Almost end of chess season

Finally the chess season is ending. Only one game left and the league in season 2010/2011 will be finished.
In general I have a good impression after all games I played. I won 4 games, 3 draws and 1 lost. So the final result is +3. Could it be better?
I think it was possible, especially last game I should win (instead of drawing). I had an advantage in material, but my opponent did find an eternal check.
Summarizing, the season wasn't bad. I had quite good results against opponents with higher ratings than mine.
As I mentioned, only one game left and it will be really difficult one. My opponent is rated 400 points more than I and it's not going to be an easy game. But we will see.

Family or chess

What is more important for you: the chess or your family? Most of us will answer that family is most important and the question is irracional.

Of course, it is right, but... How many players wanted to play in chess tournament, but his/her partner said, that it is not good idea. I have some friends and whenever they want to play with me (or our friends), there is a problem. Usually it is, that girlfriend/wife says that chess is more important for us. It is funny, because how it is possible, that the chess is more important than the other person.

Women needs to understand that we need some time to spend it with our friends playing chess. And it doesn't mean it is most important activity in our life.

Do you have similar troubles when you want to play chess with your friends?

Blog still exists

I know there are no new posts, but I would like to inform you all, that my chess blog still exists. There will be some new articles soon. Please be patient.
Last weeks I am very busy. I have a lot of things to do and none of them are related to the chess.

Who am I?

I'm not going to write a long story about myself. I've asked this question, because I want to say something, how am I seen in the internet. Not as a blogger, but as a chess player.

I did write an article about online chess some time ago. I wrote, inter alia, that online chess kills this sport. Some people did not understand me. I meant that the chess as a sport will be changed. The form of chess will be changed.
So far we had an opportunity to discuss with our opponent, to know him, to see him. Now the situation is different. I am not a real player. I am not a human. I am just the rating which has to be beaten. And that is true. We don't need to see our opponent. We don't care how does he look. He is anonymous for us.
I don't like this. And to me the chess over the board will always be more important than online chess. Even if sometimes I'm to lazy too go on the tournament which takes place in the same city where I live.

Does the FIDE organization like you?

Do you think that FIDE organization likes you? Do you think you are important for them? You are absolutly right with some exceptions.

sxc.hu

First of all, not you are important for them, but your money. I think if you are not a top grand master they don't even know about your existence. It is only important that you pay for your cometition in tournaments.
Do you need a title? No problem. FIDE will help you. They created for us for example CM title. In case, FIDE doesn't have enough money, they will probably create another one title CCM (means candidate on candidate master).
Why do you think FIDE decreased the level of Elo rating? Because they like us? No they need money. Our money.
I wonder what else do they propose all chess players to get more money. Any ideas?

I'm a super moderator at chess forum

I'm proud to inform my readers that I have been a new super moderator at http://the-chess-forum.com.

It's young forum leaded by Oliver Stones. He still develops his forum and we all are sure that it will be one of a top forum in the net.
So far there are a lot of topics to discuss. There is also possibility to apply chess game to analyze by installed on this forum the PGN viewer.
Oliver (his nick name is bigoliver) is doing really good job. He is nice and friendly for users so everyone who registers will be well treated.
Please also note there is organized also the contest with prizes for users.

Boring GM's life

If you are going to be a Grand Master in chess, you need to know that your life will be boring and really stressful. Why do I think that?

Let me explain some things first.
No, I am not a GM and I'm not going to be at all.
Based on my experience in tournaments in Spain and Poland I see, that many GMs and IMs play in tournaments for money. They need to play for money, because they do not have any other possibility.
As we all know, if we are going to be GM we need to devote large part of our life (very often including school, job, family). And in many cases it is as I mentioned. I have seen a lot of GMs and IMs from Poland, Eastern Europe, South Europe, Latin America, USA, etc., so I know what I am saying.
Their life is boring, because they go from one tournament to another with expectation to win something. They do not have job (as they didn't care about it in the past). But they need money, so what they can do is only to play chess.
I see they do not have any pleasure with playing chess. They only think about money.
Funny thing is that if there are a few big tournaments (I met such situations several times in Madrid), so for example 5 GMs discuss where to play. And for example two of them play in one tournament, two of them in another, etc., so there is a big chance that all of them will be happy.
I know that many of you will not agree with me. But please understand that I'm not talking about top GMs, but only about ones with ratings 2400-2550. There are a lot of such players in the world.
Why their life is boring? It is boring, because their life is unsure. They do not know if they will be able to survive next months. They need to play, because they need money. They cannot do anything beside playing chess. Usually they cannot any skills needed to perform normal job.
Maybe from other perspective it doesn't look boring (I mean from perspective of weak player), but in real it is not lucky life.
The conclusion is that if you are going to be a Grand Master and you are going to devote everything you need to be a top player. Only such players have a happy life.