Page 39 - Musings 2022

Chess in My Life
Ishan V. Sinai Kakodkar
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Lockdown had just begun, the pandemic was at its peak.

I was bored out of my mind, everything felt bleak.

Tried to find some solace online, but nothing there interested me.

These were strange times, people everywhere obsessed over coffee.

The days rolled by, and loafing about gave me nothing but stress.
Until I stumbled upon a video on YouTube, of a comedian playing chess.

It was mind boggling that a game of such skill could be played online, sitting at home.

All that one needed was a stable internet connection, and a browser like Chrome.

The game piqued my curiosity, and I was instantly hooked.

Played regularly and realised, chess wasn’t as nerdy as it looked.

The game of strategy and thinking is considered a waste of time by some.
The same game had now become the Kryptonite to my boredom.

Pawns moving forward, bishops slicing through and knights hopping about,
The enemy king and his forces are left helpless when the queen comes out.

Several ideas and complex patterns can be quite intimidating.
But finding the right tactical sequence to win is very exhilarating.

Chess is satisfying when I play well and brutal when I get no result.

That’s what makes it a funny game- so simple to play, but to master, difficult.

The beautiful games of the old masters gave joy to my soul.

However, when I wasn’t careful, they sent me down a rabbit hole.

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