How bad do I want it?
First of all, thank you for your contributions yesterday on how to handle unwanted suitors and stories of unrequited gay love.
Catching up on other chess blogs, I was struck by an observation: most of them are trying to get better at chess.
Yes, I enjoy the game and want to be good. I have a (fairly) competitive spirit. But the amount of time I dedicate to chess improvement has been close to nil for a long time.
I started competitive chess in 1998, playing until 2000, when I took 5 years off before jumping back in. Several months were (relatively) hardcore, actually playing 40 or so rated games before tapering off again. Even then, almost all my time was spent playing; studying was relegated to when I was taking a dump in the lavatory.
Right now, I’m 1600-ish, the same as 10 years ago without putting effort into improvement. What would happen if I tried? Does the thought of “maybe there’s an Expert somewhere in here” motivate me enough to work?
More likely, the “I’m sufficiently skilled so most people can’t dismiss me; that’s good enough” win out (again).
Have been thinking along similar lines lately. I am wondering if I shouldn’t just focus on everything I like about chess and not wonder so much about improving. Interestingly, I even enjoy things like playing through an old master game instead of watching TV, though.
Don’t know about the sleeping expert, though. I believe to seriously improve you really have to want it badly, very badly. And it seems you don’t care that much, which is perfectly fine, of course! Just have fun!
Comment by Sciurus | 29 April 2008
This is an important and interesting topic and I’m going to write something about it on my blog, too.
Comment by Wahrheit | 29 April 2008
I thought I’d be happy where I’m at(and I may revert soon to that frame of mind), sufficiently good to crush any new players. But then I found out that my playing level is pretty average for the random internet chess blogger, at least according to the the recent tournament. How can I settle for average?! So I’m studying my tactics books until I have the patterns so well learned that I stop missing cheap shots in my games. Then maybe end games eventually. For a long time I have wished that I could calculate and visualize well enough to play blindfold chess, so I’m hoping that studying more and more difficult tactics will help me to better visualize and calculate.
Comment by l3rucewayne | 30 April 2008
you know, the dinosaurs probably thought “no one can dismiss us. we’ll eat them. good enough for us.”
we all know what happened there.
Play on.
Comment by annie | 30 April 2008
I’m pretty sure you’d be around 2550.
Comment by Derek Slater | 30 April 2008
dude, if i got to 1600, i’d be fucking ecstatic
Comment by chessloser | 1 May 2008
I picked up 50 rating points in April because all I was doing was going over master games ( and blogging about them) and trying to annotate them myslef to understand them. Stuck in a time warp. Though I am feeling like a broken record, its fun, and I have to say the results last month were a direct result since I didn’t do anything with openings… well I did review tactics just before the G60 event to warm up my calculation speed.
I am at my highest rating in almost 2 years narrowing the gap to my altime high at 1703. I WILL exceed that this summer … hopefully in Philly.
Comment by Blunderprone | 1 May 2008
@Sciurus: The “sleeping expert” part is a lie I tell myself to stay motivated. But in any case, I will have fun.
I was going to note that Squirrel Chess was an…unorthodox…name, but glass houses and all that.
@Wahrheit: Copycat.
@l3rucewayne: The strangest part of your results is that you did well against the top half and poorly against the bottom half.
@Annie: Thank you for the inspiration.
@Derek: *stunned* So that AP article Matt referenced was possibly true! Shoot, time to see if you’re restarting the flywheel.
Even if I were capable of 2550, it wouldn’t pay nearly as well as my current job.
@chessloser: It’s called “Pocket Fritz”.
@Blunderprone: I called up Miss Cleo. She also thinks you WILL exceed 1703 this summer. In Philly.
Comment by Donnie | 4 May 2008
Cool Psychics are no my side… now It’s going to happen.
Hey, I posted a home brewed video on my blog. Its my first mockumentary. I hope you enjoy it.
Comment by Blunderprone | 4 May 2008
Great point re: 2550. You’re a 2550 blogger, let’s go with that. (A similarly undercompensated position I guess.)
Comment by Derek Slater | 5 May 2008
Not quite. Remember the team GGGg in the US Amateur Team thingy? With the three grandmasters and the 100-rated kid? Well, my blogging’s like the 3 GM’s. Donnie’s like the 5-year-old.
Comment by The Mascot | 5 May 2008
The trick is over confidence.
Comment by l3rucewayne | 6 May 2008
[…] Liquid Egg Product had a thought-provoking post a few days ago, How bad do I want it?: […]
Pingback by A Clear-Eyed Analysis of My Shortcomings | Brute Force | 7 May 2008
Beautifully put, realizing how much energy it takes to improve I decided to go the ‘chess is just a hobby’ route. One time through the Circles was enough, it brought me to a new plateau, and I’m pretty much done with strenuous improvement efforts. For the time being, anyway.
When I first realized this, I got all whiney and depressed and, of course, blogged about it and got some good comments.
Comment by Blue Devil Knight | 7 May 2008