Chess chess - gets your head in a mess.

Picture your average impression of a chess player - some beardy Russian dude with a brain the size of a hot air balloon. Sitting there for hours on end and taking ten minutes between each move. BORING isn't it? Well, no actually it's not.

I love chess, I can think of nothing more pleasant than sitting down to a few games with a good friend, a few beers and a couple of packs of crisps and nuts. Chess is the mother/father/both of all war and strategy games.

Such a simple concept too, a board divided into 64 squares and 32 playing pieces (16 each). Now what could be more simple than that? Well lots of things, but that's not the point is it. Chess is easy to learn. Each piece has it's own way of moving around the board and the players take it in turns to try to whup the ass of their opponent. The object is to beat your opponent into submission by trapping their king (or checkmate as it's known amongst players).

In these days of video games with kids sitting vegitating alone in front of some playstation or game boy, what we need is a revival of games like chess. Social interaction it's called. Communication, pitting your wits against a real live opponent and not some pre-programmed chip (Mmmmmmmm, I like chips).

So unplug those dreamcasts and get the chess set down from the attic - you know it makes sense. Teach your kids how to play, get their brain working and tell tham uncle chubs recommended it - but just don't tell them I only play it because it is something I can do without breaking into a sweat. And DON'T give them the traditional beer, it's not big and it's not clever (crisps are fine though).

[chubs 2000]