In Rules of the Game, what strategy does Waverly use with her mother even before she starts playing chess?

The overall attitude toward life and its challenges that Lindo, Waverly’s mother, impresses upon her is meant to help her navigate any rocky shoals that she encounters. Although Waverly often resists her mother’s wishes, she also internalizes her lessons and applies them toward building a successful resistance. Lindo’s basic philosophy is one of self-reliance. She encourages Waverly to operate from a basis of strong self-confidence that also incorporates assessing any opponent’s weakness. Lindo terms this the “invisible strength” that a person carries inside them. The notion that any individual possesses the inner resources to dominate a given situation is a useful lesson to apply in playing chess: Waverly is learning to concentrate on the inner game more than a mechanical application of rules.