A satisfying game of chess
As I age, I find it increasingly difficult to enjoy my chess while my playing strength declines year by year. It feels so frustrating. Very occasionally I will play a game that rolls back the years, and it is so satisfying when that happens. I played this game against Michael Green in the Scottish National Chess League on 23 March 2025 at the age of 75. My grading was 1589, and Michael’s grading was 1944, which is about what my grading was at its peak in my youth. These are Chess Scotland gradings, which are supposed to compare to FIDE ratings but in practice tend to be about 100 points lower. Michael was playing for Dumfries and District, and I was playing for Edinburgh Civil Service and Bank of Scotland.
This game, though short, is immensely complex, and is remarkable for all of the fantastical play that lay hidden beyond the horizons of the two players. My analysis of the game, compiled with the aid of Stockfish chess engine, shows how erratically in absolute terms both of us played, but still I am very pleased with my play, as it was at the very limit of my capability.
W: Michael Green; B: Eric P Smith