Chess?!

Let's see, I think I remember that game.  That's the one with the little horsey that moves in an L shape and can jump over other pieces, right?  Bishops are the pointy headed guys that move diagonal, and rooks are those castle like things that move straight?  The queen can move like the castle and pointy headed guy?  The king...that's the piece that can't get captured?  Then there's those round headed guys that cheat because they move one way and capture another way.   Pawns?  Okay I've got my games squared away.

Sometimes I feel like I've totally forgotten how to play chess.  I know how the pieces move, but lately I just don't know what to do with them.  Have I been overexposed to six year old kids that no matter how many times I tell them only knights can jump, still move bishops without moving any pawns?  Maybe it's the kid who no matter how many times I tell him to move the e or d pawn first, insists on playing 1. h4 followed by 2. Rh2.  I suppose it's fitting that I lost last night to someone who opened 1. a4.  I think he really wanted to be black so he wasted a move to let me be "white".  Not that I can blame him.  The two games I played as white were just butt ass ugly.  Maybe he figured he have an easier time against me if he just tossed the tempo and pretended to be "black".  I didn't disappoint.  I tossed the exchange on move 23, and by move 25 managed to turn my disadvantage into a full rook.

Right now I'm wrestling with what I want from chess.  I've got some ideas.  I think I finally figured out why I subject myself to trips to New City to get smashed by experts and A players on Thursday nights.  More on my midnight musings on Metro North in my next post. Yes there will be a next post, and it won't take another 3 months for it to appear.  I just wanted get a few words out to let people know, I am amongst the living.