What's the worst thing about chess? Should I convert to a more fulfilling game?

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Beast719

As the Welsh ambassador for chess I am often in the poor sheepless corners of the globe - Africa and Asia mainly, spreading the word of chess.  I founded the first Welsh language chess school in Kigali, Rwanda and set up the first official chess-based City twinning between Llantrissant and Chandpur, Bangladesh.  I am Wales' first chess emmissary to most minor African countries for example Morrocco. 

In this role I am required to sell the chess dream and to evangelise the literal chess story to non-believers.  In the beginning there was Steinitz...  

Recently, however, I have begun to question the fundament of my chess beliefs and am suffering a real crisis of faith.  I have started to doubt whether chess is really the one true path to enlightenment.  I have even started to look at other games.  I have found that Backgammon gives me equal spiritual fulfilment. 

Magriel's Backgammon unlike any chess book I have read is absolutely authoritative and is subject to no questions since its redaction is only a couple decades after the death of the founder of the game.  

Most chess books, in contrast, were written many, many centuries after the death of the founder and they are often at loggerheads over the legitimacy of various teachings - these disputed teachings sometimes form the core of separate movements - Classical, Hypermodernism and Counter-intuitivsimism.  This is not the case in Backgammon where the doubling dice always promises eternal paradise.

I want to convert to Backgammon can I follow both codes equally?

BirdsDaWord

Brother, you are confused.  Chess does not lead to enlightenment...it is for fun.  People take the game very seriously (and don't get me wrong, I like to study new ideas) but it is like working a puzzle...the enjoyment comes from you and your opponent "discussing" positions - that is the point of the game.

Forget the books.  Forget the theory.  Forget it all.

Think of this - go back to the basic.  Knights move in an L, bishops move diagonals, etc.

Now, remember king safety. 

Begin to learn new types of attacks, and try to play inspired every game. 

Your problem is you have become overwhelmed by the desire to understand chess in its entire possibilites.  That is good, but there is one problem - humans are fallible.  Even the greatest players make lemons.  You take a game with perfect possibilities, but it is played by mere mortals. 

Don't give it up.  Backgammon is fine too, but they both are different.  Backgammon, you are counting odds.   Chess, you are creating odds.  Chess has much more freedom to it than backgammon. 

Once a 30+ year veteran taught me how to play backgammon, and we played a three-game match.  First game - he crushed me.  Second game - I crushed him.  Third game - he beat me by one roll.  I knew much less than him, but played by intuition, and almost beat him. 

Moral of the story?  Have fun...push pawns...roll dice...smile...enjoy the games, and have fun.  Throw your books out the window, until you remember that chess is actually a fun game, and then when you are able to smile when you look at the board, go get your dirty chess books, wipe them off, and look at them again.  You will enjoy it more then! 

malko

You can try Checkers, so the tranisition won't be too harsh, and then play Solitaire, which is almost the same as meditation.

ilikeflags

i think the expression is hook, line, AND sinker.  or am i the one being duped?

Tricklev

I do hope you realise that leaving the chess community isn't looked happily on, and you might suffer a honor related death accident due to your flirting with the other board games.

 

/ Yours sincerely, the voice you hear in your head when you're reading.

jedikush

you have simply lost sight of what you have done.. your paragraph of achievments in the world of chess is an accomplishment.

you have to simply look at the places youve been.. the people youve met.. inspired to play a wonderful game.. that opens the mind and builds a better understanding of life and the world around us.

 

for heavens sake.. my parents are from morocco.. ive never been there.. ur Job is to travel the world and teach/show people the game of chess... if u ever need a partner in that.. hehe im all ears..

i agree with bird.. its a game..i find it easier to see chess for what it is when u see children play.

i can tell u now that ur not going to find spiritual enlightenment from the game of chess.. but u will be able to understand what "enlightenment" is from it.

 

Keep playing.. switch it up.. play both but im sure in time you will see again why it is you love chess over everything else.

TealsHear

I think with words such as "enlightenment" and "in the beginning there was..." are both clues to the purpose of this post. It's a parody of a spiritual crisis that arises as one begins to lose faith for another, or none at all. I say denounce all things material and just play to play knowing that all things must come to an end, including our faiths.

ilikeflags

yeah so the hook line and sinker goes on...

Writch
TealsHear wrote:

...I say denounce all things material...


That's right, Beast, concentrate on position - not material. Material advantages can lead a false sense of security! Backgammon is all about bringin' them home and stackin them up. So play for position.

Furthermore, since you are the Welsh emmisary - one with a lot of experience spreading the Faith of chess - well then it should be obvious the missionary position best suits you.

Iechyd da!

idosheepallnight

birdbrain, that was an enlightened answer.

Unfortunately, I am not as well spoken as you.

I would tell this guy to try growing a pair and act like a man instead of a little girl.

MichaelAtMinoru

*comes back from playing go and backgammon*

Wait, I was supposed to dedicate myself to one game?

Kidding, I play every game that's played at my games club.  Except xiangqi.  I do not like xiangqi.  The dice in backgammon outright intrigue me, they are paradoxily the best and worst part of the game.  The war that breaks over the goban is intriguing, you start by making territory, small skirmishes start all over the board, and then they converge into one big large scale war, it's VERY satisfying.  But at the end of the day, I find chess games the most exciting of all.

But getting back on topic "Oh noes, leave chess and you will be shunned!"

snefruChess

Once again a nice delivery Beast. I've thoroughly enjoyed your posts of lateLaughing

atomichicken
idosheepallnight wrote:

birdbrain, that was an enlightened answer.

Unfortunately, I am not as well spoken as you.

I would tell this guy to try growing a pair and act like a man instead of a little girl.


But of course you wouldn't once you realised the whole thing is a joke.. Smile

jpd303

i love you beast, your absurd and sarcastic forums are always so well presented and a joy to read.  darn those who dislike pointless forums!  the Internet has unlimited space and a well written, humor filled forum is much appreciated. 

brother stay on the path of the chess enlightenment, all those other games are just temptations placed in front of you by false prostalatizers and fake pedagogs.  only one game offers true spiritual fullfillment, and thats chess

Nabeal

I might be considered a big mouth but posts like these are very confusing for newcommers like me. I have just started playing and the knowledge that my opponents have, forces me to study books. I have a question, "What will happen then..................................?"

Kernicterus

Beast.  Morocco has one r.  

TheOldReb

You can CHECK out anytime you like, BUT you can NEVER leave ! 

kublitz44

Ypur thinking way to much.

eidolonrage

In answer to your question, the worst thing about chess is that there is no luck involved. When my queen is attacked by an enemy piece, why don't they have to roll some dice to see if it is a "hit" or not?

I mean seriously. What kind of game is it if it's not possible to lose by random dumb luck?

Beast719
AfafBouardi wrote:

Beast.  Morocco has one r.  


 Do apologise slipped into the Welsh spelling by mistake