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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Chess midlife Crisis? (Read 4688 times)
BPaulsen
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #62 - 07/12/10 at 02:11:25
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Fromper wrote on 07/12/10 at 02:02:13:

And once again, what exactly do you propose doing about this? Everyone keeps saying "There should be more norm opportunities", but I don't notice any of those people volunteering to run norm tournaments.


They (The USCF) can attempt to incentivize it by creating financial incentives for tournament directors to set up additional norm opportunities.

It doesn't take a genius to realize that the number of people that are candidates to become titled players are fairly limited in the first place, so of course there's limited financial incentive without any additional incentives.

Until there becomes more norm opportunities, talent in the US will continue to go to waste.
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #61 - 07/12/10 at 02:02:13
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BPaulsen wrote on 07/12/10 at 01:43:41:

To develop titled players it would go a long, long way to simply provide more norm opportunities in more varied locations. Outside of CA/NV and the NE (NY, etc.) the number of opportunities is ridiculously low. AZ has recently started trying to host a yearly norm opportunity, but that only highlights the problem. Out of 50 states the few opportunities that do exist are in isolated areas. Talents that may not be affluent are largely neglected due to the monetary demands of travel. Compare this to the extremely regular norm opportunities in Europe. More opportunities = more titled players.

And once again, what exactly do you propose doing about this? Everyone keeps saying "There should be more norm opportunities", but I don't notice any of those people volunteering to run norm tournaments. 

And again, when it comes to scholastics, what exactly do you think USCF is doing that it shouldn't be? Running tournaments? Newsflash: USCF doesn't run tournaments. Individual tournament directors do that. And they're paid for by the entry fees of the participants. 

Unless I'm missing some details, I don't know of anything USCF is giving to scholastics that could be given to norm-seekers instead.

  
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BPaulsen
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #60 - 07/12/10 at 01:43:41
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Fromper wrote on 07/11/10 at 22:41:07:

You know, I see a lot of comments like this on the USCF site, too. What exactly do you think could be done to develop the titled players? How exactly is scholastic chess getting in the way? 

From what I can tell, ALL tournaments in the US are paid for by their own entry fees. So if we held less scholastic tournaments, it's not like that would free up money to spend elsewhere. Why do you seem to think that there's some sort of competition between scholastics and professional chess? Why can't we have both?


To develop titled players it would go a long, long way to simply provide more norm opportunities in more varied locations. Outside of CA/NV and the NE (NY, etc.) the number of opportunities is ridiculously low. AZ has recently started trying to host a yearly norm opportunity, but that only highlights the problem. Out of 50 states the few opportunities that do exist are in isolated areas. Talents that may not be affluent are largely neglected due to the monetary demands of travel. Compare this to the extremely regular norm opportunities in Europe. More opportunities = more titled players.

Scholastic chess, while being an amusing distraction, is not going to churn out titled players, because that's not the point. There's no focus on trying to turn those chess enthusiasts that "just" compete scholastically into titled players, either. It is largely a dead-end, and this is coming from someone that was an extremely active scholastic player. The USCF would rather put energy into what fills its coffers (scholastic chess) than what would increase the prestige of American chess (titled players). That's perfectly reasonable, but it will leave the US struggling to produce many GMs.
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #59 - 07/11/10 at 22:41:07
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BPaulsen wrote on 07/11/10 at 21:47:29:
I am completely convinced a lot of talent in the US goes to waste due to the relative scarcity of norm opportunities. It's pretty saddening, but there's no real effort to develop titled players here. Scholastic chess receives more focus than anything else.


You know, I see a lot of comments like this on the USCF site, too. What exactly do you think could be done to develop the titled players? How exactly is scholastic chess getting in the way? 

From what I can tell, ALL tournaments in the US are paid for by their own entry fees. So if we held less scholastic tournaments, it's not like that would free up money to spend elsewhere. Why do you seem to think that there's some sort of competition between scholastics and professional chess? Why can't we have both?

  
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BPaulsen
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #58 - 07/11/10 at 21:47:29
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I am completely convinced a lot of talent in the US goes to waste due to the relative scarcity of norm opportunities. It's pretty saddening, but there's no real effort to develop titled players here. Scholastic chess receives more focus than anything else.
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #57 - 07/11/10 at 17:03:14
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Hello All:

Well I have given up chess at the moment. Don't know if it will be permanent. Could be. Not earth shattering news. 

But what I thought was pretty amazing is that Sam Shankland has retired. He has major problems with the difficulty in getting norms playing in US tournaments it seems. Hopefully someone with his talent will come back to the game.

Gerry
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #56 - 06/02/10 at 14:53:32
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Okay, I think my crisis is over now. My passion is alive again. I look forward to many more years of this pointless, futile past time. Bring on the chess!
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #55 - 05/14/10 at 14:09:06
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good point
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #54 - 05/13/10 at 13:22:42
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Antillian wrote on 04/09/10 at 13:15:31:
Have this ever happened to you? All of a sudden the scales fall from your eyes, and you suddenly realize that chess is a frivolous, pointless antisocial pursuit that just seems to sap endless of your precious resources of time and money? All for no reason.

I have played chess on and off intermittently for the last 24 years, sometimes with very long breaks of up to 10 years. On all occasions the breaks have been due more to pull factors - other interests, work, study, travel. For the first time, I just suddenly find myself disillusioned with chess. and unmotivated. 

I don't play that regular competitive chess. I am preparing for my first OTB tournament in a year. And I just can't find the motivation to open a chess book. I might end up not playing. Outside of chess I have a full life, and nothing has really changed. 

I am just curious, has anyone ever similar to this and did it pass?


Did not know if anyone pinted out, but I think the answer to Antillian's question is on his own signaturature. I think the reason of making us happy is a pretty strong one.
  
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Gerry1970
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #53 - 05/07/10 at 03:29:20
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Hello All:

In the middle of a massive chess funk right now. Slowly rising back to my old rating and then 2 months ago lost 30 points in a tournament (just in 3 games). Couldn't get myself to study much after this. Then 2 weeks ago I played in a local class tournament (so few tournaments here I had to play in it...) and gained over 30 points. Still struggling to study much ..

Chess seems like a bad girlfriend. She's nice on Friday so I am expecting a nice weekend. Thinking she is OK after all. But then a miserable week follows.

Gerry
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #52 - 05/06/10 at 14:34:51
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LOL......trw, hang in there buddy. You'll get them next time Smiley
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #51 - 05/06/10 at 13:08:39
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I think i'm about to head into an 11 year break myself after playing the worst game of my life yesterday.
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #50 - 05/06/10 at 12:08:16
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I took a 11 year break and really enjoy being back.  one thing I find that helps me is to play in different tournaments so that I can play a wide variety of players. And I also play in tourneys with different time controls. Last , but not least, I play wild , unsound openings to spice it up, although sometimes , instead of spicing it up, I get sliced up......

But, all in all.....it's good to be back Smiley
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #49 - 04/24/10 at 15:22:53
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trw wrote on 04/24/10 at 14:27:51:
E) Learning another language while fun would take so much time I would have to quit chess to do it.

So what? There are quite a few happy people around who just don't care about chess.
  
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Re: Chess midlife Crisis?
Reply #48 - 04/24/10 at 14:27:51
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TN wrote on 04/24/10 at 04:30:28:
trw wrote on 04/24/10 at 00:08:03:
I sometimes wonder why I play chess. I spend alot of time at tournaments, traveling to tournaments correspondence and my opening preparation... but outside of this I can't seem to make myself study anymore to improve. I don't enjoy most of the games I play (I would estimate 1%)... and its been this way for at least a year. There was a point then when I was so excited that my mouth watered for the start of the next game be it otb or correspondence... and not only was it not difficult for me to study but I did it for hours a day without losing enthusiasm.

I wonder is it burnout? A parting of the ways with chess? Or some kind of midlife chess crisis for lack of a better word. The thing is I just want to break this attitude and get back to enjoying this game and studying again. I just don't know how.


Change some of the features of your life. Here are some suggestions that may help:

a) Ask for a promotion at work. The worst the boss can say is 'No'. 

b) Get a girlfriend if you don't have one at present.

c) Ditch the opening preparation and just play as much chess as you can. Play every decent opening, even if you don't know the theory. 

d) If you haven't already, get a gym membership and work out. If you have a membership, play a new sport.

e) Learn another language.

f) If you are drinking or smoking, go cold turkey. 

g) Change careers.

h) If possible, take long-service leave or similar. 

i) If chess doesn't make you happy, stop playing. Switch to something that does make you happy.

j) Take up poker. 

k) Stop reading ChessPub Forum? Shocked

Hope this helps.


A) This has nothing to do with chess.

B) This has nothing to do with chess.

C) Playing every opening is a miserable idea and a way guaranteed to get awful results and make me hate chess. Part of the only thing I still enjoy is studying certain openings.

D) I workout 5 times a week. i've lost 70lbs over the last year.

E) Learning another language while fun would take so much time I would have to quit chess to do it.
F) I do neither though most chess players seem to get much inspiration from such over indulgence.

anyways time to skip to K) Sacrilegious!
  
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