The Taming Squadron

I have not worked or had regular income since the day before Thanksgiving in 2008 [1]. Needless to say, its been hard. Do I have time to blog? Probably. Extra mental energy? Maybe, maybe not.

But those of you who know me, are aware that I have been playing chess all along. Hiatus from the bloggesphere? Yes. Absence from chess? Not hardly. But far be it for me to say that I have been luxuriating in endless and sweet reverie in chess, I have not.

I have played plenty, just not at all times. One needs piece of mind to give chess ones all, and I do NOT play for fun. I play for sport, to win, to kill and destroy. Chess is war the way I do it--its all business.


Where I am currently making a big breakthrough is:

Playing regularly in scale, instead of as I did before--marathon sessions for weeks, only to thereafter HAVE TO stop due to stress and exhaustion--and sequestering back in study. Now I try to play every day, or nearly every day, but take more time to review losses, opening prep, CTS, all that. Proportionality and balance.


I am finally 1500 at ICC at 5 0. A rippedly bloody harsh game. My blitz is at 1531, and soon to be 1600 (its out of date now), which ranks 6,732 out of 14,442, but the 5-Minute ranks only 2306 out of 4,153 yet is far more competitive. I also plan to finally hit 1500 at bullet--and I do not mean 1 0--but 0 4, which starts with 12 seconds at ICC and ten at FICS, and can easily have 4 minute games with long endings, avoiding silly Armageddon.

Love to all, dk

[1] But as is plain to see for the eyes, am not doing badly in ALL areas: my beloved Courtney, whom I met on twitter--been to visit in Seattle twice. 23 day second date. Two folks not totally familiar in one tiny house for 3+ weeks without ever going to total war is a good sign. She is the best woman ever! Needless to say, she is very type B to my type A, and so it works....