Should I bother getting back into chess??

Came here and joined this site specifically to post this question.

I'm 44 and played chess in my youth.  My USCF rating when I stopped playing sometime in my early 20s was 1469.   I am now married with four kids and have limited time.  I live in New Mexico, where on quick search doesn't seem to have a strong chess community (in terms of rated tournaments).  

I'm wondering if I should bother trying to get back to a competitive level.  I'd like to, but have other hobbies that also occupy my what limited free time I do have (including board games).  

Any input is appreciated.  I know this is an odd question, but I play chess on my iphone and get slaughtered, even on the basic of levels.  I just wonder if it's really something I should tackle or if I've "lost" that ability.

A side note, I'd love to get my family interested in the game, but I'm usually coercing them to play other board games with me.  

no give up at chess

It's nice to see this site is so helpful.  Glad I joined... 

I'll turn 58 next month.

I used to play OTB tournaments in the 70s and 80s. Won the Atlantic Open in the late 70s, the Atlantic Closed in the early 80s. Played Tal to a draw in a simul in '88.

Then I moved 1000 km and got a job making children's cartoons for international TV. Stopped playing chess in the early 90s.

After 20 years without pushing a Pawn in anger, I got talked into joining this site by my brother-in-law. That was almost exactly a year ago (check my join date).

In that year, my rating has gone up to 2160-something, and I'm having lots of fun.

That's my story. Make your own decision.

It's actually a very helpful chess site, kendahlj. But also people like to have fun in the forums part 

I think chess is great, and it would have been really fun if my family had taught it to me. So I say 'yes', go ahead and get back into it. You'll find many people with families enjoying playing chess here.

I was expecting comments like blueemu's and trysts', which actually addressed the question and were helpful.  

Ultimately, I'm just wondering if, after not playing for 20 years, I could regain my former glory (which wasn't that glorious, but I was in the least somewhat competitive) despite demands of a job and family.  I think it's a legitimate question...I don't want to invest time and money only to find that my ship has sailed.   

You just caught me at a good time. Usually I'm just as frivolous and shallow as the other posters.

Don't invest money, just invest time. No one knows you here so we have no way of knowing what you could do with some time and practice. Just give it a shot, spend some hours per week for a few months on chess and if you aren't satisfied, quit. No money spent, just some time. :)

Sorry if I hurt your street cred...

It's a pretty good place to drink, as well!

I find chess to be a good way to relax, so why not get back into it?

Your glory days are probably over. But, it seems you have gone on and done things much more valuable and tangiable than being good at chess.

My vote is that you get back into it. Maybe you can encourage 1 of those 4 kids to excel at chess and you can live vicariously through their chess glory.

Ignore juvenile responses, and ask yourself this.  What are you willing to give up to play chess?

Do you want to get back into it for yourself, or as something to do with the kids?

You already sound very blessed, if chess is important then incorporate it into your life, but doont let it becomes your life.

If you have to ask, no, don't get back in to chess.  You sound like you want us to convince you to play and I'm not going to.  Play or don't I don't care.

This is probably just a joke troll thread anyway.

Yes he is

However, you are in luck. I have been known to help brand new members out and I am very dedicated to it

Obviously you care, you responded...

He said he doesn't care if he joins or not. Him posting in OP's thread doesn't signify an emotional attachment to OP's choice.

With limited time and a collection of over 500 games (I looked you up on BGG), why bother improving your chess skills to the tournament level? Wouldn't it be better to play another game of, say, Catan with your family than doing tatics puzzles and analyzing games? If I were you, I would just stick to boardgaming. I am also a boardgamer and one of the most important reasons I play chess regularly is because I have a very limited collection of boardgames and I have some time that I can spend on my own, which you don't seem to have. 

Of course no one truly cares as no one knows me.  

I appreciate the responses, the serious ones anyway.  I think the bottom line is the question I quoted.  

I do enjoy chess and this wasn't a joke troll thread. 

Excellent post...this is probably my answer.  Thank you for taking the time.  I will probably dabble a little, enough to teach my kids and maybe, as someone posted, one of them will catch the bug.