Hi Paul
Hoping to get back in to my home brew if our semi retirement plans come together. Meanwhile, I’m always quite happy behind the bar! Agree Chess.com is a great learning environment. I think I may have plateaued now though.
Introductions
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Similarish to Paul really, played a bit as a kid, then never again for years. Took up playing on here about eight years ago because one of my good friends seemed to get a lot out of it . . . he's a pretty strong player, I've not got the time or persistence to really study up to a high level, but I enjoy what I get out of it. Move around too much to really find a club to play with in real life. Maybe one day. Currently in Antwerp.
Began playing chess at school (11yrs old ). When I left lost interest till about my mid 20s, then started with my local chess club , they were in the county chess league and had some highly rated players so I had a good learning environment. At present I am probably rated too high as recently I have been playing a lot of players rated lower than me - I'm waiting for reality to kick in !!
As for hobbies, I enjoy fell walking, reading, watching sports (too unfit to play! ), and travelling.
Hi Rob
Thanks for the post. Where are you based at the moment?
Cheers
Taylor
Hi everyone. We completed our first Championship year in good form with new members and a promotion from Division 3 to Division 2. We face some tough matches in the year ahead so I though some group participation getting to know each other would be a sound investment for the future.
Several members here have a head start as those of us that migrated from the Cumbria team were already well known to each other through participating in the preceding Championship matches as a much smaller team.
I hope you will all follow my lead. Please don’t feel pressured into sharing your life history. Keep things as short as you feel comfortable with.
Online chess has been a really fun and positive experience for me. My work demands running guest accommodation means that I am working 7 days a week for most of the year and long hours with my day starting at 6.45am preparing breakfasts and ending at 11.15pm closing down the bar and locking up. I do however get mini breaks during the day and a blissful few hours before our evening guests start to arrive.
This means I have little chance to maintain a regular participation in a regular team so OTB chess is practically a non starter. I can however fit online 3 day per move games onto this schedule so around 5 years ago my chess playing took a big shift. Previously I’d been playing mainly against computer engines which tbh is not very satisfactory and although my game strength was Ok it was not really until I started playing real life opponents that I took it that seriously and more regular playing has meant that I’ve gained confidence and importantly a lot more knowledge.
Finding Club play opportunities has also been helpful to focus and give meaning to playing online, and in meeting others that share a similar passion. Although it seems most players choose not to engage much within the game itself. This is understandable, chess is also a psychological battle.
I also enjoy that this space is dedicated to chess where other real world issues rarely surface. Thank goodness for that.
There is a link in my bio to ThorneyHow in Grasmere which I run with my wife and a few seasonal staff. So if you want to know more about that just take a peek there.