Thurb

Chess

I've played quite a bit of Chess in my time, but I hardly ever play it these days. It has the following advantages:

• The rules are short and easy to learn.
• There are only 16 pieces on each side.
• It can be played very quickly — lightning Chess, over in ten minutes — or can be lingered over for an hour or two; it should never take more than a few hours.
• Despite which, the strategy and tactics of the game have considerable depth, and you can play it all your life without exhausting it.

And the following disadvantages:

• Although nominally a wargame, in practice it's an abstract game, simulating nothing in reality, with a dry, humourless feel to it.
• It's been played and analyzed for centuries until all the life has been knocked out of it. You can't compete with keen players unless you've studied it like a professional career.
• By now, computers can play it better than I can ever hope to do.

If I could find a game with the advantages of Chess but without the disadvantages, I'd be well pleased.