My parents tried to get me into chess in elementary school, but I never had the focus for it; I lost badly, and it didn't hold my attention. Years ago, I decided to try it again, going through the tutorials in Chessmaster, and I guess 12 years of maturing a brain makes a difference, because now I find the planning challenge fascinating and enjoyable.

I'll never be "good" at chess; I'm simply starting too late, and I don't have the time to dedicate to it. I'm looking for other sub-mediocre players like me to play the game against, but I'd also like to improve my game because it fascinates me- not because I believe I will ever be competitive.

There is a strong correlation between when I'm playing chess and when my attention span is at its best and my ability to focus at work goes way up. I am reasonably confident the order of cause and effect is that chess is good for me, and trains me to focus.

Kistaro