... though until very recently it was in the “one day I will” category. I’ve known the basic rules of chess since I was a child & I played some games then but never really got into it. As an adult that seems to surprise a lot of people as, so they say, “but you are just that sort of person…”

About a week ago, inspired by a chess-loving friend of mine, I decided that now was the time. I searched online and found Chessmaster Challenge, though it was only a 60 minute demo. Never the less it was exactly what I was after & I loved it. I wanted more. I found that by downloading that software from different places I could have more 60 minute demos!

I was on my fourth time through the Chessmaster Challenge demo when I happened, for other reasons, to visit PC World & found a chess program, apparently different, and bought it (Chessmaster Grandmaster Edition). It turned out to be the same software but with a lot of extra stuff than the online edition contained.

I am totally hooked. I’m working through the tutorials and doing the chess puzzles in the software. I love the puzzles more than the full games at the moment. The puzzles involve a chessboard with a game at some point during play. You are instructed to, for example, get checkmate in 2 moves, or recognise & avoid the imminent checkmate, and so on. There are also lots of exercises in the tutorials to practice attacking, defending, seeing ahead, starting the game, and so on.

Is this the start of a new, lifelong hobby? Maybe. Right now it feels that way. :)