~All Things Chess~

[cactus.]

 

“The chessboard is the world, the pieces are the phenomena of the

Universe, the rules of the game are what we call the laws of Nature

and the player on the other side is hidden from us”

- Thomas Huxley

 

It's difficult to not use clichés when speaking of chess, but it is truly "more than a game." It's a personal battlefield for players to test their own foresight, patience, and cunning. I believe winning is only secondary in chess. The primary objective being to judge and understand what "is hidden" - as Huxley so eloquently put it - and convincingly react in due time. He who makes the first mistake may lose, yet you play another day as a wiser player.

 

Furthermore, chess is a game that gracefully reflects life: you make mistakes and learn from them, you must play from both sides of the board instead of just your own, and making sacrifices can often be your best move.

 

For anyone who thinks chess may be boring, ever heard of a guy called Bobby Fischer? The guy was f*cking nutcase and was no stranger to controversy. But before the USA revoked his passport and he wished death upon the United States and all members of the Jewish faith, he crushed it behind the chess board. Being just 13 years old, he defeated then chess master Donald Byrne by checkmating him after sacrificing his queen.

 

 

• Who are some other brilliant minds and colorful characters in the realm of chess?

 

If a queen sacrifice isn't beautiful, I don't know what is. Speaking of which, here's

in which the most powerful piece on the board is exchanged for powerful postion. It's highly regarded as one of the best games ever played, but I would disagree with that, and I'll save that argument for another post.

 

• Many other famous matches have been played, so please share some with us.

 

The chess board itself and especially the pieces are a work of art in their own right. Having originated in India then spreading across Persia, then the Middle East, and eventually into Europe, the pieces have magnificently evolved while perserving their fundamental characteristics.

 

 

 

 

 

• What are your favorite types of chess sets? Staunton, themed sets, other?

 

Lastly, how do you play the game?

 

• What are your favorite openings, closings, and strategies?

 

 

For all the Chess lovers of the GTA Forums, let this be the place to share your insight, experiences, frustration, questions, and downright love for one of the most beautiful games ever crafted! Edited March 26, 2011 by TheCacti

[Tyler]

I got a gift from a family member a while back that was a 2x2 foot scaled chess board of Mordor, along with appropriate characters at each role. Honestly one of the coolest f*cking things on display in my house right now. I also started playing it regularly against the bot on my computer, but the thing beats me on every single difficulty. Still, I love the game and I own at least three chessboard sets including that LOTR one I mentioned earlier.

[trip]

I'm thankful the old black guys still play in the park(s) in my neighborhood. I'm more thankful that the game of chess has been passed down throughout the generations around here. I'm a bit sad that I don't play anymore. I grew up in a chess playing family, surrounded by chess playing friends. My wife did not grow up playing chess and that is why I don't play any more.

 

I'm left with the ,very nice keepsake, magnetized travel set(missing 2 pawns) my sister and I used to use in the car when we were youngsters, and a box of bad, basic plastic pieces I once bought to see if my wife would like to play .

[cactus.]

 

I got a gift from a family member a while back that was a 2x2 foot scaled chess board of Mordor, along with appropriate characters at each role. Honestly one of the coolest f*cking things on display in my house right now. I also started playing it regularly against the bot on my computer, but the thing beats me on every single difficulty. Still, I love the game and I own at least three chessboard sets including that LOTR one I mentioned earlier.

Themed chess sets are very unique pieces of memorabilia. I'd actually really like to see this LOTR set if you could upload a pic sometime How long did it take you to get used to the pieces, regarding their roles and handling them?

 

While they're aesthetically pleasant, I've never really enjoyed playing with themed sets. I find myself confusing certain characters with others (e.g. like forgetting whether Bart or Lisa is the knight!), and sometimes the characters are wielding tiny, fragile objects like swords, axes, etc. and I grow tired of the awkward handling and find it distracting. Yeah i'm just that stubborn

 

 

I'm thankful the old black guys still play in the park(s) in my neighborhood. I'm more thankful that the game of chess has been passed down throughout the generations around here. I'm a bit sad that I don't play anymore. I grew up in a chess playing family, surrounded by chess playing friends. My wife did not grow up playing chess and that is why I don't play any more.

 

I'm left with the ,very nice keepsake, magnetized travel set(missing 2 pawns) my sister and I used to use in the car when we were youngsters, and a box of bad, basic plastic pieces I once bought to see if my wife would like to play.

 

Park chess is the best! I love the thrill of playing face-to-face with a complete stranger. If my memory serves me correctly, you're in or around Philadelphia?

 

Washington D.C. has a very good reputation for park chess as well, notably at Dupont Circle, where there is a somewhat well-known blitz player (and homeless man) by the name of Tom Murphy.

 

If I ever pass through Dupont, I'll definitely give Tom $5 to play a game

 

That's awesome you grew up in a chess family! I was the only one in my family who cared to play, and so resorted to playing in the chess club after school and that was pretty much it. I gave it up for a long time but got back into the game after I'd graduated college, and been playing online chess like a madman the past few years and loving it more and more. I swear it has had a direct impact on my psyche and the way I look at the world, and the way I play the "game of life" there I go with the clichés again.

 

Would you say you learned any valuable lessons from this game having grown up with it?

[trip]

Would you say you learned any valuable lessons from this game having grown up with it?

I imagine I've learned some things from the game. It was still just a game to me, so I really didn't pay attention to the fact that it was making me 'think' while playing. Maybe my growing up playing chess is what trained me to be the logical, analytical thinker required for my job.

 

I would love to pollute this thread with my childhood memories, but I won't.

 

Yes, I'm in Philadelphia.

[cactus.]

Perhaps a better suited question, in addition to "How do you play the game?" for any chess players would been: What do you find the easiest or most difficult about the game?

 

Obviously players vary greatly, and boast a plethora of different strengths and weaknesses, so I'm interested to hear what these are for the chess players of the GTA Forums.

 

I'm not a very strong player, but only decent. I find openings to be my strongest point of the game. I never feel like I'm defending too early on, even when facing top-notch opposition, but I can develop my pieces, protect my king, and I feel fairly in control of whether or not the game will be an "open" or "closed" game.

 

The mid-game is what kills me. Basically, I become overwhelmed with options when there is a lot of tension in the center of the board and instead of seeking the best position, I become a little too hungry for material which is not always a good thing. I can only read about 5 or 6 moves ahead and the mid game is where this skill pays off the most. Mid-game is where the exchanges mostly take place and if you can't see far enough, you're going to come out the weakened player (positionally).

 

End-game, I'm quite average. Basically this comes down to who makes the bigger mistake first, all it takes is a one-square mistake to determine whether the game is kaput, stalemate, etc. But I gotta say, rook-and-pawn endings (the most common) can be thrilling to play. You are essentially battling it out with both the strongest and weakest pieces on the board, barring the Queen of course, and can make for some entertaining viewing!

[Tyler]

 

Themed chess sets are very unique pieces of memorabilia. I'd actually really like to see this LOTR set if you could upload a pic sometime How long did it take you to get used to the pieces, regarding their roles and handling them?

 

 

 

Whole set: http://www.checkmatechesssets.com/catalog/...921/8157929.htm

(sidenote: HOLY f*ck I DIDN'T REALISE HOW EXPENSIVE THIS WAS)

 

I tried to get some phone pics but the quality was absolutely sh*t, so I just looked it up and found it. It took me a while to get used to it, since I hadn't seen LOTR before getting it as a gift

 

The only bane it brings is that it's f*cking huge and it's actually pretty annoying to move. I accidentally chipped Sauron's crown, but it sort of makes him look even more evil, regarding his role on the board. Otherwise, I love the thing and wouldn't ever sell it.

 

 

 

EDIT: as for skill, I'm not really that good in the intro-mid level game, but I can save myself near the end. I'm sort of a 'I'll risk losing this for the same thing' guy, and end up cleaning the board reasonable fast. That makes the final part pretty slow paced and drawn out, but it gives me a chance to continue trying

Edited March 29, 2011 by Unoriginal44

[Linki]

I'm terrible at chess. But then again, last time I played was in primary school. I would love to be able to master it.

[PHCharls]

i played chess in school

[Finn 7 five 11]

Haven't ever played much chess, most people i know aren't interested, most people i know are young, like myself and find chess "stupid" at the start i am ok, mid-way i waste a lot of players and start getting hasty, i try to finish the game with bold not thought out properly moves, i have to work on my patience and find some people to play with, i do agree that it is a game that reflects life, and it brings wisdom.

[cactus.]

@Unoriginal44,

 

Thanks for uploading. It's a lot more detailed than I'd expected! Just looking at the buttons on that hobbit's vest, I can only imagine how nice the rest of the pieces look up close. What a nice gift!

 

 

it's actually pretty annoying to move. I accidentally chipped Sauron's crown

 

This is exactly why I don't enjoy playing with themed sets, and overall like them considerably less than practical, playing sets. I have a set that is similarly vulnerable to damage, and I quit playing with it just a few weeks after I'd bought it:

 

 

Aesthetically, I f*cking love it. Looks great as an office or living room decoration. But playing with it is a bitch. The queen has been knocked over so many times I'm surprised her head is still in tact. It's made from sandstone so it's just a matter of time before the pieces begin to chip away at each other.

 

@everyone else,

I'm probably much older than all of you, and I was pretty much the same way when I was your age. Who has time for chess when your trying to get high, laid, and graduate? It wasn't until about 3 years ago that I rekindled my passion for the game and began playing it like a mad man. I ended up creating 6 different accounts for one certain online chess site so I could fit in at least 18 games/day! (there's a 3 game quota for non-premium members) But i'd never do anything like that on this site

 

Recently I've been trying to play more positional chess; never exchanging pieces just for the sake of it, and instead trying to cleverly exploit my opponents' weaknesses one square at a time. I'm fairly improving on it, and my rating it showing it. But I continue to win and lose almost equally. 'Tis the game of chess.

[baptiste]

I actually own a full glass chess set. It looks really nice and the board is bloody massive. Unfortunatly, a piece was broken at one point and I feel kinda sad every time I see it, I would love to be able to play with it, but its simply too fragile to handle in a game.

 

As for playing, there was a time where I was quite good, I took lessons for a while as well. However, its been a few years, I've probably forgotten all I had learned.