Last month I participated in a classical tournament for the first time in eight years – I didn’t enjoy my chess. It wasn’t a mistake to play because my family enjoyed the experience as a whole -and I was chuffed to see my daughter helping out! Nonetheless, what can we learn from such experiences? What is that one thing, above all else, we should take from chess and apply to life itself? In my humble opinion, it is learning from your mistakes. Okay, so why exactly was it I enjoyed the occasion but not the chess? I shall leave you in the capable hands of GM Speelman.
“…one doesn’t always mind losing, it depends on how you lost. If you played extremely badly you can mind or if its very important but if you are beaten by a very good player in a very good game you mind quite a lot but its not so terrible…”
Grandmaster Clash 16.26 (see previous post)
I agree it is how you lose that matters and not that you lost. I didn’t like being out of practice and being conscious I was playing below par. I didn’t like the sense in which I felt I was letting myself down. I didn’t like seeing carelessness in my play. I didn’t enjoy being out of shape, too rusty, and not really up for it: it wasn’t that I lost, it was how I lost that stopped me from enjoying my chess. Furthermore, I didn’t care for the victories either because once again I felt I was not up to it. Yes I won a prize. A medal and some money but I finished the final game is quickly as I could and left hours before they were awarded. I was done with playing chess like that by then.
Today I saw this:
I have the time. I have the money. I like the city it is hosted in. I will not participate.
The month before there is a tournament in Phuket. I like Phuket. I will not participate.
To reiterate: chess teaches us to learn from our mistakes, and I believe this skill is transferable. I will not endure a repeat of last month this summer. Case closed.
Classical chess is to stay out of reach. A bit of blitz or rapid here and there yes -nothing too serious. That’s it. That’s as far as it goes.
MJM