Life is like a game of chess...
By ahgong
@ahgong (10064)
Singapore
December 11, 2009 10:29am CST
I was listening to an old friend of mine. He always has words that are worthy of quotes. And I am always amazed that some of my thoughts are actually triggered by some of his quotable phases.
The latest one being "Life is like a game of chess."
We were just chatting about our lives and griping at some of the unfair practices that we have experienced when he said that.
"Life is like a game of chess. We always have to plan ahead of time. How we want to reach our goals, how we want to resolve problems that are put in front of us. Much like a game of chess, where we are constantly planning ahead of time to try and capture the opponent's king to win the game. And the opponent, always putting up obstacles to either attack my pawns or block my advances. With each block or attack, I will have to think of ways to resolve those moves to advance forward into the game.
Life, like a game of chess, must be planned carefully. The precise moment of when to move which piece will ultimately determine if you win the game swiftly, or will take a long time to even find checkmate!
Getting to know your opponent's character will also determine how you can strategise your game such that you can make use of his weak points to conquer his king!"
It got me really into deep thoughts about how I have lived my life so far. Have I planned enough? Do I know the people in my life enough to know whether they will help me or cause my fall from grace?
Am I nimble enough in my planning to cater to unforseen surprises that life may throw at me?
So far, I feel that I have just been humming along at a steady pace without really planning for my life ahead of me. And I have been lucky so far not to have met with any obstacles that life has thrown to me that I cannot handle. But my life still has a long way ahead of me. In fact, comparing to a chess game, my chess game with life has barely begun!
How about you? Do you think life is like a chess game?
4 people like this
8 responses
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
16 Dec 09
Your fren is so wise!! haha =D
And i do agree with him!!
Life is just a like a battlefield, just that, we dun really bleed with our blood.. What we lost will be time and money, as well as fighting spirit..
Thus, like chess, we do lose some, in order to move forward, and it's all about sacrifices.. IF we only wan the best or everything for ourselves, at the end of the day, we will end up lossing everything, and unlike chess, there's no 2nd round, to restart everything again.. haha =D
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
23 Dec 09
True true true!
There are times where we must make sacrifices as well to move forward!
Good point raised there Kun!
That is why there is a need to strategise properly in life. The need to at the very least, plan a step ahead is important to win in the game of life! 
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
11 Dec 09
I think a chess game is an excellent analogy. It has to be played with thinking ability, with strategy, with alternative choices, and it has to played to win. And as one goes along one learns how to deal with challenges better if one is paying attention and taking notes.
I want to so play the chess game of life so that I can play forever! 
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
4 Jan 10
ahgong, remember even when one lives forever, he still has to live it one day at the time. Viewed that way, forever is good!
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
11 Dec 09
Yes life is liken to a game of chess as life is so uncertain. Loss or win the battle goes on. With the wrong move it will mean disaster. But like a good play in a game of chess, day by day we can improve upon our standard of performance. When our goals are realistic and within reach, we will feel more relaxed and at ease. I have spend a good part of my life experiencing the sweet and bitter part of life. But there is unseen success in every failure. I hope to drive on a smooth road with the balance of my earthly existence. 
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
12 Jan 10
Yup, in that sense, chess and life are very similar. One wrong move might just nail you the wrong way.
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
14 Dec 09
Wow I think I haven't really planned my life based on that strategy as well.
I think sometimes if we think too much life becomes too complex.
Perhaps I prefer to live simply. in a straightforward manner. treating people as i would like to be treated.
and living life with the simplicity of a child. not too simple such that i get cheated all the time, but simply enough not to read too much into everything that people say or do, and thus always having to be on guard or suspicious.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
23 Dec 09
Having a strategy in life does not mean that you have to be on guard at all times.
Like in chess, you do not need to take a defensive stance to advance in the game.
What it simply requires is that you plan your steps, at least one or more steps ahead to handle the obstacles (blocks, conquering of your chess pieces, getting into a position that may be disadvantageous to you... etc) that are put in your way by your opponent (in this case, life).
And when you plan, you will be able to advance in the game longer and further than if you do not plan your steps.
Life is full of obstacles. And if we do not plan ahead, we may lose out if we take a reactive stance rather than a proactive stance when playing the game of chess in life.
no?
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
11 Dec 09
If life is like a game of chess, I must be a pawn that the dog got ahold of and chewed beyond recognition. 
However, if there's one main thing I've learned in my life, it's that well-made plans often go awry. There is a book written by Erma Bombeck, who has written many books about life. This one in particular is how I see life, called "Life Is What Happens When You're Making Other Plans."
Actually, planning things is always a good thing. To be prepared for any scenario is the best way to go through life. But, you should always leave a little room for those life events that pop up out of nowhere and interrupt our plans.
My stepfather used to get so upset when things didn't go exactly to plan. I thought he was going to have a stroke when he and my mother were dating and he was coming over to pick her up for a date when his car skidded on ice and hit a curb, causing two flat tires. Since we had just had an icestorm, he called AAA (they come when you have trouble with your vehicle... not cheap, either!) and they told him it would take them at least 3 hours to get to him. You'd have thought someone had robbed him at gunpoint. He was inconsolable! Man!
No, I've learned to plan for the future but live for today because you just never know what's going to happen. I'm able to take things like two flat tires in stride. I'm not happy about it but I'm also not going to let it dampen my spirit. I'll find something to do while waiting for those tires to be fixed because they're going to need fixing whether I'm upset or happy, right?
However, if there's one main thing I've learned in my life, it's that well-made plans often go awry. There is a book written by Erma Bombeck, who has written many books about life. This one in particular is how I see life, called "Life Is What Happens When You're Making Other Plans."
Actually, planning things is always a good thing. To be prepared for any scenario is the best way to go through life. But, you should always leave a little room for those life events that pop up out of nowhere and interrupt our plans.
My stepfather used to get so upset when things didn't go exactly to plan. I thought he was going to have a stroke when he and my mother were dating and he was coming over to pick her up for a date when his car skidded on ice and hit a curb, causing two flat tires. Since we had just had an icestorm, he called AAA (they come when you have trouble with your vehicle... not cheap, either!) and they told him it would take them at least 3 hours to get to him. You'd have thought someone had robbed him at gunpoint. He was inconsolable! Man!
No, I've learned to plan for the future but live for today because you just never know what's going to happen. I'm able to take things like two flat tires in stride. I'm not happy about it but I'm also not going to let it dampen my spirit. I'll find something to do while waiting for those tires to be fixed because they're going to need fixing whether I'm upset or happy, right?1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
23 Dec 09
See? Exactly like in a game of chess!
You never know how your opponent is going to make his next move. All you can do is look at where the chess pieces are and plan how to handle each chest piece.
And you only make your next move after your opponent has made his. Your next move may be as what you originally planned. OR your plans may have changed due to the different move your opponent made that sort forces you to change your strategy.
Exactly like what you said. Plan for the future, live for the day!
A Quotable Quote!
@CJscott (4187)
• Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
14 Dec 09
Your friend is a very smart person. A plan can go a long long way, especially if, it is written out, and signed and you have attached to it known punishment for failure.
For Instance. If you were wanting to lose 5 pounds for a certain occasion. You would make known to your friends, family and colleagues that you will lose 5 pounds by this date, or you would give them each $10 dollars.(or do something you really didn't want to do)
So, if you have your plan(lose 5 pounds) You have your timeline(Date of Certain Occasion) You have made it known to people close to you, and you have a harsh punishment that they will hold you to. Write it out, sign it.
That is 75% of your job already done.
Planning is essential in every part of life, sadly we either don't pay attention to these lessons, or don't get them, or think we know better then those who have gone before us when we were younger.
Thank you for your time, I greatly appreciate it.
Cheers. Chysom Scott.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
23 Dec 09
Yeah, you are right too. A big part to playing the game of life is to plan. And then the next big hurdle to cross is to execute that plan.
The points you raise is pretty interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Roping in your friends to help in executing a plan is an interesting suggestion!
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
12 Jan 10
Hi ahgong,
I had a quote on chess too - http://lordwarwizard.blogspot.com/2007/07/lww-quotes-life.html .
Well I am a lousy chess player. I did get quite addicted to chess at one point (so much so that I played it over the phone lolz) but it was more for the fun and enjoyment of it.
Life... chess... sometimes it is better to stop thinking and just play.
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
4 Jan 10
hmm i'd have to say life is way more than a chess game. in a chess, there are only so many moves available. it's not difficult to plan 5, or even 10, steps ahead. in life, there are so many variables and some are just not foreseeable. freak accidents happen and lives are lost this way. one can do all the planning and yet something small may ruin the whole game plan.
