It's called a LAPtop, not a Chessboardtop
this post was submitted on 15 Jun 2026
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hmmm
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An online opponent is better than an in person opponent who didn’t show up.
Maybe the friend he usually plays with is out of town, so they're playing together online
He’s getting in a few easy online wins before some 80-year-old man comes and whoops his ass.
Or the friend hasn't arrived yet and they are practicing.
I choose to believe this
"Im at our usual spot in the park its like you're right here with me bro"
Could also be so highly habituated to playing at the park that it's become integral to his mental game.
Practicing or studying moves. Chess people are a different breed.
Different breed indeed.
When you're good at chess, it means you're good at strategy and thinking ahead.
When you're great at chess, it means you're really good at chess specifically.
Modern solutions to age old problems.
this is actually pretty sad
In which way? I can see a few begative or positive ones
in a sense it's good he still got to play chess. but playing chess with someone in real life is so much more than just playing chess right? seeing each other, talking face to face, physical presence in the same space, etc. you can form human connections you wouldn't be able to form playing online. so although the immediate need of playing chess is met, the emotional need of human connection is not. and it can be hard to realize this is what's happening, because these two were always present at the same time until the internet came along.
more important the same thing is happening everywhere. having an honest face to face conversation is being substituted with shouting at each other online, enjoying time with friends is being substituted with parasocial relationships with streamers. and all this is having a detrimental effect on our society.
and thanks for attending my TED talk.