Chess for Oldtimers --- Good Idea !

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kasmersensei

Definitely. You still need effort and practice to maintain a skill level, though natural ability will help to some degree.

motherinlaw

Here's an idea I just had! Isn't it lucky for all of us that we're all built to be pleasure-seekers? Because that means we naturally gravitate toward activities we're naturally good at, so since we spend more time on the things we're good at, we naturally get better and better at them, plus then we start thinking we must be really, really lucky, as well as really good at something, and that makes us even happier than we were, so we all end up Super Happy! ....hmm .... super-happy?  all of us? -- maybe I'm not all that good at coming up with theories. And if you're still reading about this "idea" I had, I guess that was some bad luck you just had, you poor thing... What a bummer!  Hope you get lucky again soon...

kasmersensei

I am not sure about that. Sometimes we are attracted to things we might not have a flair for doing, but we enjoy doing them.

ratatouie

AMEN AND HALALOUEH (sry i mispelled)

badenwurtca

 " We are all of us a little greedy ( some of us are plenty greedy ). We are all somewhat courageous and we are all considerably cowardly. We are all imperfect, and life is simply a perpetual unending struggle against those imperfections. "  A quote from Sidney Poitier. Yes I do like that quote, and yes the struggle continues  lol.

ratatouie

badenwurtca you are talking abt the whole world and not just the imeadiate people in the room right?

kasmersensei

and life is simply a perpetual unending struggle against those imperfections. "  Naw, I gave up on being perfect long ago. The wife on the other hand....meh.png

badenwurtca

Thanks for all of the posts.

badenwurtca

A very cute little item from Dick Clark: " If you want to stay young-looking, pick your parents very carefully "  ( Yep, real good advice  lol ).

pam234

Chuckles, oh if only Ralph! ROFL.

badenwurtca

Thanks for the post Pam.

MovedtoLiches
My father taught me to play chess in 1972, and I played regularly until 1982. I quit playing when I entered high school and didn’t move a piece for 38 years. Last July one of my doctors recommended Chess as a possibility to help with cognitive decline related to Parkinson’s, so I started playing again. I couldn’t even remember how to orient the board. I’ve had a few major setbacks in the last year, but over all I believe that Chess is helping. My ability to work through problems independently is definitely improving. I’m just one data point, but I’m on the side of those who believe it can help with age and health related cognitive decline.
pam234

Good positive post, Toby. I also agree that chess can help with age and health related issues.

Wits-end
ExploringWA wrote:
My father taught me to play chess in 1972, and I played regularly until 1982. I quit playing when I entered high school and didn’t move a piece for 38 years. Last July one of my doctors recommended Chess as a possibility to help with cognitive decline related to Parkinson’s, so I started playing again. I couldn’t even remember how to orient the board. I’ve had a few major setbacks in the last year, but over all I believe that Chess is helping. My ability to work through problems independently is definitely improving. I’m just one data point, but I’m on the side of those who believe it can help with age and health related cognitive decline.

More power to you and your journey! I hope for the best for you and Moke! 

badenwurtca
Wits-end wrote:
ExploringWA wrote:
My father taught me to play chess in 1972, and I played regularly until 1982. I quit playing when I entered high school and didn’t move a piece for 38 years. Last July one of my doctors recommended Chess as a possibility to help with cognitive decline related to Parkinson’s, so I started playing again. I couldn’t even remember how to orient the board. I’ve had a few major setbacks in the last year, but over all I believe that Chess is helping. My ability to work through problems independently is definitely improving. I’m just one data point, but I’m on the side of those who believe it can help with age and health related cognitive decline.

More power to you and your journey! I hope for the best for you and Moke! 

   ---   Yes indeed Best Wishes ! A very uplifting post, Thanks !

motherinlaw

Ditto! 😊

kasmersensei
ExploringWA wrote:
My father taught me to play chess in 1972, and I played regularly until 1982. I quit playing when I entered high school and didn’t move a piece for 38 years. Last July one of my doctors recommended Chess as a possibility to help with cognitive decline related to Parkinson’s, so I started playing again. I couldn’t even remember how to orient the board. I’ve had a few major setbacks in the last year, but over all I believe that Chess is helping. My ability to work through problems independently is definitely improving. I’m just one data point, but I’m on the side of those who believe it can help with age and health related cognitive decline.

During the Fischer boom! We started playing around the same time. I was actually playing in my first rated tournaments with adults around that time and getting regularly trounced. Chess is something that grows on you. I now play on this site and one other, and sometimes it helps with relieving 'marriage  related stress'.

ratatouie

oooooooooooo mother in law    you have a way of putting things hahahaha

DrSpudnik
DaveEwart wrote:

I'm not quite that old, but it gives me some reassurance that my brain may still work in later life when I read the research regarding chess players (and any other mentally-intensive activity) helping to keep Alzheimers at bay etc.

On a related but slightly tangential note, in the Entry Form for an upcoming congress there is a prize for Highest Placed Veteran.  It describes this as "Aged 60+ as of 1 September 1951".

Wow. That is old.  Anyone that old who manages to make it to the venue deserves a prize, in my opinion ;-)

(Yes, I know what they really mean!)

Well, Dave, you're now ten years older than this quote. How are things working out?

ratatouie

good job great saying spudzy