Carmen Illueca, Spanish U10 Girls' Runner-up: An Achievement Worth Far More Than a Medal
Carmen Illueca wins silver at the Spanish U10 Chess Championship. Her coach, WFM Adriana Palao, reflects on the journey, hard work, resilience, and growth behind the medal.
WFM Adriana Palao
7/14/20263 min read
Above all, what surprised me most was the way you handled the tournament. You knew how to recover from difficult moments, maintain your concentration through very demanding days, and compete with extraordinary composure. As a coach, few things are as rewarding as seeing a student bring to the board everything she has been building for months. And you did exactly that.
I hope you never lose that desire to learn. May this medal be a beautiful memory, but never the reason why you play. What will truly take you far is not a podium, but your ability to work hard, to get back up after mistakes, and to keep enjoying the journey with humility.
Today we celebrate a Spanish silver medal. But honestly, I celebrate even more the person you are becoming.
Congratulations, Carmen. I am very proud of you. ❤️
Yesterday we shared an idea that has always been the most important one for us: the only goal was to enjoy the journey and never lose our love for this sport.
Today we celebrate a silver medal and a Spanish vice-championship that fills us with joy. But above the result itself, we celebrate everything that lies behind it.
I often say that I identify a lot with Carmen. When we do something, we like to do it as well as possible. I think that is one of the reasons why I enjoy coaching her so much, in addition to the affection I have for her as a student. She has never been afraid to work hard, to train a little extra when needed, to overcome fatigue, to listen to criticism with humility, and to recognize her mistakes in order to keep improving.
That attitude is worth far more than any medal.
I remember many times watching her finish a game and be the first to say, “That game didn’t go very well.” Or arriving with the sense of humor that characterizes her and telling me that she had gone “into Christmas mode” because she had been giving away pieces all over the board. She never looked for excuses or blamed others. She always wanted to understand what had happened so she could do better next time. That ability to analyze herself honestly without losing her smile is one of the qualities I admire most about her.
Carmen, you left me speechless…
From the third round onward, you did not lose another game. You faced every opponent with a maturity far beyond your years, embracing the training plan and carrying it out with a confidence that truly impressed me.
Every day we prepared the games together. Those who know me know that I have never liked looking for the easy way. Our preparations are always adapted to the opponent and to the situation in the tournament. We look for positions that force players to understand chess, to think, and to make good decisions, not simply to memorize variations. And you responded in the best possible way.
