Journey to Chess Wizardry - The Start
I've been playing chess for about 2-3 years. Over the past few months, I have seriously ramped up my chess playing to the point where I feel like Bobby Fischer obsessing over the game. I close my eyes and envision opening variations to the King's Gambit.
I want to become a Chess Grandmaster. It's the overarching goal for this, the reason I even want to play. Chess is a challenge, and there is no luck. When I started, I was falling victim to the Wayward Queen Attack and the Scholar's Mate almost every time. Now, my biggest weakness is that I can't really see checkmate patterns past Mate in 4. Or if someone plays d4. I can't help but play the Englund Gambit. (Thanks Bobby BoJanglles)
Throughout my life, I've always gravitated towards games that required time, skill, and precision. While most everyone else was playing football or baseball, I was more interested in darts and archery. I did play soccer for few years, but whatever don't ask. I had come across a Scholastic "How to Play Chess!" book when I was younger, having found it on the family bookshelf. I flipped through the pages, looked at the funny cartoons of the knights and bishops, and even went and set up the board following the instructions in the book. I couldn't've been more than 10 years old but I think that was when my interest in chess first sparked.
That spark laid dormant within me for many years, until the release of The Queen's Gambit starring Anya Taylor Joy. I will admit, I started watching the show because I think Anya Taylor Joy is super hot. In all honesty, I didn't even finish the show because midway through I thought to myself "huh why didn't I ever get into chess" and thus, my addiction was born. Thanks Anya.
I created an account on Chess.com and before even playing a game, I thought watching videos on chess would be better. I turned on GMHikaru and started watching some of his Twitch streams and YouTube videos. I think around this time (and another factor that got me to fully delve into the game) the PogChamps Twitch streamer chess tournament was happening too. I was a big fan of the streamer Ludwig so as he was practicing for the tournament, I was learning along the way. I remember Hikaru would say that doing puzzles was the best way to learn chess through positions and finding tactics. So, I did thousands of puzzles. Thousands. I think as of right now I've done over 5000 puzzles and garnered a puzzle rating of over 2100. I think overall I have a terrible ratio of succeeded/failed puzzles, but I will definitely say it helped so now I always recommend doing puzzles to anyone who mentions an interest in chess.
Flash forward to now, and I've founded a chess club on my college campus and am finally rising in my rapid rating to the point where I think I should be. I'm not wholly confident in my chessing abilities, but I do think my skill hovers around the 1000-1100 area. I'm interested in registering for in-person chess tournaments that could be around my area (not likely) and perhaps try my hand at OTB instead of playing purely online. I've dominated at the OTB games at chess club meetings, but that's because most of the people who showed up had a passing knowledge in chess (besides this one biology professor who bragged about being good at chess I totally owned him and that felt good).
I figured I'd write stuff down as I go, and journal my career through the world of chess. That, and if I don't talk or express myself somehow I'll go crazy here in my room. I have no clue what these blogs will be about, this one seems very much like nonsense but I hope it's enjoyable to read nonetheless. I love to write and I love playing chess (even though I'm not the best).
