its capital is Willemstad.
