This morning I woke up reflecting about the domino games I’ve played with my folks the last two nights. We played the variant of Mexican train and it has been highly entertaining to see my Dad press the button for the train to sound off every time someone can’t make a play on their own train. Thankfully, for background music my Mom had five cds playing randomly. Each game we picked our 15 tiles and worked it down to where we tried to go out first. I did so skillfully the first night but last night in one game I had a score of 230 points against me. I was never able to catch up to my Dad who won just 25 points down from my Mom. Dominoes can be highly interactive and a relaxing family event.
However, chess has become something entirely different with the advent of chess.com and playing against my brother-in-law, brother and nephew. I have three games going on right now and it seems to be all about convenience. We make our moves when it fits our schedule and my 9 year old nephew has about 10-15 games going on simultaneously. I don’t know how he can keep track of all the different moves for each game but he is doing what his dad is doing. They are both INTO chess!!! However, I find the interaction is different from our lively domino games. When I was in the Cities, I was able to play with my nephew off of our two computers while we were in the same room but it seems that the old fashioned chess board may become a thing of the past. Chess is too intense perhaps and can be downright grinding on the nerves. Playing with chess.com makes for opportunties to challenge others who are strangers but I am sticking with my family for now.
Will dominoes go the way of chess.com? I doubt it. I hope not but then it seems that everything is becoming a DOT com these days!!!
