Chess fun? Yes!

 

Chess. A game. A sport. Why would folks get so crazzzzzzzy about it? Well, this. There's something about YOU having total control over a whole army! Total control over a Queen! Yeah, it happens. You get waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay into the contest, and become different than normal you. Normal you would quickly resolve the loss, what the hell, it's a game. But once you're in there, fighting for the honor of your army, losing is awful. Like waaaay MAD awful. Like throwing chess pieces around the room MAD. Like promising yourself you will NEVER play that opponent ever again. WTF?

Methinks there is another way to consider this challenging game. Like, oh, maybe, have fun with it. Really!

I've played chess most of my life, and 98% of the time am happy and enjoying the afternoon with a friend to play, have good beer, chat, lose my Queen, kick my own ass, continue. I realize why some folks can't enjoy the game. They have a competitive spirit, and losing just wrecks the rest of their day, week, month, etc.

Competition ain't me. I want the fun of spending a few hours with a friend and that's great fun to me. Weird, I've played folks who months later still remember moves of a game we played 4 months ago. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sheet, I don't remember any of that game, just that I had a great time, and yeah, that game, I won, miracle shit. Yet my friend recalls exact moves, yeah, he lost, and it still really bothers him.

Chess, it has power to pull folks in and they are seldom happy. But the challenge of competition just can't be ignored. So sad, as it's a super smart game, one to be appreciated for it's mystery - - the only game with no element of chance - - except how the sides are chosen to begin. Whoever gets White, that's good, and White always has first move. Not to worry, Black can kick ass and win, oh yes.

I've never played tournament chess, no thanks. I don't want to play with strangers, I want to have an afternoon with a good friend and enjoy the company, the challenge of a new game, and yet i honor what tournament rules I know of, rules like when it's your turn, and you touch a piece but don't move it, you're thinking... - - guess what? Rules say if you touch THAT piece, that's the piece you MUST use on this move. A simple rule that keeps folks from killing each other. Why, you ask? Well, in the game, when its your opponent's turn, of course both players are studying the board. You touch a piece, don't move it, take your hand away, and still study the board for what you might do. NO! The opponent, seeing you touch THAT piece, their chess brain instantly goes to what that piece could do, might do, etc, etc. So, to play fair, avoid touching a piece until you know what move you will make. Keeps the game civil.

FYI, I guess the young chess player who is dead, that guy, he also played Blitz Chess, where players move FAST. Not my interest. I want the friendship to be the point of the afternoon. Yeah, yeah, some folks will take a l o n g time to make their move, that gets a bit much, too. But what I wonder, according to the news of the chess guy, he was accused of cheating at chess. ???? Must be some online crap.

Thanks to a great film, Queen of Katwe, I've challenged myself to learn algebraic chess notation, try try try. So now I have a date with myself, we play chess Sunday afternoons, and I record the moves! You'd think I'd improve, but I always lose! And that other bitch gloats....