Joys That Chess Players Experience!Joys That Chess Players Experience!

As chess players, we seek joy in different activities related to chess. In this article, I share some of them which makes me joyful. I am sure that you will be able to connect with them!

1. Solving a study:

There are varieties in studies; the ones having linear solutions, complicated variations or branched out positions often transposing to other studies or theoretically known positions.Here, I share one study that made me very happy:

Before going further, you may want to try solving the position.

Black’s rook is threatening the white pawn on f7. White cannot afford to protect it due to back rank weakness. But, white has a way to deflect the black rook with 1.Re5+!

Black is forced to capture 1…Rxe5

Now, white cannot promote his pawn as he has to take care of his back rank. So, 2.g4! This move not only solves white’s back rank, but also prevents black’s rook from coming to f5 and guarding the promotion square on f8

Black is forced to proceed with 2…Re1+ 3.Kg2 Re2+ 4.Kf3

Now, black has to go for 4..Rf1

5.Kf2, attacking the rook and intending f8=Q 5…Re4

What next?

6.f8=Q Rf4+ 7.Qxf4 gxf4 8.h4 and the pawn race with the help of X-ray attack, the result goes in favor of white!

2. Matching Moves with the Masters

This is a fun game that I play usually when I am just browsing through the live games. I take a moment to guess the move of the top player to see if I could match the moves. If I don’t understand a particular move, I check with the engine to see what the intention is and what aspect of the position I missed. 

You can do this on chess24/chessbomb/chess.com/ICC/Playchess. In Playchess, they have a GuessTheMove option along with the betting facility!

3. When the Buchholz tiebreak favors you!

I have had a balanced chemistry with this tiebreak, where it has favored me and on other occasions has favored others. But, the joy one experiences on seeing the final list and knowing that the Buchholz has actually favored you is beyond anything!

4. When you have outplayed your opponent in calculations by seeing one move more than your opponent!

5. Of course, winning a tournament comes in the list!

6. Watching a post-portem analysis of top clashes

7. Playing the game blindfolded. A lot of players do this while they are traveling. I have also written for 8cross8 on how to develop your visualization skills

8. When you finally get to execute your novelty on the board (smiles) How many of you have done that?

9. Buying a new chess set is a joyful experience. Recently, I bought one from Gujarat. The board gives me the feeling as if I’m playing on a wooden chess board. The organizers of National challengers offered the board at a discount price and I thought ‘why not?’

10. Blitz Marathons! This is an ongoing trend on many sites, some call it banter blitz and some call it a clash of the Titans. Watching it and playing it, both are entertaining.

I have shared a lot of such experiences on my sillitics page. Do make sure to like it:

https://www.facebook.com/ChessSillitics/

I would like to know what gives you joy J