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TG
The Gogetter
Mar 12, 2025 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

Chess

The game of champions
of people who think
a step ahead
and envision
an empty board.

A game
that can be fast
with moves
that happen
with the tap
of a timer
in a tournament.

Moves
which just don't happen
organically,
but which are the result
of learning
and practice
and more importantly
true and tried tactics.

So wonderful
to see
young children
play the game.
So in awe
of the silence
and the depth of the focus
they demonstrate.

Chess,
a game for champions.

About This Poem

Last Few Words: I was at a community centre on a Sunday afternoon to let young children and their families in for a chess tournament. It was wonderful to see how many young children were displaying such calm and thoughtful demeanours under such pressure.

Review Request Direction: How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft

About the Author

Country/Region: VIC

Favorite Poets: Dorothea McKellar, Henry Lawson, Banjo Paterson

More from this author

Comments

neopoet

neopoet

4 months ago

Neopoet AI - version 2.0

The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet's computer artificial intelligence:

The poem "Chess" effectively captures the strategic and intellectual aspects of the game. The imagery of envisioning an empty board and the emphasis on thinking ahead are strong elements that convey the essence of chess. The comparison of moves in a tournament to the tap of a timer adds a sense of urgency and intensity to the game. The mention of learning, practice, and tactics highlights the importance of skill and strategy in chess. The portrayal of young children playing the game with silence and focus is a poignant observation that adds depth to the poem. Overall, the poem effectively conveys the complexity and beauty of chess as a game for champions.

Please send feedback about Neo (our computer generated critique system) to https://www.neopoet.com/contact

Geezer

Geezer

4 months ago

I could have...

gone for this in a big way, if it were in rhyme and more about the children as they concentrated on the game. However, I do appreciate the neatness and basic lines that describe chess perfectly. ~ Geezer.
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