A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

So I touched on chess in my last post but I really think I need to delve deeper into the subject since it is a very big part of my life right now. I usually play/practice at least an hour a day and often longer. I always have at least 2 games going online and often play pick-up games on Chess.com or Instant Chess. For pick-up games Instant chess is really my favorite since you simply click on it and you are instantly in a game with a complete stranger somewhere in the world. The games are short with the clocks randomly set at between 5 minutes and 15 minutes which I really like. Longer games can bore me. I also study tactics on Chess.com and, at this time, my rating is a hovering at just over 1000 which is awesome since when I started it my rating was around 700. I really feel like I am becoming a stronger player since I have been practicing/studying tactics. Unfortunately my official USCF (United States Chess Federation) rating is still at just over 600. I felt like my game had really leveled out so I stopped playing in chess tournaments so I could study for a bit. Now I feel stronger so I am ready to play again. The first tournament is coming up in a few weeks. With luck (and hopefully skill) I will be able to raise my official rating. Wish me luck!


I also meet a group of chess players that play in Scottsdale every Saturday and went to play for the first time last Saturday. It was really fun! The first person I played was a beginner who was trying to learn the game. She knew the basics but need real work on her tactics and strategy. She was very nice and we had a great game. The next person I played said he was a novice but I could tell after a few moves that he was more than that. I asked him and he said he played a long time ago but has not played in many years. His first game I beat him fairly easily but the second he came on strong and really should have beaten me. Unfortunately he accidentally blundered his queen away and I pulled out a win. I really enjoyed playing with him and we traded numbers so we can play again soon. The only difficulty I have with this group is that they don’t use clocks. All tournaments use clocks so I need to be proficient at using them. I have heard many horror stories about players who forget to punch their clock after their move and end up losing on time because their opponent simply lets it run while pretending to think about their move. I am going to ask them next time if they would mind using a clock while we play so I can get in the habit of punching it after I make my move.

And one of the best parts is that my kids enjoy playing chess with me! GLEE! How fun is it to have a favorite hobby that also includes your children!

Following is a picture of one of my favorite travel chess sets.

Someday, we'll look back on this, laugh nervously and change the subject.