I was very young when my father thaught me to play one of the oldest board games. We played this hard-thinking game quite often and I must admit that he almost always beat me. It used to make me angry, because I just couldn't understand why. So, I decided to learn more about the game and see if that will change the situation. I read a few books on chess strategy, did some tutorials and started playing on line chess... After some time we played again. And although he didn't make any obvious mistakes I won smoothly. Of course it felt good to win, but I belive I have learnd something much more important in the process of learning how to play this ancient game.
I have learned that in order to win you have to use an appropriate STRATEGY. You have to observe your opponent and react to the problems that he faces you with. If he is very aggresive, you should keep a bit more defensive stance, wait for a mistake and then strike back. If he is defensive, you should provke him to open up and take control over the board... Through studying different games played by grandmasters I have found up, that the best strategy is to apply pressure by moves that don't destroy your defense, but at the same time also apply enormous pressure on his position.
I am sure that this principle can also be used in other intellectual activities and everyday life as well. So for instance in debating, you can't win if you don't apply enough pressure ( = tackle the other side arguments hard), but on the other hand watch out that your case remains strong...
Chess also teaches another important thing. It teaches you the art of complete focus and concentration, for long periods of time. It is amazing how time flys when you play a serious game. And althoug I have tried many other interesting games and activities (even studying)I have not yet encounterd anything that could focus your attention as much as a chess game and erase all other ideas from you mind.
I'm still far from being a really good player, but the game already thought me so much more than I thought it could. And if you like the game too, I am always open to a challenge.
If you want to learn more about this fascinanting game, you should use your analytical mind and use it to come up with the best move to bring you to more good information on the game.
( If your thinking process is already strong then your move was : wikipedia , what else :) )
7 comments:
On the point of chess I will only tell you this:
My father worked hard, when I was around 11 or 12, to teach me how to play chess well, after a year or so, he gave up. A couple of years ago I asked him why? His answer was:
I love and respect you honey, but you play like a woman, with your heart and not your brains.
While this in no way means that women can't be good at chess, it mealy explains why I always get my ass-kicked by anyone with whom I play chess.
: )))))))))
The statistics agree with you, there are only a fistful of highly rated chess players in the world. It is obviously harder for women to understand the principles of sacrafice, waitnig, and strategic, long run decisions ( for ex. : I want these shoes no matter what... ;) ).
There is one exception, a phenomenally good chess players Judith Poldgar, and I wonder if men from FIDE are considering using the vatican chair from sestrca's Päpstin post :) .
You know Jure I respect you and since older brothers always present a kind of a rolemodell I hate to disagreee with you, but on your point of women not being able to sacrifice, to wait and to make long lasting decisions - how would you describe those famous 9 months? I believe nothing that men do could eventually compete with the sacrifice of having a child :) (yes, it is the feminist in my speaking)
Btw: ?pela - how about playing some chess together? What your father said sounds very much like what I get to hear, when somebody persuades me to play chess with him/her (usually after I successfully forget how bad I actually am at playing it :)
I have not yet encounterd anything that could focus your attention as much as a chess game and erase all other ideas from you mind.
Tried sex yet? :P
Hello to my sisters FEMINISTIC SIDE. :) Well I hate to be a bad role model and all, but I must say that the link between the pregnancy and other daylie life is weak, for the following reasons:
1. it is usually just another quick decision ( dear, I want to have a baby) + oftentimes it happens under the influence of certain substances( even hormones gone wild ;) ; so it has very little to do with strategy and very much to do with subconscious needs. So you simply can't compare theese two.
2. Pretty much the same goes for the sacrafice... is it really a sacrafice if you don't know what is really going to happen.
3. It happens itself, there is no real will/decision connected to the process, so it can't exactly be called a sacrafice. (Don't go into the abortion issue here please.)
4. Besides, living with someone, getting married and waiting for her to try her new clothes&shoes, to get ready, taking care of the children, visiting relatives.... FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, is so much more than the 9 months in which you don't even have to go to work when it gets more progressive.
CHECK.
Sergej:
You know what really helps when you have a passionate sex? If you always have some fresh ideas of what to do and try next to please her. So really you shouldn't let these great ideas be erased, furthermore distract yourself that much you lose your fantasies.
Or are you so conservative, that only the missionary works for you? Of coarse with, no thoughts whatsoever, because the act itself is so overwhelming for you. :)
Well experimenting is essentially still sex, right? Therefore it doesn't really classify as "other ideas". :P
:) Conservative.
No, we are not going zo have a def. dispute over this one!
It surprises me that the trusting movement ( in a missionary position of coarse :) ) totally fills up your CPU time. Some say you are a bright guy ;) .
Next time try the kennedy position, for clearing at least a bit of your CPU... or is that to extreme? :)
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