Boredom and Chess

 

     I haven’t felt much like playing chess lately. I thought it might be because of winter’s bitterly cold grip here in the Midwest and I was getting cabin fever, but by definition, that’s not the case.
     Cabin fever is a term for a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person is isolated and/or shut in a small space, with nothing to do for an extended period.  Cabin fever describes the extreme irritability (Do not have that symptom) and the restlessness a person may feel in these situations. Also, when experiencing cabin fever, a person may tend to sleep (Have that symptom!), have distrust of anyone they are with (Definitely do not have that one) and an urge to go outside even in the snow and dark (Absolutely no urge to do that!). The phrase is also used humorously to indicate simple boredom from being home alone. That doesn’t apply; I could play chess.
     Then I read IM Yochanan Afek’s comment, “What can you do? Sometimes chess is just not interesting.” A-ha! That’s it! Sometimes is the key. The past several days have been one of those times.