A regular reader in another country posed the question, “Do you still chess?” Thank you sir for putting a smile on my face!
The answer is “Yes.” I just do not “Chess” as much these daze, but it is still part of my life. Your question reminded me of something recently read in an EXCELLENT book by GM Larry Kaufman, Chess Board Options. There will be more written about Larry’s book in the future.
On the last page, 219, in chapter 32: The future, Larry writes, “As for myself, although I’m generally in good health, I don’t know if I’ll resume serious over the board play once that is possible, as back trouble and poor vision make this problematic.”
Like Larry this writer also has a problematic back. Sitting for many hours can be injurious for anyone with a bad back. It is simply no longer possible for me to play two games a day, unless at a dramatically reduced time control. If, for example, the time control were G/2 and there was a break of at least one hour between rounds, and only two games were played that day, I might consider playing. Think about it for a moment… If there were two rated games played each day, and each game went the distance, that would mean two four hour games, which would be like working an eight hour job. ‘Back in the day’ I once played Chess beginning on Saturday morning at ten am. The third round game ended the NEXT DAY at two am, Sunday. My losing the fourth round game, which began at ten am, horribly and withdrawing will come as no surprise.
Most of my Chess these daze is watching games on Lichess.org, such as the recently completed Candidates tournament, which was again marred by having an unqualified player in the tournament, just like the last Candidates tournament. If Abasov, a player with whom I was completely unaware, had not participated Nepo would have finished with 71/2 points, a half point more than Gukesh, Nakamura, and Caruana. Nevertheless, I watched some of the action because two Americans, Fabby and Naka, were playing for what possibly would be there last chance to become World Champ, even if they would not be the best Chess player on the planet.
I do, though, enjoy reading about Chess. Occasionally I will check out the action around the world, with a focus on Senior events, and players with which I am familiar, and openings, many now discredited, such as the following game, played in the Grenke Chess Open 2024, which featured the Dutch opening, which has rapidly fallen out of favor, especially at the top, so it is invariably nice to see the opening played by a player the caliber of Gata Kamsky.
Rasmus Svane vs Gata Kamsky
- d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. b4 d6 6. Bb2 O-O 7. e3 Nc6 8. b5 Na5 9. Be2 a6 10. a4 c5 11. bxc6
There was a delay here so I went to 365Chess.com where this game was found:
White Player Keymer, Vincent (2700)
Black Player Kamsky, Gata (2666)
Event: Salamanca Uni Masters
Site: Salamanca ESP Date: 10/29/2022
Round: 7.3 Score: ½-½
ECO: A04 Reti v Dutch
1.Nf3 f5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 d6 4.Nc3 g6 5.e3 Bg7 6.b4 O-O 7.Bb2 Nc6 8.b5 Na5 9.Be2 a6 10.a4 c5 11.O-O cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.Nd5 Ne4 15.Ba3 e6 16.Nc3 Nc5 17.Bb4 e5 18.Nf3 Nab3 19.Rb1 a5 20.Ba3 e4 21.Rxb3 Nxb3 22.Qxb3 exf3 23.c5+ Kh8 24.Bxf3 dxc5 25.Bxb7 Rb8 26.Bf3 f4 27.Bxc5 fxe3 28.fxe3 Rf5 29.Ne4 Rc8 30.Bd4 Bxd4 31.exd4 Bxb5 32.axb5 Qxd4+ 33.Nf2 Rb8 34.Be2 Rbf8 35.Bf3 Rb8 36.Be2 Rbf8 37.Bf3 ½-½
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=4381524&m=19
After replaying the game rather quickly I returned to Lichess.co and the real time game…learning the game had been agreed drawn at the very spot I had left to check out the opening at 365Chess.com. The so-called “game” and I use the word loosely, can be located here: (https://lichess.org/broadcast/grenke-chess-open-2024–boards-1-60/round-7/kEy29TXZ/j7agjk3e)
After seeing the truncated game I will admit to having wondered why my time had been wasted watching Chess.
Armchair Warrior 