Count me in with the 'love it but not very good... played on and off all my life' crowd. When I do play, it's with the TV on or in between playing with the kids so I tend to make a dumb mistake at some point which costs me the game if I'm playing anyone decent at all. I think it's an endlessly fascinating game though and good mental exercise.
I know how to play chess, but I'm not that good. The only one I can really beat is the computer on easy.
We should all try to play online against each other. We can create a club called the Mediocre Enthusiasts.
I played in a couple of chess championships when I was a pre-teen, and even won a trophy once, but I've always been a mediocre player. It's just that my opponents were even worse.
I also won a chess championship once, in secondary school, or junior high to you Americans. The participants were all mediocre, including me.
I've beaten everyone I've ever played in chess. That includes my father, who taught me the game, my college roommate, my neighbor, and my two sons, whom I taught to play and who keep getting better. But I have no idea what it's like to play someone who really knows the game. I'm sure it's exactly like getting beaten in 5 moves or less.
I've been beaten countless times by half a dozen different chess programs. That's enough to keep my ego in check.
My father taught me how to play chess when I was in like junior high or a bit younger. I learned the basics and played a a few times with friends probably until my undergrad years but I've never been good and haven't played in more than 10 years. It would be neat to become good at it but I'd rather do other things nowadays.
