tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163441833245663827.post7686255914496572225..comments2024-03-22T10:49:51.766-05:00Comments on Horizons: Masters of the GameNancy LeTourneauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12614317154146836694noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163441833245663827.post-2363977622282407522011-11-14T14:15:46.750-06:002011-11-14T14:15:46.750-06:00Fascinating John - thanks for the story.
I love ...Fascinating John - thanks for the story. <br /><br />I love hearing about how curious his mind was - and open to learning. I'd guess that is an imperative for any kind of "master."Nancy LeTourneauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12614317154146836694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7163441833245663827.post-82287104843735552442011-11-14T11:18:34.815-06:002011-11-14T11:18:34.815-06:00I feel a little better now. Maybe 15 years ago, I ...I feel a little better now. Maybe 15 years ago, I thought I was "ready." I participated in my first chess tournament. <br /><br />Game 1: I lost a hard fought well-played game. <br /><br />Game 2: I won. My opponent foolishly tried to play the Sicilian Defense without a good understanding of it. It is a very technical opening and should not be played by people at my and his level in tournament play. <br /><br />Game 3: Against Joshua Frank, age 14, a cake walk. <br /><br />He was fairly new to chess. In between official games, by pure coincidence, I play several games with him. He was very experimental, and got himself into bad situations with his adventurousness. <br /><br />As we sat down, he explained that he was watching how I handle such situations and that I had a specific weakness for queen side attacks. I did not expect that. <br /><br />As soon as the game began, he opened with an unexpectedly aggressive queen side attack. I was not concerned. <br /><br />Soon he started putting question marks by my moves as he notated them. <br /><br />Not long after that, I laid my king on its side. <br /><br />Those kids are the ones you have to watch out for. It was a lesson in humility for sure. <br /><br />I just Googled that kid. He is now rated above 2000, an expert according the World Chess Federation Ratings, one step below a master.John Mystehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16263634313238599515noreply@blogger.com