Coffee for Dessert

[kids]..imagine with me for a moment: imagine that your parents have enrolled you into a summer camp program with about 20 other children your same age. The instructors have provided the list of materials for the summer and your parents have dropped you off at the high school where you will be joining your classmates. Soon enough, your buses depart and after a bit of a ride, you have made it to the drop off zone. The instructors are allowing everyone to find their own camping space..before reconvening at the central flag pole. What is your plan?
–Race to claim the best spot with the best view of the lake.
–Search for a spot that is flat and comfortable.
–Randomly start setting up nearby; all the spots are equal.
–Follow those other kids who look like they’ve camped before and set up near them.
–Ask the instructor where they think is best to setup.

Now lets shift gears..back to the chessboard.. Imagine that you’ve joined a chess tournament and you are at the event ready to go, and the tournament director has posted the pairings for round 1. Your Coach just finished their pep talk and all of your team has received their assigned opponents. You make your way to your assigned chessboard and make yourself comfortable. In a moment the tournament director will offer some opening remarks, and then everyone will start their clocks. Once the game begins. What is your plan?
–Occupy the center with pawns, then develop my knights and bishops while reinforcing the center.
–Exchange pawns in the center to create potential attacking lanes for my bishops and queen.
–Offer a free pawn as a gambit to gain tempo and create counter-attacking tactics
–Develop pieces randomly and hope my opponent makes a silly move.
–Develop pieces “prophylactically” to prevent my opponent from advancing their pieces beyond the center.
–Something else??Fianchetto, Castle as soon as possible, Scholars Mate attack??