what you lose : 
- the need for proofs and refutations
- the need to be right over someone else
- the need to establish yourself as a chess player
- the attitude of being right "because you understand better " (well, fritz,rybka & stockfish helped you lose that one already)

what you win:
- a better respect for your opponents, moving from chess potatoes to chess friends ;
- a dispassionated view to chess, not as a competition but as a "best effort" game. 
- a stressless approach to your chess games, perhaps the best achievement of all.

chk wrote on 04/13/10 at 07:51:24:


chk: I have no experience in selecting books for beginners but I've seen some comments that somewhat difficult books are not harmful. If the reader does not fully appreciate the book, at least he/she did learn about important concepts. The book is very well written with lots of prose. Try it. I think it will be a great re-read when the player gets a bit better.

2 years ago I nearly quit. Chess felt very time consuming and pointless. All these books to read. The anxiety of the games and tournaments. The frustration of bad losses. It all turned around when my father (who is also a chess player) asked me if I wanted to participate a local weekend tournament. I played it virtually without any preparation, playing openings I knew little of and played some good games. I had a discussion with a GM I know about a delicate pawn ending I lost vs a 2300 player. All this made chess fun again. Since then I've reached the highest rating of my career. My openings are still rather poor, but I enjoy playing and that's what's important. 

Reading good books is quite important for me. Sometimes it's good to read easy books rather than the tough ones that makes you work hard. I read Michael Stean's "Simple Chess" last spring. I don't know if I learned anything new from it, but it reminded me about the beauty of good chess.

Antillian wrote on 04/09/10 at 13:15:31:


Nope, I've never had this feeling before, except for after very painful losses, and the feeling passed within a few hours. I don't see chess as being antisocial; in fact chess is considered by (intelligent) non-chess players to be a profound display of human intellect: a game, a sport and an art all in one. 

As for me, I couldn't imagine taking a break from chess. Sometimes I become very anxious and emotional, or worse still dejected within 48 hours of no chess.

Antillian wrote on 04/09/10 at 13:15:31:


I like your quote: "Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make men happy. - Tarrasch".  I suspect you've gone astray in preparing for a tourny.  Try to recall what it is about chess that makes you happy and try getting back to that.  For me it's seeing a beautiful move, and my satisfaction in my ability to appreciate it's beauty.  These moves are most often found in the literature made by others and occasionally (and even better) made by me.   

I took two breaks, one for 4 years another for 15 years (new career, gained a wife, etc). Been back 4 years now and enjoying it more than ever.

I find breaks are healthy.

Oh I don't know, I have an analytical profession and an analytical hobby, both of which I enjoy but which can sometimes wear me out a little.  When I go on vacation, I never take chess along, and I don't miss it.  But I'm also happy to get back to it.

But what's frivolous?  Sex for example, considered objectively, is profoundly ridiculous and unsanitary into the bargain.  But most of us like it anyway.

I've had times like this myself.  Depending on when this feeling hits you, it could kill the passion for the royal game completely. I've seen countless scholastic players give up the game because it just didn't bring them any joy despite their talent for chess.

I've given chess up for Lent, and taken more than one hiatus for several months to focus on "important" or "adult" pursuits.  But I've always come back to find the game has a newfound luster.  

It may be blasphemy to point out that chess is just a game.  It's a manmade construct that passes time.  Of course, it has many, many positive attributes, but in the end it is still a game.  

We give our actions meaning.  Chess lacks meaning unless we instill it with life.  If chess is lifeless for you, resuscitation sometimes works, but sometimes it's best to leave it alone.   One of the hardest things to do is to step back from something that we've invested money, time, energy, and life in.  Yet, sometimes, it's the best thing we can do.  

To mix metaphors, you're not married to chess but a separation doesn't have to lead to divorce.