Thread by @KnudJahnke

Ok, I attended a local blitz-chess tournament yesterday and there are some things I learned:

1/

I'm really amazed that this is a 1000+ year old game that is still played today, with lively new developments. Like bullet chess with just 1min thinking time per person. A former 4x "inofficial" world champion also attended this tournament.

2/

It's the only sport (chess it definitely a sport of sorts) I know where you can have players aged from 10 to 70 in the same tournament, potentially playing against each other.

3/

It's also the only sport I know where a tournament can have advanced beginners and international-class masters in the same tournament and end classification, specifically without frustration about the opponent's skills/level, when using the "Swiss" system of pairings.

4/

I severely underestimated the number of heavy metal band T-shirts.

5/

I severely underestimated the amount if beer some participants drank.

I overheard: "Never drank so little in a tournament. I used to have a beer after each game." This tournament had 25 rounds...

6/

Observing people's body language during the games was really interesting. For many people one could see how they were doing. For others not at all. No wonder one of the players was a poker pro a couple of years back.

7/

People really had a good time I think. Winner took home 200€, but I don't think that was the important part for anyone.

8/8

#chess
#blitzchess