America's newest chess master

[Brian37]

I wasn't good at chess myself. Like you, I could only tell you how the peices were allowed to move, but strategy, I was never good at that. I'd always simply try to pick a peice off just to get rid of it, but part of the strategy, is knowing someone is baiting you into a trap to pick you off. And that can, for the experts get 10, 20, 30 moves deep thinking ahead. People have forever written books about that game. 

I was a little bit better at backgammon, but even then, my mom beat me 8 times out of 10.

Though I haven't played in years, I was pretty good at backgammon.

A guy I used to tend bar with taught me how to play.

I have forgotten how to play, since I stopped playing after I moved out of my childhood home, since my mom was pretty much the only person I knew who played it. But as much as I love my mom, she was a poor sport, she hated losing. We'd have a several game marathon of backgammon, and then I would finally beat her one rare time, then she would get up in a huff and say, "I don't to play anymore."

Backgammon, unlike chess has a lot more luck in it too, because you are still at the mercy of the dice. You still have to use strategy to get your peices home, and block your rival from advancing, but double 6's at the right time depending, can be devistating to your rival. My mom always looked like a steaming teapot when we'd play and the dice were on my side.

---

I love chess.  I also suck at it.  It takes an amazing memory with fast recall of opening theory and tactical patterns, and the ability to calculate long lines without losing an internal image of the board.

Considering that chess has amost virtually limitless combinations to get to a checkmate win, the only thing I can think of that is more complex other than evolution, would be computer code. It certianly is a game of thinking and planning and countless strategies. 

I used to be able to recite all the words of every Pat Benatar Song and tell you which song was on what album and side. But that won't do shit in a game like chess. It truely is a humbling game for those who suck at it. 

Kudos to this kid. Pretty sure this kid isn't scared if his opponant says, "Hit me with your best shot." I am sure this kid  cracks his knucles and blows on his fists and thinks, "Oh yea, bring it on."

Just looking at his picture, I am sure that kid doesn't break a sweat. Just like my X wife who has a MASTERS and PHD in microbilogy, I look at this kid and think, "whish I had your brains."