Yes, like everyone else I saw Queen’s Gambit. Twice. Then read the book. Then watched a few videos of game walk-thrus. Then broke my boards back out. (played a lot in high school, studied it some after first full time job in the early 90’s before computer gaming was a big thing.
The scene that sticks is the quote from Beth where she sees the 64 squares as the safe space. There is a lot to be said for being able to focus you thinking into a small space, be it a poem, novel, short story, or chess board. The smaller space lets the thinking grow.
Come to think of it, that’s how a feel about the pandemic. Existing inside a smaller space has allowed me to expand my mind again beyond the mundanity of day-to-day existence and into several small focused places for growth, like my poetry,
And chess. Like many others, I joined chess.com and enjoy training against the AI’s there. I brought my boards back out, and my copy of MCO and Silman’s Reassess Your Chess. Like focused reading and writing, practicing and learning positions and tactics in the 64 square world allow me to expand.
Today’s thanks: Anya Taylor-Joy. Walter Tevis. The House of Staunton.
Cranky Old Poet's Domain 