1. The Child's Curiosity and Passion for the Game

The game should attract the child—not the trophies, medals, ratings, prize money, or anything else. Initially, it is perfectly normal for children to be excited about trophies and winning tournaments. There is nothing wrong with that. But as they grow, their love should gradually shift towards the game itself.

Chess should be fun and enjoyable for them.

Achieving the IM or GM title and pursuing chess as a career is a very long process. It is not something that can be achieved in one or two years. It takes many years of training, countless hours of study, continuous tournament practice, and tremendous effort and sacrifice.

Because of this, chess should become a lifestyle for the child.

Only when chess becomes part of their lifestyle will they naturally invest the amount of time and effort required to become a strong player. If the child genuinely enjoys playing, studying, analysing, and learning chess, then training never feels like a burden. It simply becomes part of everyday life.
This is the only reason why I say chess should become a lifestyle.

If the child truly loves chess, they will enjoy the process. They won't regret spending hours studying because they are doing something they genuinely love.
On the other hand, chess practice should never be forced by parents or coaches.

If a child is not willing to practice without someone constantly forcing or reminding them, then it is understandable that they are probably not genuinely interested in chess.

Many parents believe that forcing children to practice every day will eventually make them successful.
I don't agree.

Forced practice may produce some short-term success. The child may win a few tournaments, improve their rating, or achieve some results here and there.
But without their own interest, they will eventually stagnate.

Every player reaches difficult phases where improvement becomes slow, losses become painful, and motivation naturally drops. During those moments, only genuine passion keeps a player moving forward.

If chess was never their own choice, they usually stop enjoying it.

Later in life, many players regret choosing chess because they were living someone else's dream instead of their own.

Parents cannot create passion.
Coaches cannot create passion.
Money cannot create passion.
Pressure cannot create passion.

Only the player can.

A simple question every parent should honestly ask is:

"If nobody tells my child to practice today, will they still sit down and study chess on their own?"

If the answer is yes, there is genuine interest.

If the answer is no, forcing them to practice is unlikely to produce long-term success.

A player can become an IM or GM only if they fall in love with the process—not just the result.

The process is repetitive.
The process is difficult.
The process is time-consuming.
The process demands sacrifice.

If the player enjoys only winning but does not enjoy learning, studying, analysing losses, and improving, they will eventually lose interest.

So, the child's own interest is the foundation of everything.

The game should be fun.
The game should be enjoyable.
The child should be curious to learn more every day.

Only then will chess naturally become a lifestyle instead of a burden.

To be continued...
Part 2: Financial Support