Serious Chess...

For the amateur chess is just a game, unless you`re willing to take it to the next level. Don't get the wrong idea, there is nothing wrong with being a chess amateur. But, eventually, you have to ask yourself what you are playing for, or what you are looking for in the chess world. Is it greatness, competition, mental exercise, fun play, a chess friend or a network of friends, or is it just another round of that good stuff (whatever it is you call your medecine).  

The next level (or what I refer to as "serious chess") can also include the training or skills that set apart the professional from the amateur. And, this is where the results become more important than ever before... My consolation (or philosophy) is that, chess is not only about winning, it is about something much bigger...  BIGGER THAN LIFE, I dare not say!  

The next game is about the realization that, sometimes, a draw is a good option and a big part of this game, whatever the result means to different people. To me, the following game is about  getting more serious... before the next round gets even harder.