Can you share the pleasures you have or had in playing chess?
By betterdays
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
Philippines
August 16, 2012 5:04pm CST
When I was young, I discovered I was gifted with an analytical mind when my eldest brother taught me the moves in chess when I was only six years old. In a few months he cannot beat me anymore in the game, and a few years after I find myself beating a lot of mature players who seemed amazed being beaten by someone as young as me. My father saw this talent and started to join me in a chess tournament in Lion's Club when I was only 11 years old and with mostly mature and older players joined, I find myself winning second place in the tourney! That was the start of my chess career when the Lions Club newsletter called me the new child wonder and a real chess prodigy. That is enough to excite me and continue on and in my lifetime now, I probably joined more than a hundred chess tournaments nationwide and reached a national rating of 2088 ( chess ratings in the Philippines are given lower and if my level of talent could be rated in other countries it would surely be a lot higher because when I play online chess, I regularly beat titled players like grandmasters, international masters and FIDE masters and I have more than 200 wins against many of them. I did win a few first places and some other 2nd, 3rd places and more in the tournaments I have joined in the past and the thrill of always being seeded in the to urnnament gives me a good feeling ( seeded means one of the highest ratings in the tournament ). Anyway, I could share a lot more of exciting moments in chess but I would like to do so as our discussions progress and others share their own experiences.
4 people like this
10 responses
@MissPiggy (1748)
• Indonesia
17 Aug 12
Wow...my manager really needs to meet you! 
He likes chess so much but he finds it a bit boring now as no one can beat him. And it's also boring to see him wins all the time! Even when he plays against the computer on the highest level, he wins! He said it's not challenging. WHAT? To me, even the lowest level is ALWAYS challenging! I can play chess, but for you and him, I am just a piece of cake. My level can't be compared to you both as I am even lower than amateur. Lol. My dad and brothers are good in chess, but they don't join any competitions or something. But at least for girls level, I can say that I'm proud as at least I can play it.
He likes chess so much but he finds it a bit boring now as no one can beat him. And it's also boring to see him wins all the time! Even when he plays against the computer on the highest level, he wins! He said it's not challenging. WHAT? To me, even the lowest level is ALWAYS challenging! I can play chess, but for you and him, I am just a piece of cake. My level can't be compared to you both as I am even lower than amateur. Lol. My dad and brothers are good in chess, but they don't join any competitions or something. But at least for girls level, I can say that I'm proud as at least I can play it. @BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
It's nice to hear women play chess. You know there was once a very popular woman chess grandmaster named Judith Polgar who regularly beat highly rated male grandmasters including grandmasters with the likes of ex world champion Karpov and Ivanchuk and many other popular grandmasters and she used to play only in men's chess tournaments because she is so much superior than all women's grandmasters. I am not up do date anymore with the latest chess news so I don't know how she is doing now.
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
...and concerning your manager, I don't know how well he really plays until I really play with him. I hope we can play online someday for the fun and the friendly challenge :)
@MissPiggy (1748)
• Indonesia
17 Aug 12
Really??? There's a female chess player?? WOW!! Now my head gets bigger! Though I know it wasn't me, but I feel proud as I always admire chess players. To me chess is a bit boring and can only be done by really smart people. And that's definitely not me. I always think chess is a high class game, male game, and so on and so forth. So I'm surprised there's a great female player stood among those guys.
And my manager...I know he never joins any competitions or something, but I'm sure he would enjoy playing chess with you. He would not be mad if he loses. Instead, I'm sure he would laugh happily to see there's finally someone who can beat him! Really wish there's this online chess game someday.
Though I know it wasn't me, but I feel proud as I always admire chess players. To me chess is a bit boring and can only be done by really smart people. And that's definitely not me. I always think chess is a high class game, male game, and so on and so forth. So I'm surprised there's a great female player stood among those guys.
And my manager...I know he never joins any competitions or something, but I'm sure he would enjoy playing chess with you. He would not be mad if he loses. Instead, I'm sure he would laugh happily to see there's finally someone who can beat him! Really wish there's this online chess game someday.
@else22 (4317)
• India
17 Aug 12
You seem to be a very talented chess player.I am really impressed by your performance.At first,I did not know how to play chess.One of my friends taught me how to play the game.He was a very good chess player.Thereafter I played against him and some other friends.Most of the time they defeated me.Now I sometimes play with my son who too is a talented player.Generally he defeats me.Sometimes I win,but only by chance.
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
Yes, chess is one of those sports wherein luck is not often seen which means that most of the time the better player wins. Of course, other factors are involved in the game like playing styles ( there are styles that we find difficult to beat ) and temperament. I can see that your son is better than you and maybe he can do really well in chess but only if he wanted to...meaning if he dreams to be a great chess player someday and put the necessary effort to become one. Not so many are like that, but I remember when I was young there was a point that the dedication was there but many factors out of chess triggered me to stop dreaming about it.
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
18 Aug 12
Yes, i think in most cases it wouldn't be wise to dream of becoming a professional chess player because I have seen a lot of them wasting their lives and not earning much. Having a chess career could be great with the most talented ones, but who knows maybe your son is one of them. Good luck to his upcoming job and hope he does well with it. Someday he may find some good sideline in chess like teaching chess online like what I do.
@else22 (4317)
• India
18 Aug 12
Yes,my son has been a better chess player than me and even most of my friends.The irony is that it was I who taught him how to play it,and now he has excelled me.I have noticed he forgets everything while he is playing with someone.Last year he was in Hyderabad and there he had beaten some talented players.I don't know whether he has thought of making chess his career.If he wants,I would encourage him.Now he is going to join his first job within a month or two.It is just the same what has happened with you forcing you to stop thinking of chess.
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
17 Aug 12
It truely looks that you are gifted with a good chessy-brain
. Though you have mentioned the 200 wins over the GMs IMs and FIDE Players, you have not mentioned about the losses to compare and identify the ratios... never mind, I understand.
I am an amaeteur who was handed over the chess board ages ago as a kid by his late maternal grandfather and we would spend hours together during the summer vacations playing a game. My Late grandfather was none of the important players but he knew chess more and better than many GMs. I started out playing chess during college at the college competetions and won a couple but never after that, though I did defeat the computer chess some years back (we played an untimes game and it lasted for about 35 days) - my longest stint with chess. In 2000 I fell ill and have been at home since then. So never got a chance to play on tournaments. And today, there is none I can play chess with, though I know I can join many online chess players - in fact I have developed a couple of chess websites.
. Though you have mentioned the 200 wins over the GMs IMs and FIDE Players, you have not mentioned about the losses to compare and identify the ratios... never mind, I understand.
I am an amaeteur who was handed over the chess board ages ago as a kid by his late maternal grandfather and we would spend hours together during the summer vacations playing a game. My Late grandfather was none of the important players but he knew chess more and better than many GMs. I started out playing chess during college at the college competetions and won a couple but never after that, though I did defeat the computer chess some years back (we played an untimes game and it lasted for about 35 days) - my longest stint with chess. In 2000 I fell ill and have been at home since then. So never got a chance to play on tournaments. And today, there is none I can play chess with, though I know I can join many online chess players - in fact I have developed a couple of chess websites.@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
To answer your question, of course I lost more than I won against these titled players...maybe the ratio would be about winning 30% while losing 70% which means if I meet and play 100 titled players, I win about 30 games and lose 70 games.
Anyway, to win even a single game against these titled players is already an accomplishment of it's own worthy of much praise and pride.
Anyway, basing on your story I would bet you can play really good chess and I bet if you would have given it more time you could become very highly rated or probably a titled player. But in chess, talent usually needed dedication and ambition to become a professional chess player. I didn't have the ambition to go as far as becoming a grandmaster so I became content beating them once in a while :)
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
17 Aug 12
A 30% winning chance against the greats is still worthy dear and I am sure each of the losses would have made you a better player.
You are right, any game or anything which is done with dedication and ambition goes a long way and you do stand a greater of being successful with it. Unfortunately, I got busy with work - I worked as a teacher for the last 16 years and when I fell ill in 2008 (when I suffered from an attack of Rheumatoid Arthritis) I was confined to the home. I had time now but unfortunately no one to play chess with. And again, I got busy with learning the skills of website development and now, I work from home as a website developer. This profession did help me find a client who got his chess website up and running. He in fact taught me the PGNs FENs etc - the notations of the Chess and their interpretations, also the ECO codes. Though we never played any game together but I am sure we would be doing it soon as his next website is an online gaming one. So I look forward to this one now, and hope that I would be a better player than I am today soon.
I wish you all the best in your Chess Playing and hope that you would visit India sometime - specially Puri where we have an annual meet and Championships between the greats. I say Puri as it is closer to where I live and we might meet
and I am sure each of the losses would have made you a better player.
You are right, any game or anything which is done with dedication and ambition goes a long way and you do stand a greater of being successful with it. Unfortunately, I got busy with work - I worked as a teacher for the last 16 years and when I fell ill in 2008 (when I suffered from an attack of Rheumatoid Arthritis) I was confined to the home. I had time now but unfortunately no one to play chess with. And again, I got busy with learning the skills of website development and now, I work from home as a website developer. This profession did help me find a client who got his chess website up and running. He in fact taught me the PGNs FENs etc - the notations of the Chess and their interpretations, also the ECO codes. Though we never played any game together but I am sure we would be doing it soon as his next website is an online gaming one. So I look forward to this one now, and hope that I would be a better player than I am today soon.
I wish you all the best in your Chess Playing and hope that you would visit India sometime - specially Puri where we have an annual meet and Championships between the greats. I say Puri as it is closer to where I live and we might meet@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
18 Aug 12
Thanks for inviting me in your country, thesids. I actually do want to visit India someday because I feel your country is so rich in your culture and is so unique and interesting. Anyway, is Viswanathan Anand still the chess world champion now?
And I do hope your physical condition is much better now :)
It would be great if someday I could join your annual meet. Anything is possible, and one of my dreams is really to join chess tournaments in other countries :)
@jobfindonline (1744)
•
17 Aug 12
I love playing chess during my teenage life. I remember how my other school mates met me in a vacant room to ask play with them. But definitely I am not that great. Since then I had no time to learn more of the other tactics in playing it. I saw a book of chess before, how to do strategy to win the game. But life is not just full of game, I became busy with more important things in life. I enjoyed playing it before but i don't have time to play chess anymore. I'd rather read that play chess. Congrats for being so great in chess.
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
Yes, I understand that there are more important things to do than mastering chess so that is one reason why I didn't go full time with it to become a grandmaster which I felt I could have had a very good chance of accomplishing. I would say, only the most talented out there go out and make a career with chess and makes lots of money doing so. For the less talented like me, I would be content with earning extra dollars teaching chess online.
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
Thanks riyuro! Actually I'm not that active anymore as a chess teacher because I have much less students now than before because I have other online works and businesses now that I am giving more effort on. In the past, there was a time when I had more than 7 chess students but most of them I teach only once a week and a few more than once a week so those were the days when I was most active as a chess teacher online. My teaching rate at that time is only $8 per hour and I raised it up to $10 per hour, but now I decided to go back to my original fee of $8.
@wagkangmakulit (69)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
Wow, you ara very talented in Chess. I'm also a chess player but now, I'm not so active playing in tournament. But during my College days, I'm a VArsity player chess player and everytime there's a competition, our school always takes the first place. I'm also a Champion on some tournaments like Mayors Cup and as I remember, I also beat so GM in our country n simul game. That's what my chess life during my highschool and college days, then I stopped being an active player. I also remember that playing chess till 4am is our hobby (our chess club). Now, as working, I still play chess when there's a sportfest in our Company but not as active as before. HAve a great day!
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
I can bet you're also a good player because you said you were able to beat grandmasters in simul chess and play chess in your chess club up to 4 am. That is how chess players becomes experts or masters in the game :)
To be honest, it's even possible you're even better than me because I am not that active in playing anymore as compared to when I was younger.
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
...and I would also bet you're a Filipino basing on your username, and if I would translate it in English it means "don't be bothersome" or similar meaning :)
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
17 Aug 12
Wow, that's impressive!!
Good for you and it's interesting to hear about someone's adventures in chess. I learned chess when I was very little. I was happy about it because none of my little friends knew how to play it, so I felt privileged, haha.
I was never as good as you are because I just don't have the concentration. I'm always in a hurry, haha, and that's not how you win chess.
I haven't played in many, many years because no one I know plays it...how sad, I guess parents a while back just didn't teach it much. I love to play it, and love to win, but it doesn't deter me if I lose. It's just a fun game.
You really went far with it and Congratulations!
Good for you and it's interesting to hear about someone's adventures in chess. I learned chess when I was very little. I was happy about it because none of my little friends knew how to play it, so I felt privileged, haha.
I was never as good as you are because I just don't have the concentration. I'm always in a hurry, haha, and that's not how you win chess.
I haven't played in many, many years because no one I know plays it...how sad, I guess parents a while back just didn't teach it much. I love to play it, and love to win, but it doesn't deter me if I lose. It's just a fun game.
You really went far with it and Congratulations!@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
Thanks for the compliment, Kashmeresmycat. Anyway, you can still play it well if you are impatient in fast games they call 'blitz' where players uses a chess clock and each player has either 3 minutes or 5 minutes each to finish the game. You could even play the rapid chess where each player is given only 1 minute each to finish the game. They also call it lightning chess because of how fast the game is played.
Anyway, before I became that good there was a moment when I was young that I practice by myself for about 4 hours a day and had about 50 chess books and magazines I bought before. I don't do that anymore but I reached a good enough level to become a chess teacher online as one of the sources of my income now. I also charge a small fee if students wanted their own games fully analyzed as I give them all the ideas and principles present in their own games and the reasons why they lost or won the game ( but I usually ask them to give me their lost game, because they would learn the most in their lost games as they see where their weaknesses are ).
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
17 Aug 12
Its been so long since I played chess. I'm certainly not as good as you or my friend who I played with, but its a fun way to pass the time. My friend always manged to beat me as he had more experience, but I learned a lot about the game from observing him.
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
Observing and playing against better players are some of the best ways of improving in the game of chess. I remember a long time ago that I regularly practice with masters and grandmasters in our country, and even if I lose most of our games, I studied all of them when I come home and see where my weaknesses are and I usually do better the next time we meet. In chess, if you use your lost games to improve your weaknesses and analyze where you could have done better, then that is how your improvement goes up fast.
@srganesh (6340)
• India
17 Aug 12
Though I am not a professional player like you, I love chess from young age like you. But I have not participated in any tournament except the one in our college campus. Me and one of my friends spend whole weekends infront of the chess board without getting tired or bored.
one interesting event happened when I was at school. In my friend's house we are playing chess and that day Mr. Prabhu, the school topper in chess came in. Watching us play, he wanted to play with me. For my surprise he was ready to play without his queen. So, the game went on and finally he came with a rook sacrifice which I neglected and check mate him. he congratulated me for not falling in the trap of that sacrifice. I was thrilled by that victory.
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
Congratulations for winning that one, srganesh! Playing odds in chess wherein the superior players starts the game with lesser pieces on the board is often done to equalize the battle and gives chance to the lower level player to win the game. In most cases I would say the superior player still often wins the game in such conditions due to their superior understanding of the game...but in your part, I would only say well done!
@mrscallands22 (2851)
• United States
17 Aug 12
I have always wanted to learn how to play Chess.. never learned though. There isn't anyone in my family who play it, either. I just always find it fascinating to watch, especially in movies. I do like to play Checkers.. which I know is nothing similar and a lot simpler, but hey.. I guess it's close enough ;)
@BetterDays4Me (3777)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
I would say checkers is also fun but of course chess is a lot more fun and more complex because each chess pieces moves differently and there are several tactics and strategies to learn including chess principles and theories. Chess is similar to being a scientist in some ways.
