Tagged: abend
1. How long have you been playing chess? Have you played it consistently since you started, or were there lulls in your play? How did these lulls affect your performance?
I learned the game as a youngster, around seven or eight. When I couldn't find anybody to play, which was most the time, I would play against myself. I remember always playing the first moves of the Ruy and asking myself questions like (in response to Black's a6), "Why move the bishop to a4? Why not just play Bxc6?" Unfortunately, such questions never led me, or motivated me, to deeper investigation and understanding of the game; moves were mysterious, unfathomable, particularly those Rook moves:"Why did grandmaster so-and-so make that move?" But there was never answer. It wasn't until years, years, later that I discovered tactical and positional ideas that began to bring order to chaos, light shining in the darkness.
2. Aside from playing games, what is your primary mode of training?
Doing exercises with PCT.
3. What is the single most helpful method of improvement that you have ever used?
First is training with PCT (this includes the endgame modules). Also, I like chesslecture.com, if only so that you can hear much higher rated players struggling with the same issues that you yourself face.
Second is analyzing my own games and my own thinking (thanks to Jesse Krai for this from his lectures as chesslecture.com)
4. What is your favorite opening to play as white? As black against e4? As black against d4?
I'm an e4 player, but I don’t have a favorite opening system with it. As Black against e4 I play the Sicilian Dragon, against d4, I play the KID.
5. Who is your favorite chess player and why?
Tal, Nakamura, Polgar are quite exciting and creative; however, of recent I feel my approach is changing and would like to study the games of Petrosian, Kramnik, etc.
6. What is your favorite chess book?
I very much like Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, Bronstein's Sorcerer’s Apprentice, anything by Watson.
7. What book would you recommend for a friend who knows only the rules of chess?
Something by Alburt.
8. Do you play in in-person tournaments? What is your favorite tournament experience?
I do play in OTB tournaments. I feel that OTB tournament is the only true measure of one’s strength as a chess player. No favorite experience.
9. Please give us a link to what you consider your best two blog posts (on your own blog).
Only one: http://tinyurl.com/39kqkc
10. What proportion of total chess time should be spent studying openings for someone at your level?
10% or less.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
chessloser: the chess anti-hero
chessloser read Josh Waitzken’s book, The Art of Learning, and posted a review. I really enjoyed the review.
But what really got me thinking was this line:
But let’s think about Josh. Or really, "Josh."
Josh found some success at chess. I don't know exactly what he did, but I have been led to believe that it’s significant, and that he is very talented. None of which I doubt.
Now, if that were it, if he had just won some tournaments, nobody would know his name, and he would not have found a publisher for his book.
But that’s not all that happened.
What happened next was that his success was mythologized. That is, his father wrote a book about him. This was absolutely fundamental in creating the myth that most of us have of Josh. By saying "myth" I don’t mean, “not true,” I mean something like, a presentation of heightened reality that reflects the essence. If you prefer, substitute "image".
Like when NFL football players are referred to as gladiators.
Uhm, well, they aren’t gladiators, but okay, the point is, the essence is, life and death struggle on the field.
Uhhm, except that it’s not life and death struggle, but it is very, very important.
Uhhm, except that it’s not very important; it’s a game, a stupid game, with millionaires chasing a stupid ball and knocking each other’s block off.
It's very important for football to be mythologized. Otherwise, not many would want to watch it. Gladiators I want to watch, but millionaires chasing a stupid ball? Not that interesting.
Actually, I want to watch "gladiators," and I have no interest in watching gladiators. This preference puts me firmly in the postmodern camp, or so I am told: "this preference puts you firmly in the postmodern camp." The one telling me is that someone called "I" based on a vague memory of something read somewhere at one time by this past I. Thus, past I seeks to define present I, and who will be I. But why should past I define present I? And why should a book written by some wholly other I hold such sway over past I? I don't know. It just does.
Of course, to those that buy into the myth of football players as gladiators, that is the essence.
That’s okay, we all have our myths.
Gladiators => "Gladiators" => "" Gladiators "" => """Gladitors""" => ...
Getting back to Josh, his father writing a book about him is not all that happened.
A movie was made about him. Thus, an even greater audience was exposed to an even greater myth.
But that’s not all that happened. He went into an even more esoteric pursuit, and achieved success. And this has been mythologized.
None of this is said to denigrate his achievements: they are real and deserved.
But there is something else at work here, and that is the making of myth.
Now, getting to Josh's book (which I have not read, so you can slam me there), really, what will Josh, or anybody, tell any of us that we don’t already basically know about success?
Josh achieved success with a combination of hard work, talent and luck. Further, and importantly, this success has been mythologized to the extent that he can present himself as an authority on success (or learning).
By the way, the more luck, the better; luck can be a lot of things: having a father who guides you --- think Tiger Woods --- or being born into money or connections, or being at the right place at the right time, etc. If you don't have any luck, you truly have a long row to hoe.
Or do you want Josh to teach you about chess? But don't you already have a ton of chessbooks? What is Josh going to say any differently?
You want to be like Josh? Here's a tip: don’t look at what he says, look at what he does. Go and do likewise.
You want steps? Here they are:
Now, we come to chessloser’s statement: "i’m just some idiot with a crappy blog"
Myth or fact?
"Myth" or fact?
Myth or "fact"?
"Myth" or "fact"?
This: chessloser is my favorite chess anti-hero. I look forward going to his blog and reading of his latest exploits.
Try these on for size:
Will chessloser be able to "Joshize" his anti-success and transform it into an agent and seminars?
I don’t know.
Doe he want to?
I must stop here.
I must get back to my own myth.
I am a knight errant, after all!
("To dream the impossible dream...)
Post Script:
I want to add this, because what I've written could be misconstrued. I think. So here goes: I believe in objective truth. Further, I believe in the ninth commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness. I also believe in the power of the word. It allows us to organize, categorize, communicate, etc. Also, words can be used for good, or ill, words can be used to build up or tear down, create or destroy. Wisdom, it seems to me, discerns how words are being used, by whom, and for what purpose. It's okay to destroy something with words if that something needs to be destroyed. But too often the power of destruction is unleashed, either for no reason at all, or maliciously, and the good power of creating and building is forgotten.
So, words. Finally, I believe in the Word. And that my words should in some way reflect his word, and his Word.
en arche en ho logos kai ho logos en pros ton theon kai theos en ho logos
But what really got me thinking was this line:
Now, I have no doubt that Josh has an agent and travels around giving seminars; i.e., that Josh has made it."but really, what do i know, i’m just some idiot with a crappy blog, he is travveling around with an agent giving seminars"
But let’s think about Josh. Or really, "Josh."
Josh found some success at chess. I don't know exactly what he did, but I have been led to believe that it’s significant, and that he is very talented. None of which I doubt.
Now, if that were it, if he had just won some tournaments, nobody would know his name, and he would not have found a publisher for his book.
But that’s not all that happened.
What happened next was that his success was mythologized. That is, his father wrote a book about him. This was absolutely fundamental in creating the myth that most of us have of Josh. By saying "myth" I don’t mean, “not true,” I mean something like, a presentation of heightened reality that reflects the essence. If you prefer, substitute "image".
Like when NFL football players are referred to as gladiators.
Uhm, well, they aren’t gladiators, but okay, the point is, the essence is, life and death struggle on the field.
Uhhm, except that it’s not life and death struggle, but it is very, very important.
Uhhm, except that it’s not very important; it’s a game, a stupid game, with millionaires chasing a stupid ball and knocking each other’s block off.
It's very important for football to be mythologized. Otherwise, not many would want to watch it. Gladiators I want to watch, but millionaires chasing a stupid ball? Not that interesting.
Actually, I want to watch "gladiators," and I have no interest in watching gladiators. This preference puts me firmly in the postmodern camp, or so I am told: "this preference puts you firmly in the postmodern camp." The one telling me is that someone called "I" based on a vague memory of something read somewhere at one time by this past I. Thus, past I seeks to define present I, and who will be I. But why should past I define present I? And why should a book written by some wholly other I hold such sway over past I? I don't know. It just does.
Of course, to those that buy into the myth of football players as gladiators, that is the essence.
That’s okay, we all have our myths.
Gladiators => "Gladiators" => "" Gladiators "" => """Gladitors""" => ...
Getting back to Josh, his father writing a book about him is not all that happened.
A movie was made about him. Thus, an even greater audience was exposed to an even greater myth.
But that’s not all that happened. He went into an even more esoteric pursuit, and achieved success. And this has been mythologized.
None of this is said to denigrate his achievements: they are real and deserved.
But there is something else at work here, and that is the making of myth.
Now, getting to Josh's book (which I have not read, so you can slam me there), really, what will Josh, or anybody, tell any of us that we don’t already basically know about success?
Josh achieved success with a combination of hard work, talent and luck. Further, and importantly, this success has been mythologized to the extent that he can present himself as an authority on success (or learning).
By the way, the more luck, the better; luck can be a lot of things: having a father who guides you --- think Tiger Woods --- or being born into money or connections, or being at the right place at the right time, etc. If you don't have any luck, you truly have a long row to hoe.
Or do you want Josh to teach you about chess? But don't you already have a ton of chessbooks? What is Josh going to say any differently?
You want to be like Josh? Here's a tip: don’t look at what he says, look at what he does. Go and do likewise.
You want steps? Here they are:
- Find a domain in which you are or can be successful. Not just okay, average, or even good, but really, really excellent. This is probably something you really like to do. If there is no domain in which you are excellent, then your cubical awaits; not a slam against people in cubicals, I am one.
- Prove your ability by achieving success over time (a few years should be sufficient)
- Mythologize your success in whatever way you believe is true. I am not so cynical as to approve of false myths, so the emphasis here is on truth. Or have somebody else do it. Books, movies, TV shows, and even commercials are all good methods for achieving this.
- Build on that success and do it again.
Now, we come to chessloser’s statement: "i’m just some idiot with a crappy blog"
Myth or fact?
"Myth" or fact?
Myth or "fact"?
"Myth" or "fact"?
This: chessloser is my favorite chess anti-hero. I look forward going to his blog and reading of his latest exploits.
Try these on for size:
- chessloser: a rebel (with a pawn?)
- chessloser: a rational man facing an irrational world, trying to find solace in the rational game of chess.
- chessloser: one who seeks humanity in an impersonal world.
- chessloser: that irreverent devil may care bon vivant through whom we live vicariously. (Say! I like that one.)
Will chessloser be able to "Joshize" his anti-success and transform it into an agent and seminars?
I don’t know.
Doe he want to?
I must stop here.
I must get back to my own myth.
I am a knight errant, after all!
("To dream the impossible dream...)
Post Script:
I want to add this, because what I've written could be misconstrued. I think. So here goes: I believe in objective truth. Further, I believe in the ninth commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness. I also believe in the power of the word. It allows us to organize, categorize, communicate, etc. Also, words can be used for good, or ill, words can be used to build up or tear down, create or destroy. Wisdom, it seems to me, discerns how words are being used, by whom, and for what purpose. It's okay to destroy something with words if that something needs to be destroyed. But too often the power of destruction is unleashed, either for no reason at all, or maliciously, and the good power of creating and building is forgotten.
So, words. Finally, I believe in the Word. And that my words should in some way reflect his word, and his Word.
en arche en ho logos kai ho logos en pros ton theon kai theos en ho logos
Monday, July 02, 2007
A Knight's Drama of Backups
[Cue the narration]
The first rule of data conservation is do backups.
Well, I violoated it. I never backuped my PCT history.
Now, I can't open PCT using my username, and I've lost all my history.
I can create a new user and start over, no problem.
I've sent e-mail to PCT, but so far, no response.
You know what? Who cares. I've created a new username, and I'm starting over.
[Cue the music]
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
[And... Cue the Knight....Action!]
Just because there are little setbacks along the way, does that mean I should give up the quest, renounce knighthood, and betray the very love by which I am bound?
[Feeling baby, feel it! Where's the music? It's late!! Louder, louder!!!]
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
[Serious now, right into the camera]
Nay, but we must redouble our efforts for Chessica that lady of love!
[Nice touch; I'm glad I thought to insert that. Very nice! I'm gonna get the Emmy for this one!]
[Pull back camera one. ]
This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
[How hopeless? How hopeless?... where's the tear? WHERE'S THE TEAR??]
No matter how far
[Fade in camera two]
To fight for the right
[Okay, I got the tear --- not how we planned it; not bad; I'll take it! C'mon now feeling!]
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause
[For Chessica! C'mon, now! More. MORE!!!!]
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
[Wide angle...camera three]
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star!
And, let me add, remember to do backups!!
[And.. cut! Aww, beautiful baby! That's a wrap. Back here tomorrow. 6:00AM sharp people! Are we off? Are we off? Good. Amateurs! I'm surrounded by amateurs!]
The first rule of data conservation is do backups.
Well, I violoated it. I never backuped my PCT history.
Now, I can't open PCT using my username, and I've lost all my history.
I can create a new user and start over, no problem.
I've sent e-mail to PCT, but so far, no response.
You know what? Who cares. I've created a new username, and I'm starting over.
[Cue the music]
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
[And... Cue the Knight....Action!]
Just because there are little setbacks along the way, does that mean I should give up the quest, renounce knighthood, and betray the very love by which I am bound?
[Feeling baby, feel it! Where's the music? It's late!! Louder, louder!!!]
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
[Serious now, right into the camera]
Nay, but we must redouble our efforts for Chessica that lady of love!
[Nice touch; I'm glad I thought to insert that. Very nice! I'm gonna get the Emmy for this one!]
[Pull back camera one. ]
This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
[How hopeless? How hopeless?... where's the tear? WHERE'S THE TEAR??]
No matter how far
[Fade in camera two]
To fight for the right
[Okay, I got the tear --- not how we planned it; not bad; I'll take it! C'mon now feeling!]
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause
[For Chessica! C'mon, now! More. MORE!!!!]
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
[Wide angle...camera three]
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star!
And, let me add, remember to do backups!!
[And.. cut! Aww, beautiful baby! That's a wrap. Back here tomorrow. 6:00AM sharp people! Are we off? Are we off? Good. Amateurs! I'm surrounded by amateurs!]
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