Chess Update

So, last October I bought a "Chess for Dummies" book. I mostly got it because I like chess and it was cheap. Super cheap. But I've come to realize that I'm really not very good at chess. I knew I didn't think far enough ahead...being that chess requires you to think three, four, five, or even more moves ahead and I think about half a move ahead. I've come to realize, however, that I've got basic flaws in my game beyond even that severe liability. So I've started reading "Chess for Dummies". I get most of my reading done while I'm watching the kids during naptime, much to my bosses' chagrin. Truth be told, I end up reading ten to thirty pages a day, if I'm lucky, but she seems to think I should be doing something job-related if I'm doing anything during that time. My point is that if I were doing something job-related, it'd be something that would require real concentration and something I'd have to do right and actually make progress on. With a book, the priority is the kids. If I read a page one day, great. If not, it's no big deal. It's more to keep my mind active during two hours when I'd just as soon be taking a nap, too.

Anyway, I'm happy to report that in the 150 pages or so I've read, I've already found several flaws in my game that should be easily correctable and realized how several strategies I've avoided really are critical to success in the game. I haven't played Chessmaster in a couple weeks, so I haven't had a practical test yet, but I'm pretty sure my game's improved. Probably not enough to beat Tilson or waters, but it should give that monkey in Chessmaster a shock!