I used to be great at chess before I got sick. My dad taught me when I was in second or third grade. We used to play two or three games every night. He never let me win and that’s what made me good. My parents never let us win at stuff like tennis or other games, we had to earn it. But my dad was REALLY good at chess and we must of played a thousand games but I only won probably twenty times at the most. But my “training” payed off when I could win over my cousins who were twice as old as me. Or when I was 9 my dad took me to a chess “club” at our local college that was all adults and I amazed some older guy when I ALMOST won. I lost but I gave him a run for his money and he complimented my dad and the guy couldn’t believe a 9 year old could be so good. My dad was also of the school of thought that I never should give up. We played EVERY game to the bitter end no matter how hopeless the game was going. I beat my friends too. And I once won first place in a chess tournament when I was about ten. It was for a group of schools nearby. But when I got in my first psyche ward, mental illness was new to me. I used to play chess with one of the male nurses.He was good but he wasn’t THAT good. But I couldn’t concentrate. I couldn’t make the effort and i had to quit halfway through a game because I couldn’t play. It was probably the first time in my life that I didn’t finish game. Chess was a big deal to me. I was/am not good at a lot of things but I knew I was good at chess but that was the first time my illness got in the way of something. And considering I was 19 years old and had been playing for half of my life, it was a little depressing. But on a cheery note. I have played my nephews and won over them. That pepped me up a little.
That’s pretty sad man. I’m sure you could figure it out again if you played enough. How do you think your illness has affected that? Is it a problem with focus or what?
Yeah, focus…
Chess has so much to offer not only is it a great game of the mind but the chess board and pieces can also be considered art in their various forms.
My dad tried briefly teaching me chess. I didn’t have the skills(executive functioning) to see the consequences of moves . Generally I don’t do well at games requiring planning/strategy.
I beat my brother once, and I haven’t played him since (Siblings’ Code). I’ve done that with other games, I beat them once and I never play that game against them again.
I’ve lost horror movies, violence, and gore. I’m glad I still have some math in me. I might have tardive diskinesia. 
I don’t know if I ever had it, but in Freshman English in high school at the beginning of my illness, I didn’t get concepts - meanings or ideas contained in fiction writing. Everyone else could. I could just read for the story. And I’d always been the ‘smartest person’ in the class. Something must be wrong with me…years later I met someone else who couldn’t do that and he had the best mind of anyone I’ve known. Not that I do, but it makes me feel better.
My oldest brother taught me chess when I was 8 years old and he was 17, in the chess club in high school.
His senior year he became president of the chess club, and brought some of the members home for practice. I asked to participate, and they thought it was funny and let me. I ended up winning against my brother, and that was the last time I ever played the game.
I don’t enjoy chess anymore. I cannot think what to do, and I feel uncomfortably anxious.
Jayster
did someone say chess
Bobby Fischer against the world.
about a world class chess player that ends up developing schizophrenia
good documentary
I know who he is. He was world champion when I was in grade school. His matches with Russian Boris Spatsky were legendary. Bobby Fischer was known for psyching his opponents out. After he eventuality lost the title of World Champion he faded from view. I heard he had become eccentric but I did not know he had an actual diagnosis of schizophrenia. I heard he had left the U.S. and lived abroad and I think he was on a watch list of U.S. undesirables. Before he died several years ago he was involved in some international incident with U.S. customs I believe and was banned from the U.S. This is what I know off the top of my head.