Eschec

The origin of the word chess comes from Old French esches, plural of eschec ‘a check’.

Chess is a fun game but it's difficult to not feel bitter about its elite status in the world of games. It just reminds me of old men who initiate real bloodshed after their practice with the checkered board. That's part of why I love Alice in Wonderland. It ridicules the seriousness of the game and critiques government corruption along with it.

Please forgive me if my understanding of Wonderland is not fully fleshed out. My writing still remains unchecked. But that's beside the point. Here are a couple of quotes I have enjoyed on the topic of chess.

“Chess holds its master in its own bonds, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom of the very strongest must suffer.” – Albert Einstein

"I declare it's marked out just like a large chessboard!' Alice said at last. 'There ought to be some men moving about somewhere--and so there are!' she added in a tone of delight, and her heart began to beat quick with excitement as she went on. 'It's a great huge game of chess that's being played--all over the world--if this is the world at all, you know. Oh, what fun it is!” - Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland)

I didn't write that much this month because I've been spending most of my free time reading. Maybe one of my next posts will be about the books I read! The good ones and the not-so-good ones.