DAYTONA BEACH

CHESS CLUB

I LOVE CHESS

By JOSEPH D. SARDONE

CHESS IS A GAME THAT CAN'T BE PLAYED RIGHT,

UNLESS YOU STUDY HARD DAY ‘N’ NIGHT.

AND RACK YOUR BRAIN IN AN ATTEMPT TO GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE.

FOR UNLESS YOU PRACTICE THE OPENING.

YOU'LL NEVER GET TO HAVE YOUR FLING,

‘CAUSE YOU'LL GET BEAT BEFORE YOU EVEN BEGIN.

AND UNLESS YOU TRAIN FOR THE MIDDLE GAME,

IT WILL SOON BECOME QUITE PLAIN

THAT PLAYING THE OPENING WOULD HAVE BEEN A SIN.

NOW IF YOU DON'T GIVE THE END GAME YOUR BEST,

AND STUDY REAL HARD WITHOUT ANY REST,

YOU'LL WANDER AND FLOUNDER HOPELESSLY THROUGH THE INFINITE CHANNELS OF CHESS.

AND YOU MUST STUDY TACTICS AND THEORY UNTILL YOU ARE WEARY

SO LOCK YOURSELF AWAY IN A ROOM,

OR BE PREPARED TO BECOME ENSNARED I N A WEB AWAITING YOUR DOOM.

BUT LET’S NOT FORGET THAT BLASTED CLOCK,

THAT GIVES YOUR STRATEGY SUCH A NASTY KNOCK

BY TICKING FASTER ON YOUR SIDE OF THE BOARD.

AND IF YOU SHOULD FIND YOU HAVE WON A GAME,

YOUR OPPONENT WILL REMIND YOU

THAT IT WAS LUCK THAT HE HAD RUN AMUCK.

HOW CAN ANYTHING THAT DEMANDS SO MUCH,

YIELD SO LITTLE FOR ONE TO TOUCH

AND STILL HAVE ME KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE.

I LOVE IT, AND I NEED IT, FOR OF ALL GAMES IT’S THE BEST.

I WANT IT, AND I'LL HAVE IT, FOR NOTHING ELSE MATTERS •••

THAT'S CHESS.