Zugzwang

This is actually kind of an old blog, just thought I'd repost it....

 Zugswang

I have had a few changes in my life lately. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. As a matter of fact I don't think, in a whole, I could be happier. Living in general is confusing, draining, and takes a lot of thinking and planning, similar to chess.

Chess is a gentleman's game. In which two people strategically move their pint-sized army, to attack and break down the other's army and eventually, capture the king. The twist, is certain pieces can only move certain ways. To make it even more difficult, the one piece you don't want captured, can only move one block at a time. So when he's cornered, You're pretty much screwed.

The thing I like most about this game is while, on the inside, all this thinking is going on, the two people playing, are having conversation, sometimes not even thinking about the game, or so you think. Maybe talking about their jobs, their families, or even their pets. So you get involved in a long story, or a great conversation, and the next thing you know, the game's over.

I wonder if life is going to fly by like that. Engaging myself in great conversation, great friendship, great love, sometimes even great battles. Everyday, thinking, planning my next move. Though my greater plan could be thrown off by someone else's counter move, causing me to have to re-plan everything. People I know and love leave me. Occasionally, I meet new people, that teach me new things. Maybe they'll stick around, and I'll grow to love them. Maybe they'll leave and be just another ripple in my life. Maybe I'll grow old, and learn from my life of senseless debauchery. Maybe, I'll have planned wrong, and I'll be “captured” young. Either way, great planning is involved. But the outcome, is always uncertain.

No one can play a game of chess and have everything pan out exactly as they had planned. Right when you think you have the king, you overlook something, and BAM, your bishop is gone. The tables are turned, and now, your king is on the run. You'll have to make choices, let them capture my rook or my knight? Which one is more important to me right now? No matter what the decision, later in the game, you will almost certainly wish you still had the missing piece. It's a lot to think about, and, I'm only covering the general moves and ideas of chess....or... life.. I forget which is the game now.

My final thesis?

Checkmate.