The Queen’s Gambit.
Chess, I have always thought was for posh people, that is until I saw ‘The Queens Gambit’ on Netflix. It is a riveting film and I, like hundreds of other non chess playing people have had the urge to learn the game. More fool me!!! As if I haven’t got enough to do.
I mentioned slightly hesitantly, my interest in this game to my son Iain—I say hesitantly, because Iain is a book worm, I once mentioned corrugated iron in a quite normal conversation, he disappeared for a few moments and returned with a huge book all about corrugated iron. I ask you, who do you know that would have such a book and also be able to find it in minutes.
Sure enough the words had hardly left my lips and as if he had several chess books up his jumper he immediately gave me some starter books about openings. Middle game and the end game. The books are for primary school children—I thought that was being very cheeky of him, I’m 89 in a couple of weeks!
I don’t swear very often, but ‘bloody top me’ what have I done, I can’t make head and tail of any of it. I think I’ll stick to painting.
But on the hand we have got another lockdown, and I wonder how many new Grandmasters are at the beginning of their careers. It’s an ill wind as they say.
Madeinchertsey 