have you considered playing vote chess?
Chess Isn't Fun...
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Martin_Stahl wrote:
Musikamole wrote:
skogli wrote:
It's sad to read, what about a chess club no one near? Do you live far away from civilization?
I live in civilization, but don't know how civilized it is. It's a small town, not a big city.
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For me, internet chess is somewhat like the card game solitaire. It's a lonely persuit, for me. I'd rather spend the rest of my years on this planet playing a game that involves social interaction, making friends, a few beers. A chess club close to home would be quite nice.
There is one simple solution to your problem, once your health is better. Start a club up, advertise locally and on here under clubs (so google will pick it up mainly), and see what you can pull in. Our local club meets a fast food restaurant and while we don't have stellar turnout we usually have at least 4 players and sometimes more. We have around 8 that come off and on.
It doesn't take any money to start and if your town is decent size, then maybe you could pull in a few regulars too. Maybe there is a local bar and grill (so that younger people could still go) that is slow on certain days that would allow you meet (for your beer comment). Now, if you want to do USCF rated games then that will cost money, but the club itself doesn't have to.
Start my own chess club?
I guess this cluster of small towns has grown a bit since moving here back in 1989, living in what is called the High Desert, which has three cities next to each other - Hesperia, Victorville and Apple Valley. The population total for all three cities equals 267,224. Adding just two of the surrounding cities within 30 miles, Barstow and Phelen, the total hits 306,445, which would be close in size to one small size urban city, I guess.
The High Desert in California is rural living, with an emphasis on daytime outdoor activities like horse back riding, dirt bike riding and sports for kids. It's not the kind of community that has a cluster of restaurants on one street with outdoor seating, where you would see people playing chess at night, i.e., New York City. It doesn't have a night life, except for teenagers going to the shopping mall.
The school district I work for educates over 20,000 students. Many people in that town know me because of my years of service, over 20, plus the number of elementary schools I have taught at each year and through the years.
It's been in the back of my mind to start a scholastic chess program, with the added bonus of building an awareness for chess in my community, and from that a High Desert Chess Club could possibly be born.
It would be nice to start simple, with an advertisement for a new chess club, where all ages and levels of skill are welcome. I'm not real clever when it comes to spreading the word through the internet. Perhaps others can chime in with how to start my new club.
I hope the name "High Desert Chess Club" has not been taken. I kinda like it. I'll google it, and if I find it, I'll feel real stupid for not knowing there was a chess club in my community already.
BlackNight_13 wrote:
have you considered playing vote chess?
I forgot about that possibility. Until I get back up to speed with my health, that may be a good thing to try.
Musikamole,
Sounds like you prefer chess when you are OTB, and interacting with other mortals.
So that makes you more of a "people's person"...and hence the utility that you derive from chess.com is somewhat "watered down"...not at the full strenght, so to speak...
May I suggest that you start your own little chess club in you town? It does not have to be big. Start by finding out who loves the game on your street, and gradually extend out. You can put an ad out for chess friends in your area. Once you have formed a pool, you can then agree to meet to arrange everything else.
Just the act of organising this club will get you all exited again.
Best of Luck.
It happens to me too, once in a while. I've found that playing other chess-related activities allow me to recharge my batteries: chess puzzles, bullet chess, chess history, fun facts about chess, chess jokes, certain Chess.com forums, etc.
Good luck, I hope you soon recover you health fully.
I greatly appreciate the words of encouragement. KyleJRM and I both spotted a chess club in the town right next to mine during a google search. :)
Here's the information for anyone else who is trying to find a chess club who lives in the High Desert cities of Victorville, Apple Valley, Hesperia, Bastow, Phelan...and a few others.
I'm calling the phone number tomorrow, just to say hello and thank you. If it's not active, I'll set up shop at the local shopping mall by the Barnes and Noble book store and Starbucks. I got one casual OTB game in about 9 months ago. I lost, but that was o.k. The guy had been playing since he was a kid. His dad taught him how to play.
| Route 66 Chess Club | Forrest Park, Old Town Victorville | Victorville | 246-4385 |
| 9-10:30am on good weather Saturdays. Free to play, rookies welcome. Bring a chess set. | |||
A Barnes and Noble club was started ~120 miles away from me not too long ago, and it's really taken off. If there are ~300,000 people within driving distance (if I understood you correctly) then I would imagine after being around it bit, it would become a success. Good luck!
orangehonda wrote:
A Barnes and Noble club was started ~120 miles away from me not too long ago, and it's really taken off. If there are ~300,000 people within driving distance (if I understood you correctly) then I would imagine after being around it bit, it would become a success. Good luck!
A Barnes and Noble Chess Club. I like that. 
My music teacher colleague and friend knows the store manager well. I need to get introduced to her. It would be a win/win for Barnes and Noble and the Chess Club, bringing more customers to the Starbucks/Barnes and Noble, since books sales are not as hot as they used to be, and that is why the company is pushing this electronic reader called the Nook. It takes up a considerable amount of floor space with many Nooks to try out.
I have an Amazon Kindle. It's a very pleasant way to read, since the text size can be adjusted...and the words need to be larger for my eyes. 
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Yes. There are 300,000 people within a comfortable driving distance.
I get peed off because of my STUPID moves. I've been hanging more pieces lately than I did a while back.
Incidentally, the answer you gave explaining the a6 move chasing off the bishop, having to do with tempo, was indeed the best answer. If you remember answering the question.
Au contraires mes amies, chess IS fun. I am spectacularly drunk and still managed to win a game of Live Chess (perhaps because my opponent imploded and resigned, rather than forcing me to concentrate enough to actually beat him)!
Hi I am looking for a chess club around victoville/Barstow area are any stiil up an running?
Chess is Not fun, because im not talented and it can not be played without theory, turn based. I prefer doing team sport, GYM, PC games (FPS,MOBA)
chess seems to not be funanymore
Get better, not bitter.
Not sure if this will reach any eyes, but I recently created a chess.com club (named Victor Valley Chess Club) for primarily those who live in the Victor Valley / High Desert regions (California) who want to connect, learn, and grow. It is also open, however, to all who share a similar goal.
Musikamole: if you fancy a game, send me a challenge. I'm amenable to a time control of your choice, rated or unrated. If for any reason you need to take vacation or whatever, I absolutely will not mind!
That is very kind. Thank you. I'll work on my health.