The Beginning

I start this blog in October of 2010 as my chess training journal. I am 52 years old and have started playing tournament chess again after a short break of 35 years.

I stopped playing tournament chess in 1975 when I was 17. As time has gone on, I have occasionally played around against the computer, taught my sons chess, and went to a handful of club meetings.

Sometime in the very late 90's, while wandering around a Barnes and Noble, I came across a book, whose title intrigued me, Chess Master at Any Age by Rolf Wetzell. Browsing through the book raised my interest further. I thought I could follow the study plans or modify them to suite me. I bought the book, took it home, and put it on the shelf. I had bought other chess books through the years, skimmed them, and then put them on the shelf.

In 2002, my employer enabled me to pursue other endeavors  (I was laid off), and I took up parenting duties as my wife went back to work full time. In 2009, my eldest son went off to college, and over the next few months, I found my mind searching for challenges.  In January of 2010, I took Wetzell's book down off the shelf.

I bought a copy of Fritz 12, cleared off the chess table my grandfather made, unpacked the chess pieces I had bought to match the table, and pulled a few other books off the shelf. I was hooked again.