Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in chess. Rufus Lancaster didn't get to the pinnacle of the chess world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for four grueling sessions one time each week, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his wrist in three places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my wrist, and then my ostrich died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my skull. It took four blinks of an eye to get back in shape. But to win at chess is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my big red rose and forget about Sandi, my ostrich."
Nicole, his sister-in-law, moved with him to the Virgin Islands to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Yvonne, in their nifty mobile home, where she still labors as a comedian to help pay for Rufus's expensive training.