5 ms·

I can relate to this. Chess is a beautiful game, but for certain people it isnt just addictive; its a complete escape, a way to tune out the world and just get

I can relate to this. Chess is a beautiful game, but for certain people it isnt just addictive; its a complete escape, a way to tune out the world and just get lost in a game. I was going through some personal problems a year back and found myself constantly just staying up into the night, playing game after game of 5/0 or 3/2 blitz chess. I couldn't stop. It was therapeutic, but also a way of sort of avoiding the problems I had going in my life. I know it wasnt the best use of my time, but man it felt good to tune out for a while and in a weird way I think it helped me get through some of the problems I was facing.

sharkweek 9y ago
I'm sorry to hear about your going through troubles, but you're absolutely right about a good game of chess requiring such a high level of focus that it removes all distractions out out necessity to play well.
jacobolus 9y ago
If you can, try to find someone else willing to play with you in person when you get stuck like this. I’ve occasionally spent a few hours playing chess, or connect four, or table football, or some mindless card game with someone when one or both of us was going through a rough spot, and the combination of relatively automatic action plus occasional conversation with a human on the other side is very helpful.
pm90 9y ago
People have different coping mechanisms to difficult circumstances. I found that video games helped me a lot after a really brutal break up; to kinda escape into a different world with fixed rules and rewards. Its weird because I don't generally play a lot in normal situations, but this circumstance somehow made the prospect of playing video games all day very attractive.
hwayern 9y ago
There's something about needing to focus on a singular action that really helps you detach, I find. I don't think it's necessarily avoiding it - when you're detached and not thinking about it I think you give yourself space to reorient. Sometimes the world gets too noisy and you can't think straight. That said, I once tried to relax by playing a chess game and I almost punched something I was so frustrated with how quiet and slow the game was ;)
- frandroid 9y ago
  That's why you play 5 minute blitzes!! :)
  - wideem 9y ago
    I play 30 minutes games and still don't have enough time to think my moves though. It's amazing for me how people can play blitz or bullet games
    - throwaway7645 9y ago
      Blitz is frowned upon at the upper levels by a lot of players for that reason. However, some such as #1 rated of all time "Magnus Carlsen", play a bit of blitz on the side.
- finid 9y ago
  If you're frustrated by the pace of the game, then I think you're not thinking deep enough.
  - asimpletune 9y ago
    This is so true
  - hwayern 9y ago
    Ha! Probably, honestly. I've never been too great at thinking way ahead.
    - chongli 9y ago
      It's something that takes tons and tons of practice. The more positions and tactics and openings you burn into your long term memory the less you need to keep in short term memory. The best players in the world have put so many thousands of hours into the game that they can beat casual players trivially without thinking more than one move ahead. They owe this ability to having vast knowledge of fundamentals and theoretical lines in all the most common positions. This is how they are able to win simultaneous exhibitions against a large number of casual players.
parthdesai 9y ago
I find it the same in gym. It's like active meditation for me.
mowenz 9y ago
I have had the same thing in the past. I'm not even good at chess (compared to good players), and I wasn't getting better--I wasnt studying my games, I was just trying to escape and distract myself. Totally unhealthy in my case. In other words, it can be good or bad addiction.
handzhiev 9y ago
Chess is my way to survive a 12 hours flight. Nothing else helps time fly the same way.
- gozzoo 9y ago
  I guess you play on your phone. What app do you use? And what would be a good app for casual chess playing, learning, solving puzzles?
  - handzhiev 9y ago
    Actually I use the plane screen app when available to save the battery. But when not - "Chess Free" on Android. I am not a great player so I have no idea if the AI is good. It beats me pretty often :)
  - JetSpiegel 9y ago
    Lichess, hands down.
  - thope 9y ago
    Definitely lichess
  - Bootvis 9y ago
    For playing I like tChess (on iOS). It costs money but was worth it for me. No puzzles though.
  - ktRolster 9y ago
    For those who like it hardcore, freechess.org is where it's at. They do it for the game, not for the money.
    - djanatan 9y ago
      If you're not playing on Lichess, you're on the wrong site. I am USCF 2100 and have played on almost every chess server. Nothing comes close.
zem 9y ago
i used to spend several hours every night playing blitz scrabble online. then i realised i wasn't even enjoying it that much, nor was it particularly improving my game; i just got into a zone and kept playing one game after another. i quit cold turkey and don't even miss it.
amitprayal 9y ago
Shatranj Ke Khiladi, The Chess Players (film)

sharkweek 9y ago

I'm sorry to hear about your going through troubles, but you're absolutely right about a good game of chess requiring such a high level of focus that it removes all distractions out out necessity to play well.

jacobolus 9y ago

If you can, try to find someone else willing to play with you in person when you get stuck like this. I’ve occasionally spent a few hours playing chess, or connect four, or table football, or some mindless card game with someone when one or both of us was going through a rough spot, and the combination of relatively automatic action plus occasional conversation with a human on the other side is very helpful.

pm90 9y ago

People have different coping mechanisms to difficult circumstances. I found that video games helped me a lot after a really brutal break up; to kinda escape into a different world with fixed rules and rewards. Its weird because I don't generally play a lot in normal situations, but this circumstance somehow made the prospect of playing video games all day very attractive.

hwayern 9y ago

There's something about needing to focus on a singular action that really helps you detach, I find. I don't think it's necessarily avoiding it - when you're detached and not thinking about it I think you give yourself space to reorient. Sometimes the world gets too noisy and you can't think straight. That said, I once tried to relax by playing a chess game and I almost punched something I was so frustrated with how quiet and slow the game was ;)

frandroid 9y ago
That's why you play 5 minute blitzes!! :)
- wideem 9y ago
  I play 30 minutes games and still don't have enough time to think my moves though. It's amazing for me how people can play blitz or bullet games
  - throwaway7645 9y ago
    Blitz is frowned upon at the upper levels by a lot of players for that reason. However, some such as #1 rated of all time "Magnus Carlsen", play a bit of blitz on the side.
finid 9y ago
If you're frustrated by the pace of the game, then I think you're not thinking deep enough.
- asimpletune 9y ago
  This is so true
- hwayern 9y ago
  Ha! Probably, honestly. I've never been too great at thinking way ahead.
  - chongli 9y ago
    It's something that takes tons and tons of practice. The more positions and tactics and openings you burn into your long term memory the less you need to keep in short term memory. The best players in the world have put so many thousands of hours into the game that they can beat casual players trivially without thinking more than one move ahead. They owe this ability to having vast knowledge of fundamentals and theoretical lines in all the most common positions. This is how they are able to win simultaneous exhibitions against a large number of casual players.

parthdesai 9y ago

I find it the same in gym. It's like active meditation for me.

mowenz 9y ago

I have had the same thing in the past. I'm not even good at chess (compared to good players), and I wasn't getting better--I wasnt studying my games, I was just trying to escape and distract myself. Totally unhealthy in my case. In other words, it can be good or bad addiction.

handzhiev 9y ago

Chess is my way to survive a 12 hours flight. Nothing else helps time fly the same way.

gozzoo 9y ago
I guess you play on your phone. What app do you use? And what would be a good app for casual chess playing, learning, solving puzzles?
- handzhiev 9y ago
  Actually I use the plane screen app when available to save the battery. But when not - "Chess Free" on Android. I am not a great player so I have no idea if the AI is good. It beats me pretty often :)
- JetSpiegel 9y ago
  Lichess, hands down.
- thope 9y ago
  Definitely lichess
- Bootvis 9y ago
  For playing I like tChess (on iOS). It costs money but was worth it for me. No puzzles though.
- ktRolster 9y ago
  For those who like it hardcore, freechess.org is where it's at. They do it for the game, not for the money.
  - djanatan 9y ago
    If you're not playing on Lichess, you're on the wrong site. I am USCF 2100 and have played on almost every chess server. Nothing comes close.

zem 9y ago

i used to spend several hours every night playing blitz scrabble online. then i realised i wasn't even enjoying it that much, nor was it particularly improving my game; i just got into a zone and kept playing one game after another. i quit cold turkey and don't even miss it.

amitprayal 9y ago

Shatranj Ke Khiladi, The Chess Players (film)