Only a 40 year break...

Yes... chess 960 I've heard of. Sounds interesting - I may give it a go.

One thing I've learned is that every generation has its share of jackasses and trolls. I must admit, I am surprised at how quickly they surfaced in a chess forums; like buzzards and vultures circling and waiting with nothing better to do.

The grim reaper has a lot of work in front of him before he snatches this soul...

Oh, just wait, it gets better.

> Oh, just wait, it gets better.

Nah.... there's better things to do.

cya

Maybe with developing your chess skills, you can develop your sense of humor.

Lay off the guy.

Welcome back mroyer.  If you fancy a game sometime let me know.

Well, actually, nobody was on the guys case to begin with.

We were just joking around and HE came one here and started calling us jackasses and trolls.

It's hardly our fault if he is a newbie and cannot see it was all in fun.

Perhaps you can enlighten him a little.

I'm an enabler.  I admit it.  I did think everyone was having fun, although I suppose the grim reaper reference might have been in questionable taste.  Of course questionable taste is a step up compared to most threads. 

Jeepers! Is this what it's like on here ?

Well, think as you might - but, I'm genuinely not bothered by any of it - just very surprised and not inclined to waste much more time on it.  Quite frankly, I get better, more intellectually thoughful discussions on NASCAR stock car racing forums and other wargaming forums I frequent. I expected better from chess.

But, all's good.  Keep on it if you must.

The +10 is a Fischer increment, pioneered by the aforementioned, and it means that wenever you move 10 seconds are added to your clock. Therefore, if you move in 10 seconds, you don't lose any time at all.

There's idiots in every sport/hobby. But with invention the internet they can congregate in one place at the same time.

Anyways, try the increment in blitz games, you will like this invention.

So, I'm going to go at this one more time... kind of annoyed with myself for doing it, but I think it's important.

> Maybe with developing your chess skills, you can develop your sense of humor.

I've participated in "forums" of one type or another since the early 1990s. Over time I've discovered they tend to fall into one of two basic categories, the ones where the forum-members understand the difference between humor and mockery, and ones where they don't. Humor is where you laugh along with someone; mockery is where you laugh at them; mockers tend to couch their behavior with "you have to be able to laugh at yourself". The difference between humor and mockery is fundamental, and it takes a long time to figure it out - some people never do.

In forums where humor wins the day, there tends to be lively, inviting interactions where forum members discuss and joke about their hobbies and passions; people look forward to checking out the forum activity every day. In forums where mockery is prevalent, there tends to be a lot of negativity, flame-wars and a constant undertone of bickering; these forums have a generally uninviting atmosphere and many people just silently stay away.

Personally, I don't mind the geriatric commentary or the grim reaper references at all. It's not about that. It's disappointing that so suddenly, on my very first post, I am hit with mockery - that tells me which category the Chess.com forums probably falls into.

It's unfortunate because Chess.com is such a great resource.  In the end, however, only the behaviour of the community-members can make Chess.com, or any community, a place that people look forward to participating in. I've chosen to express this, but I am certain there are hundreds, probably thousands, of others who have just chosen to stay away instead; and we all lose a little something for that.

I will continue to play chess here, but I probably won't be hanging around the forums much because I've learned that I'm not likely to get a good exchange of ideas and conversations, but more likely to get a cutting, negative brand of "humor" followed by bickering and flaming - and who needs that, life is too much fun.



Sisu: "try the increment in blitz games"
thanks for that - I will give it a go.

Meet_Your_Sensei: "love that pic!"
Yes :) it's an old Ingmar Bergman movie, "The Seventh Seal" - alas, in the movie the reaper wins the game...


-Mark R.

Nobody was mocking you. It is was just your imagination.

So what was the purpose of posting the Geritol picture if not to mock?

Hi mroyer. There's some good advice given to help you get back into playing chess. Ignore the idiots and trolls! Ihave challenged you to a game...hope you accept.

First of all, I am not going to buy that you don't know it was all in fun and nobody was trying to be mean to the OP.

Second, I'm certain I'm nearly as old as the OP. And, as most guys my age do, we joke about our age.

It's not my fault the OP is thin skinned.

"It's not my fault the OP is thin skinned."

And there it is - I've been waitin' for it: the "you have to be able to laugh at yourself" attitude.

You're not getting it Keelof, it ain't about me or my thin-skin.  It's about all the people who silently leave due to that sort of negative-"humor".

That said, I've re-read and I'll take you at face-value, that you weren't intentionally mocking... fair enough.

-Mark R.