Chess can be Brutal

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

I just read a fun article on chess.   It's of an old hockey player who could no longer physically compete on the ice decided to compete on a chess board.  Easy, right?

 

https://www.insidehook.com/article/sports/chess-cruel-and-vicious-game

 

I learned the moves when I was a freshman in high school.  A buddy and I would play a few games each week until we graduated and went our different ways.  Then I joined a chess club and competed in team tournaments of one club against the other.  I learned real quick that competitive chess can be brutal.  I would come away completely mentally and physically exhausted.  Yes, physically exhausted.  After that I wisely stopped playing competitive chess except for one brief tournament in my battalion in Germany.  I was an E-4 and won becoming the first battalion champion defeating a 1LT from another battery in the final round.  I was also the last battalion champion since there was never another battalion tournament.  Again, mental and physical exhaustion.  That was my last foray into tournament chess.   It's too brutal for me!

 

 

One of my chess sets.

 

 

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[Alpo]

You may appreciate this. It's a webcomic, and in this Arc there is a chestCHESS, YOU MINDLESS DWEEB. CHESS match. College student against a 6-year-old girl. And while she's waiting for him to move she's playing Pokemon on her phone.

 

http://www.sandraandwoo.com/2021/03/04/1251-pony/

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

Alpo, that cartoon reminds me of a boy I taught the moves.  When I showed the boy the knight move, he responded, "Oh, I see.  The knight moves between the rook and bishop."  I was stunned.  He's right!   The boy was also a certified genius.  I heard he grew up and was a mathematician for some science research firm.

[Pat Riot]

I learned chess at an early age. I was a fair to middling player. My dad taught me but never taught me strategies. I learned those on my own. Then in the Navy I was given a book on chess. I read that book twice and realized the game wasn’t for me after playing some guys that were really good. 

[DocWard]

I play chess on occasion, but I have never been particularly good at it. I've always described myself as a tactician, not a strategist. Chess requires a strategic mindset, and yes, I understand it being physically exhausting.

 

I have chess pieces that belonged to my father-in-law, but I am in search of a new board. The old one was made of leather and was damaged beyond repair. I had it displayed in my office for a long time, and would occasionally play against one of the custodians. A couple of moves per day, sometimes only one. He usually won.

[DocWard]

2 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I learned chess at an early age. I was a fair to middling player. My dad taught me but never taught me strategies. I learned those on my own. Then in the Navy I was given a book on chess. I read that book twice and realized the game wasn’t for me after playing some guys that were really good. 

 

My uncle was one of those guys. Brilliant, he made his living working for an engineering firm as their chief estimator, and was highly respected in his field. All the while a very down to earth guy. As I recall, he once beat me in six moves. 

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

31 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I learned chess at an early age. I was a fair to middling player. My dad taught me but never taught me strategies. I learned those on my own. Then in the Navy I was given a book on chess. I read that book twice and realized the game wasn’t for me after playing some guys that were really good. 

I read several books on chess as a young man.  The one I thought best was the one below.  Taught me how to be a positional player.  Like you others, I was never more than an intermediate player.  Just didn't have the memory needed to remember the openings.

 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

We lived next door to an old man who played chess world wide by mail.  He had a couple of dozen boards around his house all working full time.

 

I was nine years old and he tried to teach me the game.

 

He was a widely known chess master and I never won a game in my short career of trying, about six years.

 

I never bothered to get into board games of any kind

[Gracos Kid]

I worked with a friend who had over 800 college credits but no degree.  He would change majors just to remain a student.  For reading material, he would check out books at the University of Georgia on Chess Matches from a hundred years ago in order to improve his game.  He was brilliant.  He passed away a couple of years ago........

[Sundog]

Presently, I am a member of a chess club.

 

I normally play local participants, but every now and then, I will play somebody in another state or even another country around the world.

 

About three years ago, my family gave me an unusual chessboard ... called... "Square Off".  With this board and an internet connection, a person can self-play against a computer-generated player, or a specific player, or internationally with whomever.  The board pieces for the "opponent" automatically move during the play subject to the opponent's specification. However, the chess board looks like an ordinary chess board.  It's great when you are on-the-road by yourself in a hotel.

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

I love chess but I’m not very good at it. I guess if I played it more I’d get better but there’s no one to play with.

I’ve tried playing online but forget that! 

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

I enjoy replaying the great games of masters.  I'll set up one of my chess sets, place the computer next to it, and go through these great games using my own pieces. 

 

If interested, type into your search engine, "Best chess games of all time."  There are literally thousands of chess games to enjoy.

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

I also enjoy doing the daily puzzles at chess.com.  I only get about half of them.

 

https://www.chess.com/daily-chess-puzzle

[Marshal Dan Troop 70448]

Dad taught me at an early age. He was good, only beat him once when I was in my 50s.

[Cheatin Charlie]

Anna Cramling a "Pretty" good chess player.  Her parents were both Grand Champion's

 

 

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

My favorite Chess Meme:

 

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]