The idea of practicing Chess like musicians practice their craft has been helpful to me. I think it may keep me from wandering off from my chosen repertoire.
I was reminded of this by a friend who said that her son practices all the time. Today I heard my wife downstairs practicing the piano. And I remember the months and now years that it took me to play my two instruments passably well.
Last night on Yahoo Chess (I have no FICS because something is wrong with my Java, and I am too cheap right now for ICC) I played four games at about 15,10 with a person who was better than me. I had black all four games. I lost both my Queen's Gambit Declined games, and got a win and a draw with my Caro-Kanns. I truly enjoyed myself.
This morning I looked up my losses and saw where I went wrong. Now I hope to never drift into the pressure I faced last night in that line. I am happy.
I am looking at my solid, narrow, beginning opening repertoire like a musician learns simple toons first. No super-Semi-Slav, anti-Moscow, Sicilian Dragon, Najdorf Poisoned pawns for me. Just a humble Colle, Caro-Kann, Queen's Gambit declined player here.
A Claw-Hammer Banjo friend of mine brings two banjos with her when she plays. This is because those five strings, require re-tuning for different keys. Having two banjos makes that easier. But what she says when people ask her why she brings two is, "I want people to know I can play more than one instrument!"
I hope that my first chess toon can be called not losing.
Then my second chess toon could be winning.
And losing is my chess instructor.
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