Margarida Correia is the under-18 women’s national chess champion. She competes for the AFN Gil Eanes club in Lagos. Margarida spoke to sports editor David Lugg about what inspired her to start playing and what it takes to become the best.
How long have you been playing chess and who inspired you to start playing?
I’ve been playing chess for about four years, having started during the pandemic. One day, my dad suggested that we watch The Queen’s Gambit (the award-winning Netflix series about chess prodigy Beth Harmon). Little did I know that it would be one of the best decisions of my life. I was completely fascinated and soon afterwards, I asked my father and grandfather to teach me how to play. Over time, I got more involved and persuaded my parents to get me a coach. About six months later, I was already competing.
How often do you practise?
Practising chess is a bit different from other sports, as you can literally train sitting on the sofa. However, I believe that having a coach makes all the difference in order to evolve in a more efficient and targeted way. At the moment, I do about four hours of training a week with coaches to identify mistakes, prepare for future matches and study different strategic plans. Outside of training with coaches, I try to practise every day.
What personality traits do you possess to be a good chess player?
I’m a very persistent person and I always fight for my goals. I believe this is one of the most important traits for playing chess at a competitive level because the challenges are many and the results don’t always come immediately. Without this willpower and fighting spirit, it’s easy to become demotivated and give up at the first hurdle. I’m also quite a perfectionist. Some say that perfectionism in chess can be a problem because, due to the complexity of the game, mistakes are inevitable. However, I see it differently. For me, always wanting to do your best can never be a bad thing, as long as you have the maturity to accept mistakes as an essential part of the learning process.
You recently won the under 18s national women’s speed chess title. You must have been delighted with your performance?
I was really happy, because it was the first time I’d managed to win a national title. I’d been trying for a while, but I always ended up in second or third place. Finally, I managed to overcome that obstacle and that made me extremely proud, not just because of the title itself but mainly because I felt I did a good job.
The Gil Eanes chess club had 13 representatives in the national youth championships. What is the secret behind the club’s success?
Since it was founded in 2022, the club’s chess section has grown immensely. They have done an incredible job of publicising chess, especially in schools. In addition, there are training sessions practically every day, which allows the players to progress consistently. But more than all of this, what really makes the difference is the atmosphere in the club. There’s a real spirit of mutual help and I feel that everyone supports each other, regardless of level or experience. At the end of the day, that’s what makes this club so special.
Outside of chess, what are your interests and hobbies?
Music is one of my great passions, which is why I take private singing lessons. I also love travelling. Ever since I was little, my parents have always encouraged me to get to know new cultures, and this has become something very special to me. Another area that fascinates me is astrophysics. I even have a telescope, and whenever I can, I like to observe the starry sky and learn more about the universe.
What would you say to any boys or girls looking to play chess for the first time?
The key word is persistence. At first, everything seems difficult, and you will fail many times, but the important thing is to learn from your mistakes and keep playing. Chess, with the right mindset, can be a fascinating and extremely rewarding game. For those just starting out, I recommend playing a lot online to gain experience. And if you want to take the game more seriously and compete, the ideal is to look for a club nearby and possibly consider investing in a coach to develop in a more structured way. If you’re a young woman, I’d say never be intimidated by the fact that there are more men playing. It’s true that there are fewer of us in terms of numbers, but the community, at least in Portugal, is very welcoming. Besides, chess needs more women and each new player helps to make the environment more diverse and balanced.
What does 2025 hold for you?
This year promises to be a year of big changes. If all goes well, I’ll be going to university for my dream course – Aerospace Engineering – and moving to another city, which will be a huge challenge. And, of course, I will continue to compete and fight for more titles at national level.
