I noticed some comments you've made regarding people here at <CG> who actually play chess and/or have studied chess seriously. I've said in the past that its odd that hardly anyone plays chess here at <CG> and that its mainly a social-center for chess gossip. Well, I've found out thats not entirely accurate. Many members here at <CG> were at one time active players. However, many of those are basically inactive or retired from competitive play.

Interesting comments you've made about people over at the POTD not seriously committed to solving or training to improve their analytical abilities. I can say the operative word here is 'commitment'. As for my case I can tell you I got started late with chess at age 20+ but was 'hooked' and devoured book after book with a ravenous appetite, feeding my desire to improve. I guess I got to around 1800+ when interest waned. Recently at age ~50 I began a daily regime of puzzle solving & time mgmt exercises that lasted 2+ years. My goal was to reach 2000, but interest again waned, this time after I finally reached 1900

The painful thing about chess is once one stops training, even for a month or two, at least in my case, the rating drops like a stone! Very cruel :(

So I, like many others probably, just don't have the time to commit fully to playing chess, so I just try to find other ways to enjoy the game. For example, these days, I play exclusively Chess960. My rating fluctuates wildly, but who cares! At this stage in my chess journey, its just for fun!

Happy chess, morf

My own commitment has been sharply reduced over the years. There was an entire decade of my life when I totally quit. These days I play a lot of frivolous blitz on ICC. When I decide to study, I either pick up Yusupov or watch ICC videos (Larry Christiansen's attack videos are my favorites), or I work on John Nunn's favorite chess puzzles. But I have very little time anyway. And my time is shrinking, as I am about to marry a mother of 4 and I am getting more and more involved as a dad.

BTW: Yusupov's books are excellent training vehicles. I enjoy playing over at Chesscube.com my user is 'morf' and try to sneak in a couple of games per day

The kids are not very interested in chess, except for (luckily!) the youngest one (7 years old). She is at the President Day's chess camp right now at the Nashville Chess Center, run by FM Todd D Andrews and his sister, Tiffany Elliot. They are very good with kids! (And there are about 40 of them at the camp.)

Hi <OCF>. My favourite sob story about overestimating my opponent: In 1973-4 I had a miracle year of chess. It seemed that I couldn't lose a game if I tried. My teachers suggested I enter the Irish Schoolboys championship in Dublin so off I went.

7 round swiss. I lost my first 2 games. On the third I played the Richter Rauzer against my 12 year old opponent. Came a time when I saw a queen sac which would nett me more than its worth in minor pieces and a rook as he staved off mate. I assumed because he was playing "with the big boys" he must be good enough to have seen it, so I doubted my own analysis and played something else and lost.

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