In the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer there's a scene where chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin's father comes into his room as Josh is studying the game and tells his son, "... It's just a game."

Josh pauses and replies firmly, "No... it's NOT."

That moment sent chills up my spine and flooded me with memories. When I began to understand the royal game of chess, I realized that it truly is far more than a mortal game. It can become Life itself. There is a whole lifestyle that can develop around the game at the upper levels.

I never understood this when I was growing up. I found chess fascinating with its intricate moves and patterns. It was also challenging and stretched my mental powers. And it was so competitive!

Coming from a competitive family headed by a father who hates to lose, it became a goal to beat my dad. I never did when I was growing up, but that thought stayed with me.

When I took up the game seriously in middle age to coach a high school chess team, I played my dad three times on my first visit back to Illinois. My childhood mission had been accomplished, as my dad was easily demolished. He didn't want to play me anymore. And I had no desire to play him -- there was no point.

I saw the same thing happen with young kids, mostly boys, whose initial goal in chess is to beat their father. I'm not going to offer up any Freudian analysis about this -- I just know it's a common theme running through young men. I coached many a beginning high school player who told me that this was their first goal.

Once that is accomplished, some want to move on to higher and higher levels. The funny thing about this game is -- the more you learn about it... the more you find that you do not know. It's a beautiful game that can never be completely mastered. Even Gary Kasparov, who perhaps is the greatest player who has ever played the game, occasionally will lose a game.

Chess is also a game that can be played throughout your life. It does take some physical endurance and a great deal of concentration to play at a competitive level, but your body doesn't have to be at peak performance like it would playing basketball, baseball, or football.

One of the reasons I love chess is that it's about the only game I can think of that does NOT rely on luck. All the moves are done in full view, so when you lose there is no one else to blame. Of course that can be a blow to the ego, but again that forces us to deal with our own weaknesses. Thus, there are many Life lessons to be learned from chess--the ultimate strategical and creative thinking game.

At the beginning levels of chess, it should be fun. Kids should enjoy the game when they begin, as it really is just a game at that level. If the child decides later that he wants to master chess, he has already discovered that it truly is MORE than a game.



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