I have found that chess games have become more fun as I've gotten better. The stronger you are, the more beautiful wins and losses you have. You also become more appreciative of the great grandmaster games. The enjoyment of playing the game as a beginner is a kind of innocent fun, while the enjoyment of playing the game as a strong player (and I don't profess to be in the latter category) is a more rewarding, satisfying fun.
Basically the better you get the less of a mystery the game becomes. I think the worst part of getting better is you know when your goose is cooked, or when your in a horrible position.
Originally posted by davejacks I remember Spassky saying he was bored knowing so much about chess and he wished he could just have a game without knowing anything about the openings so he could just enjoy the game. Maybe the answer is don't try and learn details about theory, just play.
I must admit that I do enjoy the game more than before I tried to learn how to play the game. I had no clue as to where I should put my pieces or why. I seriously look to find a safe square and try to find where my opponent was giving me a piece. I figured if I could take all my opponent's pieces, then I could worry about a checkmate.
Needless to say, with that point of view and with the very limited board vision I had at the time, I wasn't too successful.
Now I find the game very enjoyable. Sure, I don't follow masters games. I have no clue what's going on in their heads. But at least now I'm getting pretty good at recognizing good play and bad play from my opponents. I only set out seeks at FICS and don't look at ratings until after my games. I'm can usually guess the person's rating within 100 to 200 points.
No. Chess is fun if you like the puzzle solving, the process of coming to a move decision. As you get better, it is the same, but if you don't get better you enjoy less and less. Basically chess is like crack, you need more (knowledge) to get the same high...
Yes and no. I always love to learn new things about chess.
But I miss the days when I could play my friends in town...we'd just blunder around until one of us finally takes advantage of the 15th tactical opportunity that's thrown in our face.
When you get better, those guys don't want to play you and you have to play people who are very serious about the game, rarely blunder and have a lot more experience than you do. It's a hard row to hoe.
Originally posted by Thabtos Yes and no. I always love to learn new things about chess.
But I miss the days when I could play my friends in town...we'd just blunder around until one of us finally takes advantage of the 15th tactical opportunity that's thrown in our face.
When you get better, those guys don't want to play you and you have to play people who are very serious abo ...[text shortened]... the game, rarely blunder and have a lot more experience than you do. It's a hard row to hoe.
Yes, my friends stopped playing with me as well...
Originally posted by Guych Yes, my friends stopped playing with me as well...
As have the people I used to play.
No fun when you lose most of the time. I get asked, "do you play chess just so that you can beat other people"? They are totally surprised when I say that I lose many games when I play on line.