I plan to incorporate “Hardwick defeat” into my vocabulary now. It’s the term for when I lose, but not by too much, and can hold my head high for giving a decent performance. It’s sort of the opposite of a Phyrric victory….. and sort of the story of my life.

Thanks for the article and the proof that even if I would have had a chess forum to show off my skills, the chicks would have still stayed away. I feel so much better. I guess it could have been my dice bag and notebook filled D&D characters, but I doubt it was that, women usually think that kind of stuff is cool.

Great article as always. It’s been since college since I have played a serious game of chess. After reading your article I went downstairs into my Nerd Cave and found my seriously uncool “Glass” chess set and asked my wife if she knew how to play chess, never thought to ask her, she is obviously too cool for that game. I was right of course, she is too cool for chess and had really no idea how to play. Maybe she’ll play for sexual favors? Maybe I can turn this into a pussy gettin’ skill after all? Wish me luck.

Michael