Chess as Lifelong passion and be a winner in life
Let me share a bit of my chess-life-story.
I never had a single day thinking of quitting chess since I know chess in my childhood (10 years old) until I am 53 years old today.
I don't play any other games in my computer, nor have any other game or hobby that can attract me as much as chess.
Some players, even some stronger players than me, fail to maintain the passion of it, especially in their slump chess period.
The best that I want to share is: try to think less about chess titles, rating, and accolades. Regardless of your age and experience, set small, incremental goals and play the game as a hobby or passion project. eg: small project of study a new opening that you like, find an idol to follow of that opening you choose, think of it as a long project of trial and error, keep trying again, error, re-learning & repeat again - to understand it better & better.
Imagine someone who set a goal of reaching 1800 in one year, and then quit playing after falling just short. Comparing with a very different attitude: immersing yourself in the joy and passion of the process of learning and improving, secure in the knowledge that the results would come on their own over time. This way, chess will be our long-life passion.
A pity if we only view chess-rating as if we pursue University degree within 4 years let say - it is a parameter, yes, but it's not everything. If we did what I wrote above (immersing ourselves in the joy and passion of the process of learning and improving etc), interestingly chess will return the favor - it will be our long-life passion.
Some bitter & sweet experience during competitive play of course, but that is real life all about as well, isn't it? None that went always smooth.
Every new game regardless the result is new learning experience, either applying what we have known/ learnt or encountering a completely new situation that will be new lesson-learnt. Winning is a bonus but not everything. Applying the joy of analyzing your own game correctly using effective methods, then repeat and repeat again.
Kindly Regards,
Chien aka @fhunfi
