THE GENIUS AND CHESS

Watching the genius play a game of chess with Jay, our grandson, brought to mind another chess experience from the past.

He was definitely into the game in the 70’s. He was playing by mail with some guy from Massachusetts (they sent their moves one at a time on a postcard back and forth; talk about slow games!).

Also, there were a group of IBMers with whom he worked who got together for chess once a week. They had a schedule of how they played and even had chess clocks to keep the slower players in line. He really enjoyed these nights.

So one Christmas I gave him a beautiful hand carved wood set. He opened it up and looked at reverently; I could tell he was very grateful for the gift. That night he suggested that we break it in and play a game. I was very hesitant to do that because he was the expert and I rarely ever played. Besides, I really was not that fond of the game because it was too slow for me. But I finally agreed when he said it would be appropriate for the two of us to play the first game because I had given it to him (unfair tactics).

And so the game began. It went fine for a while, and then the genius got careless in taking one of my important pieces (a rook, I think) and left his queen exposed. I couldn’t believe it, but of course, I moved right in and captured it. And the game went on until it came down to where I had a choice of two moves --- and I made the wrong one! Instead of checkmating him, I stalemated. That meant, in laymen’s terms, that I tied with him instead of defeating him.

But I have to tell you that I felt like I had won. And I vowed then that I would never play him again. And I haven’t.