Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Not a Chess Man

I have always been a Checkers kind of guy. If the choice was between playing Checkers or Chess I always preferred Checkers. I suck at both but I prefer checkers.

I never really learned how to play Chess until I met Lauren; she taught me to play. When we played (ten years ago), I always lost, and I have since lost interest in the game.

Chess, to me, is an intellectual game using strategy, tactics and counter moves. Checkers, to me, is street game where it is jump or be jumped. I think most people fall into either the Chess camp or the Checkers camp; book smart or street smart.

For Max's 6TH birthday, we got him a Chess set so Lauren could teach him the finer points of playing one or two steps ahead of his opponent. Lauren and Max have played a few games.
Max had been doing okay at the game of Chess but he has yet to beat his teacher Lauren.

The other night I came home from work and Lauren and Maxfield were having a conversation about the best way for max to win at Chess.

Lauren asked Max,"What do you need to do to win at Chess?"

Max looked at me and then his mother and did not answer the question.

Lauren asked again. "Maxfield, earlier today we talked about you winning at the game of Chess and I told you what you needed to do to win a game. What did I tell you?"

Max looked at me, looked at his mother, looked at me again and said, "If I want to win at Chess I have to play you."

What do you prefer, Chess or Checkers?

18 comments:

Susie said...

I don't know how to play Chess, and truth be told, am probably not bright enough to learn. I always SAY I don't care to learn because I never want to have to think that hard to play a game; I think all the time, I want my play to be pretty much mindless. That said, I really probably don't have the aptitude for it. I choose checkers. I used to play backgammon a little bit. Maybe that's in between the two.

(If Max and Lauren team up on you like that, you're toast. Just sayin'...)

eclectic said...

Let's hear it for Quarters!

SciFi Dad said...

I can play both, but I enjoy checkers more. I don't know why, probably because it's more pure... the rules are simple and straightforward, making it easier to learn but more difficult to master.

teri said...

I don't know how to play chess so I guess it would have to be checkers.

Bogart said...

My mother signed me up for chess club when I was in the 6th grade. She thought it would round out the jock I was quickly becoming. The teacher took an interest and I showed potential of being a good player. Only problem was the teacher seemed to take to much of an interest in young boys. It was my mom's "checkers" background that spotted it. My "Chess Club for Juniors" adventure lasted all of 1 month.

for a different kind of girl said...

I have a couple beautiful chess sets, but I have never once thought of trying to learn the game. It looks like it requires more serious thought than I think I am honestly capable of giving.

The Absence of Alternatives said...

Please stop talking about your wife because I am seriously developing a crush on this lady. ;-)

The Absence of Alternatives said...

Oh. That was me evading the question. Neither smart nor intelligent, I prefer cards.

Melinda said...

Checkers. (Or draughts, as they say here. Why is it called draughts here?)
I love cards, too. I could whip Max's bum in a game of crazy eights, I'm sure!

Anonymous said...

He would beat me, too! I can't think fast enough for chess.

Lindsey Petersen

Dan said...

I taught my wife to play chess. I won the first game, drew the second, and I refuse to play her agan

Melissa said...

i love Lauren...LOL

Anonymous said...

Checkers is so much quicker than Chess. Too much thinking in Chess. With a 6 year old, we could play 10 games of Checkers to one of Chess. My chances of winning would be better in Checkers. William where were you when Dad taught the boys to play Chess? That's right, you were down at the woods, playing "Henry the Explorer".

SoMo said...

I prefer Checkers, because I am no good at strategy.

My daughter learned Chess at 6 yrs old, too, but she learned in her drama class. They have a life sized chess board and everyone gets to play one of the pieces. And it is nothing like History of the World, Part 1. ;)

Up until recently she was in the Chess club, but had to give it up because I guess she is a gymnastics girl. Her gymnastics class moved to the same day as her chess club meetings and she had to choose. I don't see it as a big loss she wasn't getting the strategy part of it. She rarely won, but she didn't seem to mind. Maybe she will pick it up again a bit later.

James (SeattleDad) said...

I haven't played a board game in years. I'm fun that way.

But if I were to, it would be checkers over chess.

Anonymous said...

parchisi

Anonymous said...

I will go to "Bogart" for the definition of "bad touch"

MrsDoF said...

My preference is checkers. The Summer I was 14, our neighborhood had a checkers tournament, when my cousin kept track of who beat who, and who played next winner, etc.
You are correct about the rules for jumping and kings.
Two of the kids from that time have found me on FaceBook.

Chess requires much strategy. I'm with Susie when I say that play is better when it seems mindless.
Although our school district starts requests in Kindergarten for students to join a Chess Club, with some really major competitions.