#9: Chess

Technically, number nine on my list is to become more proficient at chess. I have played chess a few handful of times before but never consistently enough to remember all the rules and definitely not enough to be confident about any sort of strategy.

Lucky for me, Darren's father loved to play chess and he taught Darren quite well, so I have a good teacher and playmate at my disposal! After the thunder and lightening storm last night, this morning felt like the perfect time to pull out the old chess set, make some yummy French press coffee, and play a few games. Darren won both games but he says I did pretty well.

I really wanted this item to be on my list because I really like the idea of being a good chess player! To me, chess has this allure of being a "smart man's" game, a traditional, worldly game. People who can just sit down and play a game of chess are cool! I mean, the game is over 1500 years old and has ties to India, China, Persia, and of course, the Romans.

 

 

 

Besides looking like a intellectual badass, there are lots of benefits to chess playing (memory, concentration, logical thinking, etc.). But I really like what this one article says about chess being an art form:

 

"In the Great Soviet Encyclopedia chess is defined as 'an art appearing in the form of a game.' If you thought you could never be an artist, chess proves you wrong. Chess enables the artist hiding within you to come out. Your imagination will run wild with endless possibilities on the 64 squares. You will paint pictures in your mind of ideal positions and perfect outposts for your soldiers. As a chess artist you will have an original style and personality".
 

How cool is that?

 

Unfortunately, this is not one of my items I can just complete and check off my 30 Before 30 List. It is one of those things I am going to have to keep working on and checking back in with myself to make sure I am actually becoming more proficient.