Hello!!

I am brand new to ICS and to this forum. I am 68, have played chess a very long time but almost all of it as a correspondence player
in the USCF and the ICCF.

I played OTB briefly about 5 years ago and have started playing again. All I want out of the ICS training is to play a consistent
respectable game of chess. Not under any delusions of becoming a Master or even an Expert player. Just want to play OTB
chess and enjoy the game.

Don't know how many more years I have left in me but if anyone saw the movie "The Bucket List" you will understand where I
am coming from.

I opted to study the main module as well as the opening module. Received it last night and was up till 4 AM going through
the lessons and quickly realized I have my work cut out for me.

I will give it my best shot.

Chuck

Welcome to the board, hey till the brain is active, you will live till 100 years or more :-)

At least, in retirement, you have time (i guess) to study, this is good because ICS course takes quite a bunch of time, and may be long to assimilate, but you will find formalized many concepts you may have encountered in your correspondance games.

Maybe you won't become a master in short time, but you surely will have the impression to understand strategy better with this course.

Anyway the forum is not very active now, but there are regular posters like me, who come from time to time and will certainly answer if you post something.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I have the time. I have been retired for the past 12+ years. Chess was my hobby as a teen and followed me through life. Since I was in the Air Force for 20+ years i was unable to play in OTB tourneys. They did not have many OTB tourneys in south East Asia. :-) Then I retired from the Air Force in '85 and started a second career. Kept up with correspondence chess but about 5 years ago I attempted OTB. I was a nervous wreck and it was difficult for me to concentrate much so I gave it up after about 7 months- a year of play. I was TD of two clubs at the time but playing OTB was difficult for me.

I am now totally relaxed and want to pursue OTB once again. Played in a tourney not long ago and felt comfortable. Been playing casual OTB every week sometimes 2 times a week. My friend and I are planning to make 3 more tournaments this year and maybe next year I will be able to make the Nationals in Vegas. Why not?

Chess doesn't has an age sticked on it, its a game for everybody who loves it. So enjoy the course and dont go balistic if you dont get something right away, its normal.

Welcome aboard!