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Kenny Dang
Casey Corcoran
English 101
November 28th, 2014

Life is a Game of Chess

Abstract: This essay explores the possibilities of Chess as a representation of lifes
challenges. Presenting an analysis on how Chess can benefit ones mental abilities, like:
concentration, critical thinking, problem solving. One important concept that is included
in this essay is the importance of Contact Zones by Mary Louise Pratt. In her essay,
Arts of the Contact Zone, Mary Louise Pratt discusses the use of contact zone in
which she says is a social spaces where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other.
A person living in a contact zone is exposed to two different cultures, two different
languages, and as a result is presented with a struggle in each culture to maintain
themselves. From being surrounded by several different cultures, people begin to
integrate the concept of transculturationa process in which subordinate cultures evolve
by taking things from dominant, more advanced cultures, and make it their own. Findings
from this analysis, teaches the importance of planning, decision-making, organization
skills, and memory in children and adults as they develop skills to deal with the
complexities of life.

It was a typical night of Christmas, and at that time of the year, we always tend to
do a big family gathering. For that night festivities, my family likes to play a few family
games, such as White Elephant, but one game in particular that I always look forward to
this time of the year is Chess. I look forward to playing because I love how intense the
game can get when I play my uncles. My uncles and I played Chess for many years, so
you can picture how long each game would take to finish. So one game, as I was moving
my pawn up. It led me to think about life. I do not know why, but I think it was because
in Chess, pieces are always moving forward and like life, ditto. Leading me to ask the
question, why do we really play Chess? Chess is attractive precisely because it is a

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rehearsal, a practice arena, although one would argue that nothing in life is the same
as moving wooden pieces around a chessboard. Well, they could say that chess is too
abstract to be a true representation of lifes challenges but I beg to differ. Planning ahead,
working out a strategy, maximizing resources, and learning the values of position and
timingare fundamental life skills. Playing chess at a park or online, teaches these
fundamental life skills in an enhanced and bloodless fashion. Playing games such as
chess satisfies a basic need. We need to rehearse before we go out onto lifes stages or
into the jungle with a spear in hand.
I will be exploring the many possibilities of how chess is a true representation of
lifes challenges. I would like to begin about talking about life and how Chess can benefit
ones mental abilities. Although one may argue that I do not have the credibility to talk
about life stages, I have had my fair share of experiences. Growing up, I have learned that
there are stages to life with one of the stages being the process of learning; but why do we
learn? We learn to expand our knowledge to its fullest potential. Chess is an exercise of
infinite possibilities for the mind; one which develops mental abilities used throughout
life such as: problem solving, critical thinking, and abstract reasoning, to name a few. As
a tool, Chess can be used to effectively teach problem solving and abstract reasoning.
Learning the process on how to solve a problem is more important than learning the
solution to any particular problem. Through Chess, we learn how to analyze a situation
by focusing on important factors and by eliminating distractions. We learn to devise
creative solutions and put a plan into action. Chess works because it is self-motivating.
The game has fascinated humans for almost 2000 years; the ideology of attacking and
defending, with an ending of the game in checkmate inspire us to dig deep into our

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mental reserves.
Talk about fascinating, in the essay titled, Affinity Spaces: From Age of
Mythology to Todays Schools by James Paul Gee, he discusses spaces that are mixtures
of the real and virtual world. According to Gee, spaces are a common point of interest
(63). The game of Chess is a common point of interest whereas Gee would say, you
could either play your opponent virtually via Internet or you could play your opponent
physically in a room together (59). Either a table at the park or virtually over a website
connecting the both of the players to play, either is a clear example of a space that is a
common point of interest since Chess can be played either virtually or physically with
both players having a deep love and interest for the game.
In this generation, the world is evolving in many ways like our technology. For
example, in the 1930-1940s we did not have GPS (Global Positioning System), which is
used to track your current position via satellite; but now in this generation we have
smartphones which has GPS already installed into the device. As modern technology
continues to evolve, Gee discusses it forms more spaces where people can enter and
interact with others at a distance (59). With that in mind, we can utilize space to expand
our knowledge by interacting with one another. A way to expand our knowledge is
through virtual interaction such as in this case, online chess. With a smartphone, one can
download an app called, Chess with Friends Free, created by Zynga, Inc. which is free
in the app store. Personally, this is my favorite app because I love to play chess and I also
get to play with Facebook friends and the online world abroad. Within this app, there are
levels which James Paul Gee would describe as an affinity space. When there is a
space, there is a portal, content, and generator. A portal is anything that gives access to

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content and ways of interacting with that content by oneself or with other people (63). In
this case, to access into Chess with Friends Free online, you have to make an account.
They will ask you to either sign in with your Facebook account or make a new account
with their server. Chess with Friends Free has pieces like pawns, rooks, horses, and etc.
As James Paul Gee would say, a generator is whatever that gives the space content (61).
Chess with Friends Free has a few examples of generators. The app has a section called
load or import game, save or send game, and reload last game. You can load
anyones game on the server that they sent in and watch a replay of what happened. You
can also do the same and the reason for this is to show everybody your play of style
where they can learn by watching your every move. Gaining new knowledge and also
distributing knowledge to the outside world are another way to help expand our minds to
the full potential that it can be, increasing our mental abilities by learning through others
gameplay. Chess is one of many great ways to disperse knowledge throughout the world.
With all of this in mind, Chess is one of many great ways to disperse knowledge
throughout the world.
In this paper, a focus on affinity spaces is suggested as a way to broaden the scope
of research to include spaces where games are discussed spontaneously either through
language, images, appropriations or modifications. Furthermore, this paper suggests that
studying discussions about games in digital affinity spaces can provide insight in
practices of knowledge construction and learning as well as in new emerging rhetorical
practices. The idea of affinity space by James Paul Gee can also be contrasted by contact
zones, in which is a very similar concept. In Mary Louise Pratts words of Arts of the
Contact Zone, she defined it as "social spaces where cultures meet, clash, and grapple

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with each other, often in contexts of highly asymmetrical relations of power, such as
colonialism, slavery, or their aftermaths as they are lived out in many parts of the world
today" (106). The idea of the contact zone is intended in part to contrast with ideas of
community that trigger much of the thinking about language, communication, and
culture. A person living in a contact zone is exposed to two different cultures, two
different languages, and as a result is presented with a struggle in each culture to maintain
themselves. From being surrounded by several different cultures, people begin to
integrate the concept of transculturationa process in which subordinate cultures evolve
by taking things from dominant, more advanced cultures, and make it their own. Like
Chess, it is a game that is played all over the world. With that being said, it is an affinity
space that is played by many cultures, where the two opponents may meet or clash. For
example, my uncle and I are the same ethnicity, but we grew up in different backgrounds.
He grew up in Vietnam where they play Chess a little different than how we Americans
do. They have the same concept and rules but the setup of the game is different. All the
pawns from each opponent are setup one row up where there is a space between the
pawns and their own pieces, whereas the American style does not. Each style requires
thinking but when all the pawns are already one space up, it requires more intensive
thinking. So when we play, our playing style clashes because one of us has to adapt to the
other playing style. Making one of us, exposed to the other culture. This is where
transculturation comes into play. My uncle and I both have the mindset, to always better
our play style. So every time we play, the winner, or the dominant culture, as I see it,
exposes their playing style to the loser. Showing them a style that they never seen before
due to how they grew up and what background they came from. Just learning how the

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winner wins and how they play, while taking parts of the dominant culture, they are then
able to apply that knowledge to shape and benefit the way they play.
If we can assume that chess is comparable to life in the sense that it could help
enhance ones mental abilities, then to what extent can you use chess as a reference for
real life problems? My answer to that is that, I think of it, as I am representing the white
and black to what I have to overcome in order to reach my life goals. My life goals are to
be happy, obtain the career I want to pursue, have a wife, raise my kids to be successful,
be healthy and financially stable, and many more. I think it is important to understand
that it is us who control the pawns, how they move and what happens to them, rather than
thinking that we are the pawns and they are controlled by God, our genes, or just any
other idea. For example, in Chess with Friends Free, you are the white pawn. Every
black pawn is an obstacle or problem blocking you from reaching your goals and the
game is to see if you can reach your goals despite any and all reasons. In chess, we
predict what our opponent is going to do and with each and every move? Has a
consequence and meaning, likewise in life. If you can predict what will happen in the
future when you do certain actions, and how our actions affects everything else then you
are on the right path. Have you ever played chess and stood up, then walked around and
saw the game from the other side? Try to do the same in life. See life from other
viewpoints and angles. Try the unknown, test things, learn, and discover. Probably the
biggest difference between a game of chess and life is that in chess you know all the rules
on how everything works. This is not the same in our life. In life, we start as a child
without a manual on how to live. Our parents and school will teach us a lot but most of
the things we have to learn by ourselves. Keep in mind, that many things are not easy. It

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is expected that we get good grades in school, be financially stabled, get successful job, a
good wife or husband and successful children. This is not easy and some things can be
very hard. I like to see it as the opposite color pawn is what you learn from. Study how
they move and what they do. See every setback as a new opportunity. No matter how
much you learn, just know there is much more to learn. Never ever assume you know
everything, there is always room for more knowledge and improvement. When I was a
child, I stuck by a few words that my father told me: to become a genius is to learn
something new every day. This is why I take constructive criticism real serious. Focus
on the things that will make you win over your obstacles and reach your goals in life.
The so what? question, chess like life has infinite possibilities. Chess and other
games teach the importance of planning, decision-making, organization skills, memory,
and competition. We develop skills to deal with the complexities of life. I love playing
chess because it teaches us many qualities to be successful in life. It also teaches us to
plan for the future and to always anticipate the possible consequences of our actions. One
lesson I have definitely learned from chess is the value of sacrifice. Sometimes, we need
to sacrifice some of our small assets to be able to acquire much bigger resources. Also,
keep in mind that the objective of chess and life is winning. Winning can have multiple
meanings but in the case of chess, it is checkmate. There are a numerous ways to get
there but in life, winning is much more complicated. We set goals and work on tasks to
help achieve our goals. Life is a blessing, live your life, put yourself out there and make
mistakes to learn from them. Find something that interests you and dream big, life is full
of obstacles but you have the power to conquer them all. Your life is your game of chess.
Dodge the dangers and pains in life to get to the other side and show others that it is not

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rocket science. One last thing to reminisce about is that life is not all black and white, that
there are other colors in this world, and I just want that to sink in.

Works Cited:

Gee, James Paul. "Affinity Spaces: From Age of Mythology to Today's Schools."
Participating in Cultures of Writing and Reading. Ed. Donna Qualley, Boston,
MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2015. 57-72. Print.