Category: chess

SHATTERED dreams

I am playing chess with our son, Walter (11) who’s been member of the local chess club for a couple of years now.
His papa is walking by. He stops, looking interested.
Husband: ‘What is happening here precisely?’
Walter: ‘Playing chess with mama. She is a superb player, we’ve been fighting for half an hour at least!’
Husband: ‘Walter, your mama cannot play chess.’
Walter: ‘Of curse she can! What smart steps! And her strategy is amazing!’
Husband (in resignation): ‘It’s not only the name of the pieces she is not aware of but also how much one can move in which direction.’
Me (crushed, with eyes downcast): ‘Walter, what papa says is perfectly true.’
Walter: ‘But how come then that you play so terrifically good??’
Me: ‘I’ve just copied your movements. Each and every one of them.’
Walter: ‘So the past 30 minutes I’ve been amazed by my own chess knowledge?’
Me: ‘Sort of.’ 

Chess hard

My son (10) enrolled himself to the local chess club.

Me currently at the cafe.

The average age seems 70+ (counting my son, too).

But then – look, there are even disco lights installed!! These chess players must be real party animals.

Work hard – chess hard, as the saying goes.

Illogical

Today I am biking with my son, Walter (10), to his chess class.

He is just explaining me how he beat papa in chess yesterday in only 1 step.

Walter (10): ‘..and so I chose this unlogical step and managed to surprise & beat papa in only 1 step!’

Me: ‘Illogical.’

Walter: ‘Excuse me?’

Me: ‘In English we say ‘illogical’ when something is not logical, instead of ‘unlogical’.’

Walter: ‘What? English people even created a completely not logical word to express how not logical something is?’

***

No comment ..I stay silent about all the rest, he has time to discover by himself..

Stand-up

Our son (10) coming home from his chess lesson:
Me: …And, how did it go today?
He: The coach asked me to play against a boy, who at a certain moment told me ‘I have lost, I give it up!’ Then within 2 seconds he added ‘Haha, it was just a joke, I am not giving it up!’
Me: How did you react?
He: I told him I really don’t understand when somebody with such great sense of humour wastes his talent for chess and does not pursue a career in stand-up comedy, instead..

This is also Belgium

I just love multiculturalism.

On Sunday I had a discussion with a papa, whose daughter goes for chess in the same club with my son. The man is originating from India, and we often see each other in the cafeteria.

He: ‘Are you Flemish? I can’t tell – you look like one, but you speak English here..’

Me: ‘I am Hungarian. ..Were you already born in Belgium?’

He: ‘No, still back in India. So, Hungary…well, sorry, all I know of the country is that it has its own unique language, and used to belong to the communist block…’

Me: ‘No worries. In exchange, all we know about India is that it is 1 country…a nice big country, though..’

He: ‘That’s right. The size of Europe. I, for example, have never been in our capital.. I see you are also a fan of clichés.. ‘

Me: ‘Absolutely. Anyway, what do you work in Belgium?’

He: ‘I am a space engineer, working for the European Space Agency.’

Me: ‘Oh, you must then be frequently visiting the Mars.’

He: ‘Not so often any more, I don’t have much free time, so only at the weekends. Where do you work?’

Me: ‘At a bankinsurer.’

He: ‘Then you must be terribly rich!’

Me: ‘ Oh, don’t even mention. We’ve just recently changed at home our gas heating for burning paper – in order to get rid of the piles of banknotes.’

He: ‘Okay, I see chess has finished, the children are returning. Continue next Sunday?’

Me: ‘Fine, see you next Sunday.’