Today is November 6, 2013, and the time is 8:19am. I am in my parents' kitchen on the mac, beginning a blog about my quest to become a chess master. Yes, about a month ago I set some important goals for my chess career, and these are as follows:
1. To be rated 1600 by October 1, 2014
2. To be rated 2200 by October 1, 2017
The first of these goals is probably going to be a lot easier than the second. But even the first may prove to be quite difficult. I will need patience, tenacity, determination, and a lot of hope.
I call this quest "Operation: Continental Drift" because progress in chess is not something that happens overnight. Rather, it is a long process of epic thrills and epic disappointments. In the end, every battle waged on the chess board, whether victory or defeat (or draw), is just one small step of progress on the road to improvement, which comes with experience. So again it is like the separation of the continents of Africa and South America: every thousand years there is a very small amount of progress made, a very small amount of separation. But after a million years, and then 100 million years, there is substantial and irreparable/irreversible drift that has occurred. That is my plan, and again I compare (my) becoming a chess master to the separation of the continents of Africa and South America: it takes a long time. It is gradual. It must be steady and constant and continuous if it is ever going to take place. But when it does take place, the progress is substantial and irreversible; it is permanent. Every day a small amount of progress is made towards this goal, whether win or loss. My mission is to stay the course, to weather the storm, to stay consistent and steady, and to learn something from every game I play, every move I make, and every move my opponents make. In this way I will gain experience and wisdom, and eventually become a master of the game of chess.
My official published rating is currently 1435 as of the November supplement of the United States Chess Federation (USCF). My current unofficial rating is 1501 as of today. No matter; there is a long way to go no matter how the current situation is presented.
My plan for accomplishing my goal is the following: I will play a lot of chess, as much as I can: long games, with times of 60 minutes or more. I will record my games and go over them with my coaches, which include Steve and Andre. I will prepare myself mentally for every game through writing and prayer, through blogging and conversation with my favorite saint, Therese of Lisieux. Then after my games I will likewise live the examined and disseminated life. During my games, I will do my best to think and to act in a timely and prudent fashion, according to what the position demands.
I pray to be humble and to take advice from others, while developing my own style of play.
Amen.
