Things are Getting Serious

USCF Membership
One major problem I have is that I don't have a good way to measure my improvement (or lack thereof, god forbid) on the MDLM program. I have no USCF or FIDE rating. I do play a weekly game with my friend OJ that has been going much better for me since I started spending all my spare time with CT-Art. I've gone 4.5 / 5 since I started, whereas before I was scoring 0.5 or 1 out of 6 or so, with my wins coming primarily from swindles when my opponent got lazy in completely winning positions. I used to play a bit on InstantChess.com, but I only play g/15+5, not the long, slower games that I need right now, so my rating in the low 1600's there is not a really good barometer of chess improvement either. I hadn't played a rated game there in months but last week I decided to see how I did after being on the plan and I lost in a pathetic fashion to someone rated a hundred points below me (and responded to my opening of 1.e4 with 1...g5?). I think I was wigged out by playing with a time control after not having played with one in a while, but my play was anything but encouraging.

Since getting a USCF rating would help measure my improvement, I figured a good start would be to renew my USCF membership. I was in USCF for a year but let my membership lapse in January 2004 because (1) I wasn't doing much with it, (2) I wasn't getting much out of it, and (3) I was a bit peeved at how Anna Hahn, 2003 U.S. Women's Champion, got shafted on the whole 2004 Olympiad fiasco. The women's team, sans Hahn, did well (second place), but was second place (or first, for that matter), worth crawling through all that mud? I hope so.

Anyway, I'm sure that my one-year absence has really hurt the USCF and taught them a lesson, so I opted to come back and give them another chance. As of this morning, I am once again an active member.

A Clock
In order to get used to playing long games under time pressure, I need a way to time them. So I bought a chess clock. Since I've always wanted one of those DGT electronic chessboards (though not enough to spend the $400-$500 it costs) I decided to get a DGT clock so if I do get a DGT board, my clock will work with it. I got the DGT XL, which was waiting on my doorstep after work today. Seems like a nice clock, but how would I know the difference since I've never actually used one? At any rate, I figured I'd better get used to using one if I am going to begin rated OTB play. I'll start by using it in my weekly match with OJ. He makes each of his moves in about 10 seconds, whereas I am slower than a crippled tortoise. An average game takes about three hours, and with each of his moves taking 10 seconds, you do the math. I think I will soon be reacquainted with the joys of time pressure. I'm sure OJ cannot wait.

So now that I have an ID and a clock, the next step is to find some more opponents in the Austin, Texas greater metropolitan area. Oh, yeah, and do a few more chess problems in the meantime...