Chess: My Favourite Thing
Nothing ever touched my soul or captivated my imagination quite like chess. From the very first moment I opened the pages of a primer, I was electrified. This extraordinary encounter happened around twenty-seven years ago, and little could I know then that this ancient game would become such a powerful medium in my life.
I was soon absorbing every chess book I could find in local libraries, and my interest in the game intensified to the point whereby chess began to occupy almost every waking hour of my life. I studied assiduously, with a determination not generally known to me, and gradually I gained insights into the deeper aspects of the game. I even had the occasional epiphany — palpable leaps of understanding which raised my game and intensified my passion.
I do not think it a coincidence, so much as a turn of fate, that this remarkable discovery occurred just when it seemed I was destined for a life behind bars. (I had grown up delinquent and in hostile environments where my intelligence was ridiculed, so I learned to suppress it, opted for survival and sought to gain respect from my peers in a manner more recognisable to them: I became a criminal.) Moreover, with little in the way of a formal education and even fewer career prospects, life looked rather bleak. And thievery seemed like the one thing I was relatively good at, while it also provided me with some much-needed excitement.
However, chess taught me that I alone am responsible for my actions, and just as importantly that I could learn from my mistakes; in the words of Emanuel Lasker (world champion 1894–1921), “On the chessboard, lies and hypocrisies do not live long … ” In addition, the game proved able to satisfy both my intellect, as well as my need for stimulation. Indeed, it was a perfect combination of a noble fight, glory in battle, and aesthetic pleasure — the objects that gladden my heart.
For the first time in my adult life I’d found a constructive space in which to nurture my talents and realise some of my potential. Chess also provided a way into the world of civilised society, and I went on to play for a local chess club, where I won a number of matches and scooped two trophies. In turn, I earned the respect of my fellow members.
Although I never received the highest honours that can be bestowed upon a chess player — namely, that of “Grandmaster” — I cultivated sufficient knowledge to become a tutor and thereby realise a purpose/vocation in life. Chess for me is a perfect metaphor for life; for chess is a struggle. And it has been a great pleasure to share my experience with others.
Thanks for reading
