Just a question ... why do you play?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Just a question ... why do you play?

    Why do you spend your hard earned money & days of your precious time playing in a weekend chess tournament?

    Seriously, why do you do it?


    Competition? What competition? Class competition? Trying to win the tournament?

    Perhaps just to up your rating?


    Just to hang out? Something later to talk about?


    peace.
    n.

  • #2
    why do we play....interesting question. Im sure there are many answers to that question. For myself I dont take my chess too seriously, my dreams of being rated over 2000 are long gone lol.

    I just love the atmosphere of walking into a tournement hall like hart house theres something magical about it.

    Watching the big guys play , they look just like us !!. Chatting with people I know but only see at tourneys and even playing a good game now and then.

    Yes for me its the total package......love it !

    Comment


    • #3
      Im surprised you only got one answer Neil. I played in the Lake Huron Pro Am last weekend, my first regular tournament in a while. In round one I played a good knight and outside passed pawn ending against a bad bishop ( there were single rooks and several other pawns as well). Just as I thought I was making progress I ran into a tickler (tactical pawn lever) I had overlooked and I had to fight for a draw. In round 2 I faced Tim Knechtel. I was white. 1.Nc3 b6 2.e4 Bb7 3.d4 e6 4.Nf3 Ne7 5.a4 a6 6.Bd3 g6 7.e5 d5 8.exd6 cxd6 9.Ne4 Bg7 10.Bf4 Nc8 11.Bg5 f6 12.Be3 Nd7 13.Qd2 h6 14.Qb4 Nf8 Here I stared at the position for what seemed like forever. Its a nightmare. What to do? All blacks pawns are on the third rank. Black's knights are on c8 and f8. His major pieces are on their original squares. Only his bishops are well developed?! But in all the variations I calculated Im lost. My bishops are on bad squares and he is threatening pawn levers in the center that will win a piece. 15.a5 b5 16.c4 Bxe4 17.Bxe4 d5 18.cxd5 exd5 19.Bd3 Qd6 20.Qd2 g5 21.0-0 Ne7 22.Qe1? Kf7 23.Nd2 Ne6 24.f3 f5 25.Nb3 f4 26.Bf2 Nc6 27.Qd2 Kf8? I had expected him to capture on d4 but this loses two tempos. 28.Bf5 Re8 29.Bxe6 Rxe6 30.Nc5 Re7 31.Nxa6 Ra7 32.Nc5 Kf7 33.Rfe1 b4 34.Re6 Qc7 35.Qd3 Rha8 36.Qg6+ Kf8 37.Rxc6 Qe7 38.a6 Rxa6 39.Rxa6

      Comment


      • #4
        In rd 3 I played IM Minot. He's white. 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nc6 3.d3 e5 4.c3 Nf6 5.Bg2 Bf5 6.b4 a6 7.Nbd2 Qd7 8.h3 e4 9.Nh4 exd3 10.Nxf5 Qxf5 11.e3 Ne4 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Qg4 Qf6 14.Qxe4+ Be7 15.Bd2 Nxb4 16.0-0 Nc6 17.Rab1 0-0-0 18.c4 Qg6 19.Rb3 f5 20.Qf3 Bc5 21.Rfb1 For the last few moves Id been going thru variations in my mind essentially doubting myself. It was only after the tournament on the ride home that 21...Rhe8! 22.Rxb7 Re4! and black at the right time will play Rxc4 and Rc2. Im threatening Bb6 trapping the rook. Instead the game continued 21.Bb6? 22.c5 Bxc5 23.Rxb7 Rd6 24.Rb8+ Nxb8 25.Rxb8+ Kd7 26.Rxh8 1-0 Even with the loss it was a thriller of a game. That is why I play tournament chess. If I get a game with interesting ideas like that one at least once in a tournament then it makes it worthwhile for me. The love of interesting chess ideas.

        Comment


        • #5
          I play the game simply cause I’m passionate about it. And as Hans put it sometimes you get one of those wow moments. The game brings happiness as well as a lot of stress. I had a game where I sacked 2 pawns to unravel GM Christian (not sure his last name he is a commentator for st.louis chess club) but then next dat I blew a winning position against a sub 1000 junior player. I play for the excitement that a game of chess can bring and the long games that ware you down but make you feel accomplished.

          Comment


          • #6
            Speaking of interesting ideas Neil why dont you check out www.chessfacetoface.com and the facebook group Outdoor Chess Tables. I know this isnt about tournament chess but I think you would make a fantastic facilitator and would find the idea of that very interesting.

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks so much Hans ...very inspiring.

              But over the last year or so my time has been so maxed out creating content for some personal passion chess projects. I'm using so many amazing apps and learning tons with every step I take! Adobe Animate & After Effects, Houdini from SideFX to name a few.

              Wonderful comments ppls!

              Cheers!



              Comment

              Working...
              X