Or at least, don't prosper at the chess board if you want to live long. That's the message from Sciurus of Squirrel Chess, who blogged here howchess grandmasters have to pay a price for their extraordinary ability. I browsed through a copy of "The psychology of chess skill" by Dennis H. Holding and found that the average life expectancy of outstanding chess players is almost one decade shorter than the life expectancy of minor masters (60.1 vs. 68.1 years, respectively.)
Well, I guess a minor master is an IM; a few hundred Elo points below them are FMs, and then a few hundred Elo points below FMs are me. So by that reckoning, I ought reach the age of 84.1 years! I can live with that.
My friend Michelle, meanwhile, revealed in the comments here that she can't quite remember the rules of our deadly game. Now I'm no scientist, but I am pretty sure that makes her immortal. Good news indeed.
Happy New Year, Streatham & Brixton Chess Club and everyone else. May it be a healthy one, whatever happens to your rating.
7 comments:
Photo via the excellent Guy Dube. Please click on the photo itself to see a larger version.
I haven't played a competitive game in nearly six months. Must have put years on my life.
good lord! does that mean i really have to find some way to publish you, tommy? since you'll outlive me and all?
Perhaps you should take up cigarettes Justin, now you have the added time to fill?!
{i} - uh oh. When are you planning to resign your last game, my dear?
The joke- jogging can add 5 years to your life. Why would I want to live 5 years more if I spent it all jogging? ! could be applied here- weaker players spend the extra years of their lives trying to become stronger players.
(Andrew)
oh dear i'm going to live forever. but you're not going to die before I take you out on the town and show you some real strategy :)
Got some interesting positions lined up, eh.
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