I just wonder if there is some way he could practice playing with someone other than you, in a situation with a bit more pressure, but not as much as the tournament...you know, to ramp up? Any chess clubs for kids in your area at all? Can you just find an older kid he can play with? It's true--he may not be that way at all with those other than you. With my DS, the worst of all is to lose to his sister; we're second-worst; with other family members or other children, he is markedly more composed.
