Game of the Week: Chess

When I was a kid we often played checkers, but never chess.  Chess to me was always this kind of advanced game that tested the players' intelligence.  In high school some of my classmates would spend their lunch hour and breaks playing chess with each other, but other than just learning enough of the rules to be able to follow it at a primitive level, I steered clear of the game.  Still, I have a few observations about it.  I'm always impressed when a game is going on and one of the players moves a piece and says something like "checkmate in 5 moves".  To me, each turn in chess is like a brand-new game: you may think that you have an intricate strategy at one time, but then your opponent moves their piece and everything is upset, and you have to start all over with your strategy the next move.  I'm very impressed by those who have learned to play the game at a level of competency, but I also know that success in chess doesn't necessarily mean you're smart in everything...just in playing chess.  When I turned 60 a few years back, I qualified to become a member of the local seniors recreation center just down the road, a mile from my home.  But even knowing that every Wednesday they had a chess group and were open to beginners, I have never taken advantage of the opportunity to go there and see what happens.  But who knows, once this Covid crap dies down I may just try it out...