Chess and Aikido
 

I appreciate that this isn't really appropriate here, but since being banned from Aikido for a year, i have to take up other past-times, One of these being Chess. Now I have enjoyed the odd game with m,y dad for many years now, and would even go as far in saying that I am a reasonable player. That's kind of like Aikido too really? I consider myself a reasonable Aikidoka. No I can't perform more than a few waza off by heart, but I love my aiki (if such a thing is possible) and she loves me. Hence the claim.

Back to the chess, so yeah i like picking up the odd game here and there, both on live boards and digital ones. I have also found a website which, for the princely sum of under ten dollars a month, offers online learning. I tried out a few of their freebie videos, and then proceeded to trounce a 1700 player on the web. Whereas my rating is right now, low 1400s. So what's all that about? ;-)

Re: Chess and Aikido
 

That just like many things in life, rank is not always an accurate measure of one's true ability/skill.

Try not to fixate on these things to much.

Came here because thread title reminded me of a book by Josh Waitzkin called 'The Art of Learning'. Chess master and tai chi world champion. Good read, insightful, helpful.

Good luck, have fun.

Re: Chess and Aikido
 

I was banned from chess for life because the Medieval Feudalism it represents was unfair to the lesser ranked pieces. I adopted a Socialist Communist model for my chest pieces, all the pieces were equal, all could move like the queen could.

Re: Chess and Aikido
 

:)
It seems checkers is for you.

OT, I don't see much similarities between chess and aikido. OTOH, Waitzkin being mentioned, it is interesting how he 'progressed' from chess to tai chi to BJJ.

Re: Chess and Aikido
 

Maurice Ashley is a chess grand master and also an Aikidoist

Re: Chess and Aikido
 

I think it is about perspective. Have you read the book?

Short version of 'similarities between chess and 'martial arts' is: In the beginning you build 'your own foundational understanding' of things. Once that is established enough you then to learn to understand the relationship between your position and that of your opponent(s). Later on you begin to become sensitive enough to them on contact to find weaknesses in their position and exploit it.

So in chess, that is being sensitive enough to their opening, positioning, traps they lay to draw you in/out over extend your position and catch you off balance. Or wait... was I talking about Aikido there... :D

Re: Chess and Aikido
 

Or...like game theory (one of my favorite subjects in college).

Re: Chess and Aikido
 

Rating develops through playing, so early on it's not an accurate measure. The online ratings I've seen are inflated compared to USCF and what I remember of scholastic chess ratings. Online I'm about 1540, but my USCF rating was 1103 (based on 4 games, though) and my scholastic was around 1400 (based on dozens), and I was far more familiar with opening and end game theory back then. It's all relative.
I have never been a very strong chess player, but I once tore apart one of the state's top scholastic players...well, his opening at least :D (I love that Staunton Gambit!). I knew I had the advantage, but I got so worked up I missed the rook he had hung, and he was more than good enough to recoup the small advantage I did get out of it. It didn't help when I realized I missed that rook though....and I was already nervous enough being that this was the high school state championship tournament.
So the lessons I learned from that were not unlike some of the lessons I work on while practicing Aikido. Everything is training and learning to better refine my responses to things, whether in Aikido or chess, is part of the fun of them for me.
Timing, space, position, and strategy are crucial to both along with the ability to track multiple pieces simultaneously through a constantly changing interaction.

That's what the box says, but when you open it that set has a king, a queen, and 14 pawns on each side. :p