Your Time / My Time

Submitted by 4268N8703W on Thu, 01/10/2008 at 4:48am.

In the past chess was played in tents under the Arabian sun, by the fire in a Russian dacha, in the library of an English country house, in the captain's quarters on a sailing ship far out in the South Pacific...Your opponent just a few feet away, your pride and talent right there in the room with you both. You probably knew your opponent pretty well; so you played your best to pass the time and maybe gain a little respect in victory and defeat.

I'm guessing you started the game with the intention of finishing it, barring a sand storm or a typhoon. You certainly wouldn't just get up and leave the game without a word as to what you were doing.

Chess.com brings a fantastic dimension to chess in that it exposes you to players from all over the world right from the comfort of your home; ways to play and improve your game in the blink of an eye compared to Captian Cook.

The downside is you can't look your opponent in the eye. The bonds of respect and decorum aren't established. It's too easy to let the rest of your life pull you away from the game.

If I've challenged you, or accepted your challenge; I'm attempting to finish the game in a reasonable amount of time. I will give your game my undivided attention if we're both on-line making moves. If you're thinking thru a move: take your time, do your best. That's certainly part of it!

If I can't finish or need to get away, I'll let you know when I can get back. With my job it might be for a day or two...Maybe our surroundings aren't as nice as that English country house, but maybe the spirit of our game can be as strong as the game is old...

» posted in 4268N8703W's Blog

161 reads | 7 comments

Comments:

by qtsii - 18 hours ago
Machiavelli United States

Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 1439

Good article!

by VernalFire - 2 months ago
Sydney Australia

Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 280

I think your contribution is excellent. When I start any game I play, and those who I have played against will testify, I always give a greeting to my opponent, as I think it is essential to be on side with them. In any game we play, we are at one with our opponent, we are drawn into the same world that they are in, with full concentration on a board with 64 squares that has unlimited calculations of moves to be made. I enjoy playing the game with anyone, it such an addictive game. My viewpoint about the game is that winning is good but the more important aspect of it is the friendship and fellowship you have one with the other. It is a tremendous game, a game to be enjoyed by all.

by checkmayte - 5 months ago
comanche, okla. United States

Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 1413

This is some good stuff. I too find it important to be cordial in my games, with the love of chess deep in my soul, I find it quite annoying when I come accross a player who does'nt share the same values as myself regarding mannerism when on-line. Personally I treat all my chess games as if I was sitting with a friend because that is exactly what I am doing when I play with you....It is almost sad to not be able to meet some of the wonderfull people whom I play chess with, Thank you all for lifting my spirits today...Glenn

by padken - 5 months ago
wexford Ireland

Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 69

What a nice contribution form 42...! It conjures up wondeful images. We live in changing andchallenging times, but at least your opponent can't "run you through" or order 50 lashes if you dare to beat him, or even have you "keel hauled"! And when the rate of change inevitably slows dow, maybe those other values (the mannerly ones I mean!) will have time to catch up! Incidentally, my own introduction to chess was as a 17 year old deck apprentice on board a deep sea merchant vessel en route to the Fiji Islands from Dublin. Well done 4268N8703W. Thank you sir.....

by TonyGas - 6 months ago
London England

Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 386

What a superb, blog (I hate that word, superb and BLOG are almost an oxymoron in my eyes). I totally agree with Bob, I always say 'hi' or 'good luck' and I suppose we are just more civilised than some other people. Maybe common decency just isn't particularly common. On the plus side, I have had some great conversations on this site where the chess has almost become incidental. I know that is not the point of the site, but it is something I enjoy about it.

by roundtuit - 7 months ago
Sydney Australia

Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 1750

Manners are the thing we can all improve, even if we can't improve our game. When I start a game, I usually type in Hi, or Hello, especially if it my first with that player, I am not particularly trying to start a whole conversation, I realise some people like a quiet game where they can think, but too often that Hello sits staring at me all through the game, with no reply, and is eventually joined by my next input "thank you for the game" after 10, 20 or even 30 days. It can be a sad world.

by porterism - 7 months ago
Winnipeg Canada

Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 101

I wholeheartedly agree, but I think the Internet has changed our whole decorum far beyond the chessboard. We no longer have to deal with the consequences of our lousy manners. It's a shame, but I guess we all learn to adapt the best we can.

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