So, a friend asked me if I wanted to play a match of chess today. A few minutes ago, I suppose, from the moment of this writing. But I don’t think the hours and minutes are really a matter here.
Either way, I refused. Because? Well, I am writing about it as a reply to that question.
I have a rather strange view of the game of chess. Considering it’s historical value, and how it tends to be seen today, at least. There are championships and clubs, it is recognized as a sport in most countries, I believe. If not in all of them. And in general, it is seen as a game of the bright and intellectual.
I disagree, but not entirely. Which is the reason my own view seems to fall into the odd place between the extremes of love and hate.
Chess is a strategy game, and to a degree, it really is about strategy. And I can see the value of learning the rules and gaining some experience as a method of learning. It helps improve logic and decision making skills and it is most certainly not something reserved for only the most brilliant of minds. Anyone can play it at it’s basic level and gain many benefits from learning it.
However, there is a gap right after that same “basic level”. A point, after learning the rules and how to make certain decisions, where the path to becoming better at the game turns into a competition of memorization skill. Repeating the patterns created by the great players over hundreds of thousands of matches. You have openings, middle game strategies, end game scenarios and gambits and counter-gambits to a point where a “casual” player would have to spend years studying the great matches of history before being able to step up in the skill ladder. The learning curve turns into a cliff.
I don’t consider the benefits of hiking over it enough to motivate me. As it turns out, I am barely a decent player, someone who knows the rules and how to set up the pieces, and can do an odd gambit or two. In the end, I am happy I know how to play, and I have first hand experience in using chess as a metaphor to solving real world problems. But most days, I just find that it’s not a pass time I can enjoy at any time.
I don’t know if I even make sense in what I’m saying. But I enjoy the game and wholeheartedly recommend everyone to learn it, even if to play against the easiest of computer opponents. I just don’t feel like playing it too often, and it just happened that this time I have a place to ramble about my reasoning at the time I happen to think about it.
But perhaps we might play a game sometime, chess or others, the important is to play, isn’t it?
An odd place to sleep 