In the last chapter I mentioned that as my chess understanding grew more sophisticated and I transitioned to adult tournaments, my games tended to last longer, sometimes going on for six or eight hours. Kids have trouble focusing for so long and strange things can happen to a young mind straining under intense pressure. One day I was working my way through a complex position in a tournament at the Manhattan Chess Club, and a Bon Jovi song I had heard earlier in the day entered my mind. I tried to push it away and return to my calculation, but it just wouldn’t leave me alone. At first this
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