Archive for the ‘Chess’ Category

Going nowhere fast

A principal quality to becoming a strong chess player is pattern recognition and it has much value beyond the board too.

And so the upshot is I am less excited about a return to OTB chess. Why? I’ve been here before too many times. There’s nothing new about it and too much that is familiar. It’s tempting to think I go round in circles. Even if I don’t, the truth of the matter is not too far off. I seem to be quite good at putting my foot in it (reckless bugger), and so the sense of familiarity is too strong and enthusiasm somewhat lacking this time around.

There is a transition in play when you go from online to OTB. Etiquette comes back into play, the sense of occasion over-arches all. The games come thick and fast in BKK chess club because they only play blitz there. There’s also nearly 2 hours of travel to the chess club. It’s a welcome transition but it has to be remembered that chess is just a board game and there are far more important things in life to be getting on with. Well, admittedly chess is a passion too and that does elevate its status.

General considerations should never be overlooked and so, owing to circumstances, I might not be too up for it. Hard to be sure.

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Pity the pawns

Bangkok almost

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It’s highly likely that I will be able to play in a 9 round tournament this month if I want to. I don’t want to though. I’m too rusty amongst other reasons. It doesn’t help being cursed by an artificially low rating as well. I suppose we have to be informed enough to know when its a good idea to play and not a good idea. It takes 7 rounds for me to get into the groove sufficiently, and that’s just too much. It’s just not possible to enjoy the tournament when most of it is spent in a state of unreadiness. Perhaps I will take the train up and spend a day or two watching games and catching up with old friends…that might be better.

The frontage from such decisions don’t really help decide where the balance of importance is going to lie in terms of playing on-line and playing down the club. It seems stupendous to suggest that my off line life may overtake my on line life but you never know. In retrospect there is, of course, no comparison between OTB chess and online chess. The caveat is, though, with OTB you get those who suffer from NBPE syndrome (not been punched enough) and they can be bloody annoying gits if they want to be…ah yeah, there is that I suppose…

Mark

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I will be frequenting one of my clubs again quite soon but for how long I don’t know yet…

It will be nice to play OTB chess again…

Snow falls in winter and when it falls all is silent…

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If you click on the link below you will find an account of the recent developments in the chess world, written for non-chess players.

How much you will agree with, is of course, down to you. And what those outside of the chess world may think of it is another matter altogether. How entertaining they will find the whole thing is a third matter, but what we can say with some certainty is that if they weren’t likely to be mildly entertained by such current affairs, the article wouldn’t have been published in the first place. It’s well-written enough to be worth a read even if you have been following current events.

https://metro.co.uk/2022/10/12/anal-beads-cheating-scandals-and-trash-talk-the-new-world-of-chess-17544098/

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Pure entertainment.

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Go to 07.07 for an account of how difficult Niemann’s life has become since the scandal erupted in the media.

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Those who fool around with the French Defence must be unduly punished, and so I delivered checkmate.

https://www.chess.com/game/live/59137205229

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I saw this on my facebook post today. It does raise questions which are difficult to answer though.

Let me ask you some basic questions but before I do I want to tell you I am quite sure you can’t answer them. Okay, firstly, when you play chess, how aware are you of why you are playing at that particular moment? What pushed you to play on that particular occasion? With online chess you can play anywhere and anytime. Why, exactly, did you choose that day, that physical location and that particular time to play? Probably there was no conscious decision involved -you just felt like it. If that’s so, then answer when should we play chess? Are there times when we shouldn’t play chess? How do we decide? Why can’t I just say ‘well I am a creature of habit and like to do my thing when I feel like it?

I hate to admit it, I often play chess if I feel bored. It helps pass the time and gives me something to focus on. Should we, though, make chess off limits at certain times of the day? Or should we just find better reasons for playing it? Or should it be a combination of both? You tell me. If chess is an intellectual pursuit why are we oftentimes impulsive over deciding to play? Is that not a cardinal sin?

There have been studies conducted over when is the peak time of the day for cognition, as this is particularly important for study plans amongst students but its not a given that science can give us the answer. I mean since when did the rule ‘what’s true for some is true for everyone’ come into play exactly? You really ought to know the workings of your own mind better than anyone else -and if you don’t then shame on you! Ultimately it may just be a case of knowing what part of the day works best for you. Are you a morning person or a night owl? You should know. The nature and quality of your play should be an indicator of how concentrated you are, I think. Aside, should I write a letter to my government, asking them to enforce a curfew, do I risk being taken to the nearest station by the local constabulary and locked up for a few days?

Moving away from when we choose to play online what do we do if the time we choose to play is not the main concern but rather the amount we are playing and the effect its having on our lives? How can we tell that enough is enough. Some people can’t, and to find out how things can go wrong, please click on the link below:

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Forms of filth

Even though I see myself as a well-travelled person, this does not detract from the acceptance I will always run into those beyond comprehension no matter where in the world I am, what they do, and what I see them do. Some people are unfathomable, but when encountered playing chess, they have to be dealt with one way or another. It just so happens that those who cheat in life fit into the category of those I fail to understand no matter how hard I try. I can’t work out why anyone thinks winning by cheating is commendable, and why it is that the results of their actions are so important. The chess world has recently been rocked by allegations of cheating, and it achieved so much attention that reportage became extensive. Even the BB, bloody, C were reporting on it, and would now like to tell us that Poker players and fishermen are also at it. Details can be found here: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63108879

Some people will stop at nothing to get what they want.

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