My grandfather gave me a chess set for Christmas when I was seven (2022 - now 92) and taught me the moves. I played with my dad and his office friends and with the Springfield, MA chess club. In 1945 I played in the Massachusetts youth tournament in Boston, but was obliged to forfeit the final, championship game because I had to catch the last bus back to Springfield and didn't have the time to play it. Never would know what might have happened. Was never interested in learning openings, the weakest part of my game. I find the end game easier where the situation has less potential complexity. Puzzles are a treat but I'm not patient enough to not click the solution key if I'm soon a little stuck - a personality failing. I really haven't played much at all since graduating from high school, Am now playing a little with my grandson who has his Chess Merit Badge. I discovered Chess.com a couple years ago. It's a nice way to start a session on the computer.
A few years ago we were visiting wife's family in Germany.. One of her cousins had married an Iranian who had his MD from Heidelberg university. While there he had the honor of Chess Club Ritter, the warrior Knight, the champion. I hadn't played for 30 or more years and went into a most irregular queenside opening and development that matched no conventional opening. He figured I didn't know what I could possibly be doing and wrote me off. He was sort of right, but I ended up with a well protected passed pawn on d6. In a chess puzzle kind of ending I forced an exchange of the pawn for his last rook and put the game's balance all in my favor. I won. That was my last game.
Our favorite dog, Siggy, is well remembered, then age 12, a great runner but a lousy chess player.