How I came to play Chess (Part 1)
When I was very young, I had a friend Carl, who lived near my Grandma. I was so young that for many years now I have not been able to remember his surname. Carl and I used to play chess when I visited Grandma.
When I was five we moved away from the area, and to the other end of the Country, to a place in Essex. As my sixth Birthday approached (42 years ago !!) I decided what I wanted... A chess set like Carls.
The day came, no chess set was amongst the small pile of presents that I had :(. But now we lived the other side of the Country I had "loads" of money sent to me in cards.
So off I went to the local shopping precinct (Corringham), which had a toy shop in it. It was the traditional style of toy shop not the self serve superstores you see today. I asked the assistant for a chess set which was duly served.
I got home, and opened my new chess set in full anticipation it would be like Carls. Why I had bought a chess set with nobody to play it with I cannot answer, but I wanted it, I got it, and I was going to play with it.
To this day I remember my disappointment when I opened that box.
The game I had purchased was full of funny shaped pieces, one looked like a horse and another a castle !!!
You see, today I know that the game I was playing with Carl was draughts (Checkers), but back then to me it was called chess.