When I was younger, it seemed to me that my father and my older brother were always playing chess together. They were the lone males in a female-dominated household and I guess that sometimes they were thrown together by default and sometimes they just wanted that father-son time.
Chess; a quiet, mysterious game...like checkers...checkers on some serious ‘roids. I kill at checkers. I will wipe the board with your bored, rainy-day ass. Chess? ... Well, I watched them for many hours trying to figure out just what was going on and, being four years younger than my brother, never, ever got the hang of it. We had this awesome chess board from England… all the pieces had different faces and lively expressions and were made of some soft stone; the pieces were supple and warm in your hand. I loved to play house with the chess pieces… the Queens were cranky looking and the Kings, rather lofty and removed from the hum-drum of daily life. All the pieces had intricate carvings and their individuality led to hours of play... just not to hours chess.
I always wanted to play with my dad… I always wanted to learn to play chess. But, it was a busy household. I had plenty of interactions with my siblings and my mom or my parents as a unit…so, although I think my Dad tried to teach me a few times…I never learned to play chess. Frankly, for last 30 years, I have felt a little intimidated by the Game of Kings. I figured that I really had very little aptitude for that style of thinking. I secretly believed that simply I couldn’t learn to play chess. Otherwise, wouldn't my dad have taught me, too?
As an adult, even at the pleading of my two oldest boys, I have steadfastly refused to learn. Excuses…excuses… Heck…there is always more laundry to do, or someone got scratched by the cat or spilled orange juice on the couch…
Chess; a quiet, mysterious game...like checkers...checkers on some serious ‘roids. I kill at checkers. I will wipe the board with your bored, rainy-day ass. Chess? ... Well, I watched them for many hours trying to figure out just what was going on and, being four years younger than my brother, never, ever got the hang of it. We had this awesome chess board from England… all the pieces had different faces and lively expressions and were made of some soft stone; the pieces were supple and warm in your hand. I loved to play house with the chess pieces… the Queens were cranky looking and the Kings, rather lofty and removed from the hum-drum of daily life. All the pieces had intricate carvings and their individuality led to hours of play... just not to hours chess.
I always wanted to play with my dad… I always wanted to learn to play chess. But, it was a busy household. I had plenty of interactions with my siblings and my mom or my parents as a unit…so, although I think my Dad tried to teach me a few times…I never learned to play chess. Frankly, for last 30 years, I have felt a little intimidated by the Game of Kings. I figured that I really had very little aptitude for that style of thinking. I secretly believed that simply I couldn’t learn to play chess. Otherwise, wouldn't my dad have taught me, too?
As an adult, even at the pleading of my two oldest boys, I have steadfastly refused to learn. Excuses…excuses… Heck…there is always more laundry to do, or someone got scratched by the cat or spilled orange juice on the couch…
Until today. My two boys have developed a good chess game at a very young age thanks to their wonderful Uncle Lee and their Dad. They have been begging me to play for ages…just ages.
So, Zack set up the board...first thing this morning and waited, like a hawk hovering over a newly cut hay field, for me to peek my head out of the kitchen. He and Spencer POUNCED...sat me down, walked me through my fist game and WAH-frickin-LAH. I played TWO games of chess today!!
Just such a great way to start the day. Learning something new…something which had always unsettled me AND being taught (enthusiastically and well, I might add) by my ten and six year-old. Hoo-Rah
So silly...but I am so new to blogging...don't know HOW to turn the picture...just crank yer neck and you get the picture. ;)
ReplyDeleteI hate chess... my boys tried and tried and tried to play with me and I just could not GET it!, my brain does not work in the world of chess, the rules are incredibly insane and make no sense, they have given up on me and now play against each other or alas, the computer... one more check for the column of why twins are awesome (except of course when they end up beating each other with the pieces but that's another chat for another day...)
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