The Universe of Chess

The Universe has a sense of humor. As chaotic as one might think of our Universe, one thing remains constant; it’s innate ability to harmonize and maintain a delicate equilibrium among all things. We learn about some of these basic principles in high school physics; Newton’s Law: For every force there is an equal but opposite force.

Well in the games of chess, I guess the same principle can apply. For example; in round two of this Month’s tournament ( MCC New Years Swiss) at the local club, I played the best game I ever lost. In other words, it was a game in which my position was superior throughout and included a slight material advantage. In the endgame, I had achieved the perfect pawn storm only to get cocky and blunder like no one has blundered before. I lost a game that should not have been lost.

The following week, round 3, I played terrible, just plain terrible. I could not focus and I was dropping material left and right to my opponent. For most of the game, my opponent had a positional edge and a strong material advantage as he continued to add pressure towards an ongoing attack against my King. He had all the makings for a strong victory. But as we played on, my position grew stronger and my pieces had coordinated enough to thwart any quick mating attacks, although, white could still achieve his win as long as he remained focused. Apparently, that was not going to be the case, as I had bated him into a Rook exchange that led to his demise with a mating attack.

I had played the worse game I ever won; I had no rights winning round three, but in the “Universe of Chess”, all things must come to order and the state of equilibrium must be achieved. In round two I was the Sherriff of Nottingham; in round three, I was Robin Hood, and the Universe once more, had corrected the natural order of things.