I was obsessed with chess as a child. I had learnt it from an older child who lived in the neighbourhood when I was around six. My parents indulged this new obsession by buying me a beautiful chess set with pieces carved from wood. But I was careless, as children often are around that age and I lost some of the pieces and my enthusiasm for the game. Years later, one college summer I obsessively played it again after investing in a cheaper set with plastic pieces. And finally now, over a decade later, chess and I have found each other again.
Every time I find myself mindlessly scrolling, I exit Instagram and open up the chess app and then after I win a game, I feel less bad about the brain rot that mindless scrolling gives you.
These days, Chess.com is the most used app on my phone. I have trained myself on chess patterns, learnt the Fool’s Mate and mastered the Scholar’s Mate. Very few things give me as much joy as watching my completely unexpecting opponent walk into my neatly laid out trap. I play with people from across the world and I also enjoy trying to guess their country by the picture of the flag next to their names.
I've risen steadily in my ratings, starting off at 100, staying for months at the 300s and finally reaching the 700s. But every few months I slide down and climb up again.
Sometimes on days when I win a game in under four or five moves or I wipe out my opponent completely, I feel very smug and allow myself to believe that chess may have been my true calling.
Anyway, grandmaster dreams aside, chess just makes me happy, feel productive, smart and helps me combat all the mindless scrolling. But I can’t wait to invest in a classic wooden chess set again and do away with the phone altogether.
