Introduce yourself

Hello.  Don't know why Im just now seeing this forum, but figured I would post in it.  My name is Robert, as my user name would suggest.  I live in Atlanta, Ga.  I am a baseball historian for SABR and Baseball America.  I was taught to play chess between classes by a college professor. 

Hello. I'm Jared and I live in Northern Colorado. I'm both a college student and a bagger at my local grocery store (not the most fun job but you have to start somewhere, right?). I'm looking to improve my chess game and appreciate any and all help/advice you can give.

Hi I'm Chris.  Ex British Army Sergeant, a forces buddy and i played chess through the Gulf conflict in 2003, sort of became our thing - He got me on here after he emigrated to the states, we play each other daily.

Come from Cardiff in Wales, work in Sierra Leone - not too hot at chess but hope to improve and up my knowledge!!

Hi I'm Mike from Ontario Canada, Thank  you for the invitation to join this group!!  

Hello  my name is Brian located in Tennessee. I worked as an elevation tec. Until I was in an accident. I am divorced and I do not own any children 🌝., I have been here at chess.com  since 2014   I enjoy the groovy gang very much ,too the  ones  that takes the time to do all of the work and organization up an running smoothly, to my knowledge is mainly mr.Voodoooo. and too all others assisting thank you guys greatly ,  and for all of the schooling I have received.

Not sure I ever Introduced  myself, but if I have already done so, I hope someone will tell me. I live in Vermont, in the oldest alternative community in Vermont and maybe northern New England, created by my parents in 1946. They did not intend it to be a commune or a community but an art colony or retreat. My father was a writer & playwright, and my mother a cartoonist  anD artist.

Things were fairly quiet until the 60s rolled in.. My father, Who had many interests and had  Become fascinated by the question of how a human being can transcend the rather dull  mortal state,started giving talks on Eastern and Western philosophy & religion, and other things of that sort, usually with titles like "Tantra, the yoga  of sex. " This  ensured standing room only audiences. This was mostly in New York City, in the East Village in the mid to late 60s. Sometimes I would join him in talks; mostly I ended up creating places to stay for all the people who came up . Our place  was just an old hill farm, and had no real running water or plumbing, just an outhouse.

In spite of this many people stayed, and eventually had children, whereupon we started our own school, plus some businesses and the place just began to get more and more full of people. We raised our children together in four hour shifts ( except after night, when they were with parents; they also could be with the parents if they wanted to). Any kid who was unhappy with their family could go to another person's house and stay there for a while if they want it (the idea came from in spite of this many people stayed, and eventually had children, whereupon we started our own school, plus some businesses and the place just began to get more and more full of people. We raised our children together and for our shift and any kid who was unhappy with their family could go to another person's house and stay there for a while if they want it (the idea came from A.Huxley's book "island" in which people have mutual adoption clubs, very similar to what I have been Describing).

• My younger brother had predicted ( aged 12 or so) that this would all end in legal  trouble after my father died. He was absolutely right, around the turn of the century be sued us for possession of the land while my husband was on the verge of dying from terminal cancer. My son was only 12 years old. But maybe I owe them a note of thanks because my husband was so angry but he rose from the dead, and help me fight the lawsuit. We finally came to  a mediated agreement.
• no, years later there are different people living here, but it's the same in many ways. A lot of people come through in the summer, often from Europe but also other places, and things become quieter in the winter. We rent rooms and cabins. We do not think of ourselves as "a commune" but that's what the local people say we are. The entire history of my peculiar family won't fit in here but I really enjoy chess and I love playing with you guys. Sorry about my settings which apparently will not be fixed no matter what I do, people can't reach me to challenge me.

Hello, never introduced myself. Michael and live in NC. Started playing chess in March 2019 after 55 years of life. Tried the game in high school but didn't have the patience for learning the details. Now you could say I'm hooked. Enjoy the mental challenge of the game, learning ways to improve but really want to keep the fun of the game in the forefront and not worry about my slow climb on the rating scale. 

Hello, I am fake Magnus Carlsen. Glad to be groovy.

Hi Kevin here. I’m living in Sebastian, Florida now and will be moving to Mashpee, Massachusetts for the second half of the year soon.

I have one wife, Susan; two daughters, Emily and Marybeth; and three grandsons, Kevin, Colton and Parker. They are the lights of my life.

I picked up chess about five years ago and am still working to get the hang of it.

Thanks for inviting me to join the Groovy Club!

Welcome aboard Kevin.  1 partner/wife is about all I could deal with she keeps me well and truly on my toes. 🤪

hello ,

I'm hassan a 32 yo , civil engineer from lebanon i have been playing chess for two years

أهلا بك Hassan 

Hello, folks! Paul here, 53 y/o living in Vancouver, B.C. Started playing Nov 20, 2020. Joined in Sept '20, but could not figure out the site on my pos phone. No, I did not start because of the 'Queens' Gambit' show; I started to try and help repair my brain from a head injury. Started learning Spanish before that for the same reason.  I might ask what seem to be stupid questions occasionally, so I apologize in advance.  

Hi, Groovies! My name is James. I'm from Yorkshire in the UK. I'm a former Royal Marines Commando and a Dad to two cheeky teens aged 14 (twins). I've been around the world many times, but never 'seen' it. Always time, right?

I've been playing Chess since I was about 7/8 as my Grandad taught me and my siblings to play. We'd have mini tournaments between us all. I've been playing a long time, but always struggled to up my rating, but it's fun and I do often find myself playing Random/Fischer a lot more due to being able to make the first 10 moves as Pre-Moves in orthodox chess.

If anyone fancies a game away from tournaments, feel free to invite. Happy Chessing!

I suppose I can introduce myself here....I'm Graeme, can't remember if I'm 37 or 38 but I live in Manchester UK with my wife and toddler.

My grandad taught me chess when I was around 8 years old but at the time I was at the start of having undiagnosed ADHD which plagued most of my childhood. I loved playing chess with my Grandad but I think eventually he gave up teaching me to play as I wasn't concentrating enough (at all)....we just played endless Rook-rolling games with me (my two rooks vs his king) for a few years.

Flashforward a few decades.... I was watching the Queens Gambit and heard them all talking in these reverent terms about things like "the sicilian" and i got interested enough to look it up thinking it would be some insanely complicated killer combination and was just like..."what the hell, is THIS what they're all so excited about??"

5-6 months later and I'm hooked and regularly play the Sicilian myself...I'm definitely more interested in trying to work out and get to grips with theory rather than just thrashing people with my queen in a 1 minute game...i really regret not being able spend more time with it as a kid and never getting to beat my grandad at chess (maybe one day on the big chessboard in the sky).

Ashton Dayrider was the name of a bus pass you could buy for a day of unlimited travel around Ashton, Manchester.
 

Hello. I am Matt from Austin Texas. I am maried with a 4-year-old daughter. I first started playing chess when my dad taught me how to play about 30 years ago. We played regularly until I got a chess book and learned how to play well enough to beat him. Once I beat him one time, he never played with me again. Over the years since then, I have occasionally played when the opportunity presented itself like in libraries or online, but I have not played much. A few months ago, I watched The Queen's Gambit, and it inspired me to really get into chess. I got the Chess.com app, and I have been playing ever since. I still have a lot to learn, but I am definitely improving as I play more chess. Cheers!

Hi folks,

I'm Ed and I live on Long Island in NY.  I'm 50 and working on my DMA in Music Education.  I haven't taught this current year due to the pandemic but will be back in the fall.  I have a wife, parrot, and rabbit.  I love board games and jazz and bourbon.

My only question  here is who rules the home your wife or your parrot... haha I also have a parrot and I can safely say the parrot is the boss.  😁

My sun conure TIki is 10 and she is the proclaimer of all things at all times!  My lovely bride is a close second.

Hello everyone, I' David. I'm 63 and have been playing chess since my Grandfather taught me in in early teens. I play ok, but am sometimes erratic and move too fast. I also never really studied openings, but certainly understand the basics. Looking forward to playing chess with the group!