I had the great privilege of learning how to play chess back in 1963 aged 6 from an Irish Master. A very good start !

I played OTB for years and was once County Champion at U-18. I also had some not small success at OTB regional adult level up to 25 years of age.

I played Correspondence Chess (by letter back and forth!) for many years from 1966.

I then went for roughly twenty years not really playing that much until the advent of online chess.

''THE END IS NEVER IN A DRAW. THERE IS NOTHING HONOURABLE IN A DRAW.
A DRAW IS AS MUCH A DEFEAT AS DEFEAT ITSELF.
IN THESE BATTLES THE END IS ONLY WITH THE REGICIDE OF, OR WHEN SUICIDE IS COMMITTED BY, THE ENEMY KING'' ~ MLS




***A CREEPING CANCER ON ANY CHESS SITE, CRASS DISHONESTY AND EXTREMELY STUPID IS THE, FAR TOO PREVALENT, USE OF STOCKFISH OR DERIVATIVES THEREOF.
I HAVE RAISED THIS REPEATEDLY WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS AND I SHALL CONTINUE TO DO SO PROVIDING CLEAR 'CAPS' EVIDENCE TO THEM AFTER DOING A BACK TEST OF EVERY COMPLETED BATTLE.
LUDICROUSLY HIGH 'CAPS' SCORES ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT HUMAN UNLESS ONE IS A GM AND NONE OF US ARE.
I DULY BLOCK THE FOOLS THAT FLAGRANTLY CHEAT AND DO NOTHING BUT SELF-DECEIVE, SKEW RATINGS AND MAKE THE SITE A FARCE.***