Any OF Chess Players?

arturo7 · Feb 14, 2022

Played chess often when I was a lad but then high school came along and I found there were far better things to do. I figure relearning and playing again would be good brain exercise if I make it to old age.

Tried playing online but I didn't really enjoy it. Bought the board, bought the pieces, now I need to find the adversaries. Actually played a game via text message with a buddy in another state. Aside from a couple miscues, it worked quite well.

I could easily become obsessed with this. Gotta be cheaper than watches...

Are there any vintage chess clocks worth having? I don't really have a desire to use one, but it would cool on the mantle, right?

sonicosa · Feb 14, 2022

I bought a chess board so my wife and I could try playing together a couple years ago. I know the basic rules of the game but very little strategy. The trouble was that I am (probably very slightly) better than my wife, and she didn’t like losing, so we only played a few times. I did try to let her win at one point, but turns out I’m not good enough at chess to lose on purpose without doing so clumsily and making it painfully obvious - which she enjoyed even less than losing.

The best thing to come out of it was an adorable picture of her pouting over the chess board.

Maybe I’ll suggest we try again… any tips for me on losing more convincingly 👎

Cenzo · Feb 14, 2022

My Dad taught my nephew how to play chess and he took a liking to it. He told my Dad he was going to play in chess tournament. My Dad called him to ask him how it went - and he told him he came in third. My Dad was impressed. Until he talked to his brother and he told him there were only 4 people in the tournament! It's all about how you spin the story.

JwRosenthal · Feb 14, 2022

I learned in college because all the cool kids were doing it 🙄

I’m not very good, I know these rules and can think maybe a move or two ahead. I taught my mother how to play about a decade ago. I beat her the first game and have never beaten her since. She has gone on to whoop my step-fathers ass, a life-long player, on more than one occasion, and he is a horrible loser (like a spoiled child).
Some people are just naturally gifted at strategic games like chess…I guess I’m not one of them.

bradurani · Feb 14, 2022

I play everyday online, but I never get any better!

Syzygy · Feb 14, 2022

My Grandmother taught me how to play when I was little, sort of a way to pass the time when she was babysitting me. Solitaire as well. I enjoy playing, but have never really spent enough time to learn the deeper strategy of the game, only thinking a move or two ahead. Billiards on the other hand...bring it on! I can usually see every shot necessary to run the rack.

The last time I played chess was during a family trip to Scotland. We had a fairly large family group (13 of us), and a traveling rule of 'no TV on vacation' so passing the evenings while telling of our days' adventures while playing chess and tending the fire was the way to go. We guided the kids through the game to introduce them, but to be honest we were playing against each other through the kids...all in all, a very fond memory. My brother and I, as brothers do, usually ended the night with an intense game or two just the two of us.

Now you have me thinking of how a chess tournament can be held on OF!

dsio · Feb 14, 2022

I play a few times a week on lichess, used to be chess.com but its not really worth it

BlackTalon · Feb 14, 2022

Played a ton when I was a kid. In the early years of high school someone talked me into going to a couple chess club practices. I turned out to be pretty good, as only the club/ team captain beat me. It wasn't for me though -- soccer and tennis were my main after-school interests. In my junior year I tutored in the math lab. The teacher was an interesting combination of competition powerlifter and chess player. He would play games during the class against some of the stressed-out kids who were struggling in school; all very friendly and good-natured, and it put the kids at ease. When he found out I played a lot he asked if I wanted to play against him. Sure, why the heck not? He put a chess clock on the desk next to the board -- I had not seen one of those before... I think he allocated 2 minutes each. He kick the mother-effing crap out of me. Something like 4-5 games in what was barely 5 minutes 😟 I realized right then and there I really wasn't that great of a chess player. I stuck with playing almost daily for my senior year, but when I left for college that was basically the end of playing for me. I tried a chess game early on in the life of PCs, but it just wasn't the same. I didn't have any real people to play with, so it wasn't possible to maintain any sort of consistent level

Lately my son has been asking to play. I have been teaching him the basics (movement, strategy, etc.) but a lot of it is still over his head. The opening combinations, etc. I used to know inside and out are all distant memories for me, as I peaked about 40 years ago. I imagine in a couple more years my son will be able to beat me with no help/ coaching.

Foo2rama · Feb 14, 2022

I learned young, but it was never fast enough for me, and I never learned the desire to try and master it in the speed game.

I went down the trick based card games path, which leads to counting, which leads to BJ and Poker…

I’ve never been sure it was the better path esp after watching the Queens Gambit. I mean if you meet girls like her…

Boojumhunter · Feb 16, 2022

My chess enjoyment improved when I bought a vintage Anri Universum chess set a while back. Unfortunately, my game didn't...

BlackTalon · Feb 16, 2022

Foo2rama
I went down the trick based card games path, which leads to counting, which leads to BJ and Poker…

Oh boy, you left some prime material here to work with 😁

sleepyastronaut · Feb 16, 2022

chess.com hit me up

arturo7 · Feb 16, 2022

Boojumhunter
My chess enjoyment improved when I bought a vintage Anri Universum chess set a while back. Unfortunately, my game didn't...

That is a cool set!

arturo7 · Feb 16, 2022

Syzygy
Now you have me thinking of how a chess tournament can be held on OF!

I might be up for that...

Walrus · Feb 16, 2022

Love chess for its history and the game in general. I’ve had the pleasure of playing chess with a number of people diagnosed with schizophrenia and they pretty much kicked my ass relentlessly. There are actually a few studies saying it may help treat those with the illness but all I know is the guys I played could think like ten moves ahead sometimes more I seem to be stuck at 3-4 moves ahead. I have a decent looking set I picked up in the orient with handmade soap stone pieces. Nothing real fancy just a nice set but when you walk in with your own set and leave with your tail between your legs it’s kinda funny. So I always loved chess just never seemed to get a knack for it. Oh man I used to get beat up bad and they showed no mercy.

https://www.researchgate.net/public...enhances_cognitive_abilities_in_schizophrenia

Charlemagne1333 · Feb 16, 2022

I play quite regularly. Mostly against a virtual opponent on the CPU, and occasionally with a friend in some local hostelry.
My style is more attack, than defence, which isn’t always the best tactic, but I don’t complain as the winner always buys the next round 👍

TheGreekPhysique · Feb 17, 2022

I have always enjoyed playing chess. My first exposure to the game came as young teen - around 2003 or so. I remember, in our summer vacations in Greece, we would stay in a secluded village. I would play against other kids my age or the older villagers at the village square/cafe. I'm not very good but I enjoy the game. Maybe one day, when I have more time, I will spend some more time learning different strategies.

If anyone is looking for something to watch on Netflix I thought the Queens Gambit was pretty good.

Waltesefalcon · Feb 17, 2022

My dad taught me chess when I was just a small lad. I really enjoy it but don't really have anyone to play it with anymore. The last time I played regularly was a couple of years ago.

MarmosetJKM · Feb 18, 2022

I'm a patzer, but I had a lot of fun playing bad blitz games with a friend from work every day at lunch for a few years before we were all sent home.

I caught the collecting bug for chess pieces too.

There are some cool clocks that can be had for not a lot of money. This one is a mid-60s Garde that apparently came from a Dutch chess club. It reminded me of the Fischer-Spassky world championship so I got it.

SpeedyPhill · Feb 18, 2022

I like the fact that a chess board can stay at a certain position in time until we feel the need to play further...
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Any OF Chess Players?

arturo7

sonicosa

Cenzo

JwRosenthal

bradurani

Syzygy

dsio

BlackTalon

Foo2rama

Boojumhunter

BlackTalon

sleepyastronaut

arturo7

arturo7

Walrus

Charlemagne1333

TheGreekPhysique

Waltesefalcon

MarmosetJKM

SpeedyPhill

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