What is Chess all about?

What is Chess all about? The simplest answer being a game doesn't really make neither the listener nor me happy. Henceforth I am starting off this column with a little bit of explanation on the rules, intention and how to achieve that intention. Sounds good ? So let's begin.

If you are totally unaware of how to play chess, then here are the rules that you need to follow. Sometimes the rules are misinterpreted, just to avoid those silly doubts one can still go through them.

What is the intention of playing Chess? There could be many, as for instance in my case, I play it just because of the feel good factor. Some play it to achieve the goal, so called The Grand Master, few enjoy playing it and couple of them to show off their skill on the 64 squared black and white board (well it can be colored too, personal preference is green and white board). But the ultimate intention is to capture the opponent's King!!! Yes, that is all you need to concentrate on. Bury this in mind, always make a move which pushes you a step forward in capturing the opponent's King.

The next question that I expect is - How do I achieve this Mr? Believe me, there is no perfect answer yet. Even the Grand Masters fail seldom. But definitely there are ways, one being how strong is your opponent ;). There are several strategies. The game is actually split into 3 main stages. The Opening , Middle game and the End game. And the Grand Masters have almost mastered these stages.

Opening involves in making a strong hold the central 4 squares of the board which are d4, d5, e4 & e5

There are several theories like King's Gamit, Petrov's defence, Open Games, Ruy, Lopez, Scotch Game etc how to start with. And followed by these openings are different variations like Sicilian Defence, French Defence, Queen's Gambit and many many more. Just before you start playing, a good practice would be to learn one of them, be comfortable, look at couple of variations and sit confident.

Openings are not only concentrated on having a good control over center of the board but also look at positioning your King safe, development of your army and positioning the Pawns to strengthen the fort.

The Middle game is where you try to take a lead in terms of pieces and attack.  A possible way is also strengthen your area and go for defence. This stages almost decides the fortune of the player.

I may be wrong with the last sentence. The fortune of the play can definitely turn over in the End game. Hence practice a couple of steps on how to capture King when you have only a Rook left, or only Bishops, or a combination of Rook and Bishop, or a combination of Knight and Bishop. You got to do a little bit of math to find all the possible combinations. Don't forget to look at how to advance your Pawns and turn them into either one of Queen, Rook, Bishop or Knight. Its a preference that you get a Queen, but not always it works fairly, even the Queen is treated as the most powerful member of your army.

Happy Playing. 

A new column, Chess

These days I have been tending to do something more than the normal routine of home and office. Life becomes such a boring thing when there is nothing more than work, I am not a workaholic, please spare me to live my life. I have always thought livelihood should be earned from what I like to do, where my interest lies, what makes me happy etc etc philosophy, but it really didn't work that way. I could not capitalize on the interest and skill on Chess.

If I were not a software engineer, wish I wasn't, I would have definitely been another Indian Grandmaster. 

So I have decided to a add a new column to my blogs on Chess. You can find loads of books on Chess, they can be much better than what I am going to chalk out here, but my instincts are not going to stop.

Very soon I will drag your attention towards chess, watch out this space :)

Bloody Muggers

Two incidents in Bangalore and One in Hong Kong, I am really going mad about muggers.

Couple of months back, in the first week, the newspaper agent came and collected the charges producing the bill. Dad collected the bill, handed over the amount in front of me. Normally I don't deal with monthly utility payments, either its dad or mom. The next day another agent came asking for the payment!!! We were shocked to find the previous guy turned out to be a fake one. He had duped several houses nearby. How smart!!! Nobody  had not authenticated him, this is how a mass robbery happens.

On Friday, 6th Aug, I was returning from office in my car. As usual, I had placed my mobile on the front non-driver seat and enjoying the music. At a signal near St. John's there was considerable traffic which made me switch off AC and open windows. Green came the signal and vehicles started moving slowly. A guy walked through the busy traffic. I was thinking what makes him scroll through such a huge traffic, making it more difficult for the vehicles to cross the signal. As soon as he passed my car, he started banging the rear door scolding me of driving on his feet. A few seconds I was puzzled thinking it was his mistake walking through such a crowded road. But the time I would react he yelled "go go go". Didn't really bother to continue the conversation and scold him black and blue. But I felt something strange about the incident just after I started moving. My hands some how searched for my mobile while eyes on the road. Suddenly realized it was missing!!! Confirmed it was a trick to distract me and rob me off. Thank god I had my wallet in my pant, other wise I normally place it too on the non-driver seat.

I had Samsung phone which comes with mobile tracker, a software which sends out sms to configured numbers upon changing the sim. Its been 2 days and I didn't receive sms yet, not sure if the mugger has deactivated it. Gosh, I had bought this handset just a month back. Now decided not to buy a new one, rather bank on an old handset gifted to my dad.

I always had the suggestion to service providers to be able to track a handset using IMEI, as in foreign countries, now turning out to be an advice.

A long but short drive

Did you ever felt like going for a long drive at 10 pm? At least I didn't get that urge even after having a car since 3.5 years. What is it like driving out at night? I don't like, may be because it's me who has to drive all the time and never get to enjoy sitting at the rear seat relaxing, listening to music with a drink in hand. Wouldn't that be wonderful drive, in case?

Here comes the but, Chinni got that urge to drive out yesterday, the persuasion increased when N forced her to have dinner, rice in particular !!! Having no other way, pulled by jacket, dumped couple of bucks in it and we headed out.

While I was concentrating on driving at 20-25 kmph, listening to songs on 94.3, N trying on finishing the rice that was brought, Chinni thoroughly enjoyed the drive identifying the shops, the schools, the stray dogs on road and the numbers at the signal. That's her habit of identifying objects, also making sure me and N have a look at it without fail.

Around 20 minutes of drive, we had hardly covered 3 kms on Bangalore's empty road. Chinni finished dinner and gave me an order "let's head back".

It was a long but short drive.

Have I changed?

This is not me, I am not the way I used to be. There is a lot of thought process happening before taking any decision since some time, not sure since when, may be after I became a father but definitely not when married. My decisions used be based on now situation and not on futuristic thoughts. I always wanted to live today rather than having a spreadsheet open with several sheets of calculation of every day, months and years to come. Is it called maturity? nah!!! According to me its being more conscious about one's dependents. Again, this is called maturity. I still don't agree that my thoughts got matured now, strongly disagree! Then what is it?

I am very hesitant to make a long term commitment, as in 15-20 years of a financial commitment. Needless to say I am in the process of buying a Home. Why does one go for his own home? 

• A sense of peace of mind that it is his
• Better utilization of the hard earned money
• Investment plan
• A place to live on his own terms

There could be many reasons. Why I want to go for my own home ? I just want get rid of annoying house owners. I do want to own one for the other obvious reasons, but the time isn't just right for me, I feel. There are few things that I want to finish off before start squeezing myself to save money to repay the loan. I want financial independence for some more time. I keep on asking myself - why live the same way others live ? can't I live the way I want ? The answer could have been yes if I wouldn't care about my family's future. I care but still want to live the way I want.

I don't know why do I get these unusual thoughts. It has to be either this or that, can't step into two boats at the same time and definitely can't ask my family to do the same. So how am I going to solve this problem ?

I don't know the answer yet, Time has it. Wait and watch!!!