Russians have a thing for chess and, frankly, are very good at it. Being from San Diego, I thought chess was something you put photo albums in.
Playing Chess
Playing chess requires thinking ten or twelve steps ahead. If I wanted to understand the Russian mind, I had to learn to play chess. If nothing else, it would be a good way to pass the time. This I was told by Robert, an American living in the same town as me.
I wasnt particularly excited about learning, but gave in one day after growing tired of staring out the window. I had seen the movie, Searching for Bobby Fisher. What more could I possibly need? How hard could it be?
After beginning the game, Robert took pity on me after I apparently made some moves that were questionable. He explained why he was making particular moves and the resulting implications for my king. The game proceeded slowly while he explained strategies to his inattentive student. Then the magic moment occurred.
I imagine every teacher suffers from the occasional embarrassment of being outdone by a student. I like to call it beginners luck and invoke the empirical evidence at horse racing tracks and Las Vegas...