dienekescn

I am a 69 yr-old retired high school history teacher. I have been playing chess off and on since I was a kid. Once in a while I get lucky, and once in a while I make dumb mistakes; my ranking is around 1100-1200. I like to chat while I play; chess.com allows us to be "mini-ambassadors" for the USA; with the current political situation, our country needs all the help it can get. By the way, I chose 'dienekes' as my username after the Spartan hero (at Thermopylae, 480 BC) who expressed optimism in a hopeless situation, much like public school teachers across our  country today - they are fighting a losing battle, but it is one well worth fighting.  I also enjoy art, playing drums, and studying history, especially the 1st-4th centuries. Take care and I hope we can play some time. - Charley Norkus, Raleigh, North Carolina  USA