Ask HN: Chess players here?
Following the enthusiasm for the Anand - Carlsen match, I'm wondering how many of you are chess players.
I personally have a FIDE rating of 1930, but haven't played in competition in a while.
I personally have a FIDE rating of 1930, but haven't played in competition in a while.
Once I started studying engineering, I had neither the time nor energy to stay competitive enough to keep going. I'm early 30's now. The only chess I play now is with the occasional stranger at the public library or to surprise someone giving a chess exhibition with one of those giant chess boards ;)
What blows my mind now is that I used to have better concentration abilities as a youngster (12 to 17 years old) than I do now. I was notorious for playing marathon games and getting into time trouble (imagine flagging after 6 hours of play!). Now I can't fathom sitting for 30 minutes to decide on a single move. That being said, I would say it has transferred over to other parts of my life. My wife will be the first to tell you that I love to analyze (and over-analyze) decisions and will hold off on making them until I'm very sure about things.
http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/Indonesia/Yogyakarta/Chess.jp...
* I've never beaten my dad in a game in 20 years * I took up the offer from a guy in a NY park and got my ass royally whooped (not to mention the 20 dollars heh)
Just watching it got me excited and I picked up the basics and was having fun learning the game.
He comments on professional matches, but the part of his feed that I enjoy are the 1/3/5 minute time control games he plays. He is very good at articulating his thoughts during the game, and I find that much more engaging that listening to analysis of alternate lines that's more common in commentated chess matches.