A “chip off the old block” is a well-known English idiom used to describe someone whose behavior, personality, or talents closely resemble those of one of their parents. While aunts and uncles may not have a catchy phrase to capture how their nieces and nephews develop similar quirky habits, humor styles, or passions, that doesn’t mean these relationships don’t produce strong personality resemblances.
My late niece, Dakota Torres-O’Callaghan, spent many formative years looking up to me. As a young girl, she frequently asked for guitar lessons or to accompany me on chess outings. Her favorite memories were of my annual summer chess camps in Fremont at Mission San Jose Elementary School. There, Dakota was immersed in a world of chess—learning, competing, and playing with national chess champions. Even during the hours-long commutes to camp, she would sit up front, eager to chat and share her thoughts, making the trip just as much fun for her as the camp itself.
This early exposure sparked a deep passion for chess in Dakota. She participated in numerous scholastic chess tournaments and, later, while attending Sacramento State University, sought out the college’s chess club to showcase her skills and make new friends. Throughout her journey, she kept me updated on her progress, sharing her brilliant moves and exciting victories.
Perhaps “mini-me” better captures the close bond I shared with Dakota. I looked forward to visiting her classroom—Koda was well on her way to becoming a teacher—and sharing chess with her students. Dakota Torres-O’Callaghan would have been an exceptional educator, especially in teaching chess to deaf children, thanks to her talent with sign language and her lifelong passion for the game.
Below is a recent chess game played by Dakota, demonstrating her strong understanding of strategy and her skillful use of tactics to secure victory.
[Event “Live Chess”]
[Site “Chess.com”]
[Date “2025.07.27”]
[Round “-“]
[White “dakotaskye04”]
[Black “I_AM_IMMORTAL36”]
[Result “1-0”]
[Timezone “UTC”]
[ECO “C02”]
[UTCDate “2025.07.27”]
[TimeControl “600”]
[Termination “dakotaskye04 won by checkmate”]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Nc6 4. Nf3 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Nh6 7. Bxh6 gxh6 8.
Bb5 a6 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. O-O a5 11. a4 Ba6 12. Re1 f6 13. exf6 Qxf6 14. h3 Rg8
15. g4 Qf4 16. Rxe6+ Kd7 17. Re3 Rae8 18. Rxe8 Rxe8 19. Ne5+ Kd8 20. Nxc6+ Kc8
21. Qb1 Bb7 22. Na7+ Kb8 23. Nc6+ Ka8 24. Nxa5 Rf8 25. Qxb7# 1-0