Serves Me Right

Several years ago I participated in a Forum discussion about some players taking so much time to move, and became more animated than I believe the topic deserved.  I was particularly dismissive (perhaps contemptuous) of players taking vacations, and, in fact, was more or less outraged that such a thing even exists on chess.com.  At the time I probably had a 30-45 minute time per move rating over perhaps a thousand games.

Four thousand games later I found myself busier than I have ever been, or at least than I remember.  I'm 66, and maybe would not have reacted so strongly years earlier to the work and personal pressures I found myself experiencing: moving home and office; working in a 2-person 1-year old start-up that was much busier and far more stressful than I anticipated; helping to move in-laws closer; very worrisome family illness, and maybe a thing or two more.

In the midst of this, I timed-out on a lot of games.  This was one thing that did not add to the stress since I knew where this fit in terms of importance in my life.

Nonetheless, my current stats have me at something like a 27% time out rate over the past 90 days.  My rating dropped to mid-1200s.  The externals are much better for me now, and I making somewhat of a comeback.  However, because of my time-out rate, I find that I cannot join tournaments (at least the several I've tried to join), and today learned that I cannot host a tournament until my time-out percentage goes way down.  It will, of course, but, in the meantime, the irony for me is hard to miss.  Not exactly instant karma, but not too long delayed.

I can relate - got a 14 month old who has CHANGED THE GAME, lol.  If I'm making moves they are often hurried, on my mobile, while he's eating a snack.