In 11th grade I won a national debate championship for a small private school league.
What Records or Achievements Have You Done in Chess or nonChess?
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ponz111 napisał:
manspider I have a 13 year old who is always on the math team at school and an 18 year old who is in college and also a whiz at math. I admire your and their talent.
Reminds me of something happened to me when I was 8 years old [this was in 1949!] I was on a radio quiz show--no television in those days.
There were 4 contestants. The first 3 questions asked of me I got correct with one more question left. Winner wins a watch. One kid had a score of 2 1/2 correct out of 3 and the other two way behind.
Here was the last question: What does this mean: There is a dot and then a dash and then a dot. I did not get the answer correct and the kid with 2 1/2 got his question correct and won the watch.
For those reading this--what was the correct answer to the question?
I think the question was about the Morse code and the answer is "r" (I believe so, haven't used the Morse code for ages)
I was good at maths, too. For example, used to solve systems of 5-6 linear equations in memory, without writing down any intermediate results. Same goes about simplifying symbolic formulae. I applied various transforms and simplification rules while looking at a formula and just given the result.
However I will never be as good as my dad (he is a Ph.D. in maths) who can multiply and divide 6-7 digit numbers in memory as well as give a decent approximation of square roots
I gave the answer that it was part of the morse code. I said S on SOS though I did not know that was true. Now EVERYBODY HERE IS THE ANSWER
it is the divide sign!!! [a very unfair question don't you think for an 8 year old--even adults and math whizzes get the answer wrong the way it was put to me]
DrCheckevertim wrote:
macer75 wrote:
Yeah, I've heard the argument that when played perfectly tic tac toe is a draw. [Probably Chess too! (@zborg)] My response is always that those people play too defensively. I play very aggressively, so I occasionally lose a game (but not a lot - only 7 losses in 50 games against the toughest possible competition), but because I'm so good I win a lot more games than I lose, so in the end my aggressive style definitely pays out.
Many years ago, at an Italian Street Festival in NYC, I watch a trained chicken beat a adult male at an electronic game of Tic Tac Toe. I was hard pressed to contain my laughter.
But I was up next against that formidable chicken. Yikes.
I immediately broke out into a cold sweat, and managed to hold the DRAW.
The chicken always moved first. He knew the algorithm, and he NEVER lost. 
True story.
Play a corner first, and the the only way for them to draw is if they go in the middle, if played right.
(If available) ALWAYS choose the middle on your first move. This holds true for either player. And you should NEVER lose, if played right.
If played wrong, even a Chicken might beat you. Q.E.D.
zborg wrote:
True story.
But sadly pre-YouTube. Would have made a great video.
Sep 17, 2013
0
#109
Sixth grade chess champion, won first prize of my section at a tournament in Syracuse (won $8.00!), second place at a tournament at Randolph AFB (got a trophy), placed first in chess during game night at Aviano (got a certificate).
Granted, these were all laughably small events, but they were successes nonetheless!
Did you win $8 or $8,000?
zborg wrote:
(If available) ALWAYS choose the middle on your first move. This holds true for either player. And you should NEVER lose, if played right.
If played wrong, even a Chicken might beat you. Q.E.D.
If you play a corner when you go first, only the middle can save them, so playing a corner when you go first is probably better.
Sep 17, 2013
0
#112
itsmedaniel wrote:
Finished calculus III at 14
Written twenty-three papers so far (on math of course)
Discovered and re-discovered some useless and some applicable mathematical relationships
Never competed well (in math or chess) for the fact that I'm too paranoid in public
I taught myself to play chess at 16 (by playing over and over against a weak computer program and watching videos/playing a ton), just turned 17 and I think I'm almost halfway decent
(not really an achievement)
I once got a papercut on my eye, a showcase of my talent
I got attacked by a yucca plant once. I was trying to remove the plant when it jumped up and got me. It scratched my eye pretty badly. I had to walk to the ER (thankfully it is less than a mile away).
Three years later, the plant is still there.
Itsmedaniel finishing calculus III at age of 14 very impressive!
corrijean regarding you being attacked by that vicious plant--I once was attacked by three men, one was a kickboxer, and I prevailed! And I have never had martial arts training!
Sep 18, 2013
0
#114
I solved tictactoe when i was in 3rd grade and it's philippine variation in 5th grade.
I also won our first poker tournament between cousins around 8-9 players. LOL
corrijean wrote:
itsmedaniel wrote:
Finished calculus III at 14
Written twenty-three papers so far (on math of course)
Discovered and re-discovered some useless and some applicable mathematical relationships
Never competed well (in math or chess) for the fact that I'm too paranoid in public
I taught myself to play chess at 16 (by playing over and over against a weak computer program and watching videos/playing a ton), just turned 17 and I think I'm almost halfway decent
(not really an achievement)
I once got a papercut on my eye, a showcase of my talent
I got attacked by a yucca plant once. I was trying to remove the plant when it jumped up and got me. It scratched my eye pretty badly. I had to walk to the ER (thankfully it is less than a mile away).
Three years later, the plant is still there.
i once got a papercut once when i fed gras to a cow once, i didnt open my hand fast enough and the cow was greedy .
chessgdt wrote:
zborg wrote:
(If available) ALWAYS choose the middle on your first move. This holds true for either player. And you should NEVER lose, if played right.
If played wrong, even a Chicken might beat you. Q.E.D.
If you play a corner when you go first, only the middle can save them, so playing a corner when you go first is probably better.
That's what the chicken did. He learned by rote, apparently.
Why is it better to assume your opponent might be stupid, and then you play that way too?
Choosing the middle (at the first opportunity) maximizes your chances for winning, regardless of what your opponent does.
Was that chicken second-quessing for stupid people? Maybe.
zborg wrote:
chessgdt wrote:
zborg wrote:
(If available) ALWAYS choose the middle on your first move. This holds true for either player. And you should NEVER lose, if played right.
If played wrong, even a Chicken might beat you. Q.E.D.
If you play a corner when you go first, only the middle can save them, so playing a corner when you go first is probably better.
That's what the chicken did. He learned by rote.
Was is it better to assume your opponent might be stupid, and play that way too?
Choosing the middle (at the first opportunity) maximizes your chances for winning, regardless of what your opponent does.
Was that chicken second-quessing for stupid people? Maybe.
Gnerally speaking, playing in the middle is the most effective opening. I used it for most of my games in the match I played with the computer.
corrijean wrote:
I got attacked by a yucca plant once. I was trying to remove the plant when it jumped up and got me. It scratched my eye pretty badly. I had to walk to the ER (thankfully it is less than a mile away).
Three years later, the plant is still there. *[Great Story, @zborg]
When I was 6 years old, I got an ant in my butt. Mom sat me in a bathtub with water, to drown the ant.
In first grade reading, I struggled with the word "this." Very unnerving.
But I got better. Sort of.
Sep 18, 2013
0
#119
lol
My brother got a pea stuck up his nose when he was a kid. It was not discovered until it started to sprout (then it hurt). The doctor had to remove it.
Sep 18, 2013
0
#120
When i was in 9th grade rope climbing was one of the obstacle course in one of the Boy Scouts' Camping. The rope was tied to the top of the tree four stories high, you have to climb the rope up and down the tree using hands and feet without harness. When it was getting dark and it was time to remove the rope from the tree, i climb the rope and untied it from the top then scaled down from the tree. The kids who saw it thought it was awesome. What they didn't know i had a miniature of it at home where i practiced everyday. LOL
manspider I have a 13 year old who is always on the math team at school and an 18 year old who is in college and also a whiz at math. I admire your and their talent.
Reminds me of something happened to me when I was 8 years old [this was in 1949!] I was on a radio quiz show--no television in those days.
There were 4 contestants. The first 3 questions asked of me I got correct with one more question left. Winner wins a watch. One kid had a score of 2 1/2 correct out of 3 and the other two way behind.
Here was the last question: What does this mean: There is a dot and then a dash and then a dot. I did not get the answer correct and the kid with 2 1/2 got his question correct and won the watch.
For those reading this--what was the correct answer to the question?