2001-02-16 - 23:40:40

Gone To Jersey

I'm going to be taking a hiatus here for a couple of days. Over the holiday weekend I'm going to a huge team chess tournament in New Jersey. It's something of a tradition: I've been going to this tournament every year for the past 15 years.

There is one difference this year though: Lily is going with me. She doesn’t play chess and I warned her that she was going to be frightfully bored. She pointed out that she would be even more bored up here alone in the Hamster Palace without me. Isn’t that sweet? Anyway, I'm very glad that she's coming with me. I'm definitely going to need the moral support.

I am very rusty, chess-wise. The last serious games I played were at the disastrous tournament over Fourth of July Weekend last year. My concentration was very bad, and I got pounded. Since then I haven't felt the urge to play, at all. I have a feeling that I am going to be losing a lot this weekend.

The Frown Town Chess Club is sending two four-man teams this year and I am going to be playing board one for the second team. This is on the theory that I would have a better chance of winning there than, say, a stuffed teddy bear occupying the chair. At least that's the theory.

Technically, I should do okay. Playing chess is like riding a bicycle: once you learn you never forget. However a lot of being a good chessplayer is memory, specifically memory of opening moves. I was casually testing what I remember a couple days ago and it seems I have forgotten a lot. I'll play over moves in my head, then hit a barrier in my head. It's frustrating, because I know that I did remember this stuff, but I don’t any more.

To add to my misgivings is the fact that my blood sugars have not been good this week, especially today. It could be the stress of the impending trip that's making them spike. Whatever the reason, high blood sugar is also not helpful when it comes to things that require concentration.

I have to go now. Wish me luck!