Chess and Surfing: Going Back to 1953

Aloha Tribe,

I was reading in Matt Warshaw's book, The History of Surfing, that chess goes back on the North Shore, specifically at Sunset Beach, to 1953. The brahs then would surf all day, and play chess at night. So, I figured, why not. Since DD has me learning the North Shore breaks, I thought I'd get deep into chess, since, it's a new year.

So, I have two books on the chess legend Bobby Fischer. One is Russians versus Fischer by Dmitry Plisetsky and Sergey Yorankov, and, the other is Bobby Fischer: The Career and Complete Games of the American World Chess Champion by Karten Muller.

My plan, is to memorize, if I can, up to two games a day, mostly done at night, from the Muller book, and, study the references from the Plisetsky/Yorankov book. Combined, it should give me a great feel for Bobby's games and style. I truly love the book Russians vs. Fischer. It's incredible to read the insights from this truly deep and intense book, and, I see it as a great gift to the chess community, and thus, from my way of looking at it, to our surfing Tribe too.

If I memorize up to two games per day, in less than a year, I'll have covered all but two or three of the games. The idea, of course, will be to do my best to literally memorize them in long term memory, and thus, each day, to memorize one or  two more without forgetting the previous games. Can it be done? By some, of course, in fact, by many chess lovers I'd imagine, but, by me, well... who knows. Then again, why not try.

After all, to me, I see chess in surfing, and, surfing  in chess. The two, interwine for me and dance in a harmonious spiraling of art in a double helix kind of way, though, that's perhaps not quite the fully accurate analogy, for it's a combination of that and also sort of like the reflection in a window at night, overlooking a brightly lit room. Those two images, combined, give a living sense of what I feel when I do either art while simulanously seeing th other. Multitasking, I guess some might call it.

In any event, it sounds fun, and, if surfing, or, chess for that matter, is not fun, then, what's the point?

Now, I suppose memorizing one game a day would be more realistic, and, I don't know if I can do this, but, I wanted to at least try. For, to me, I see it as a marvelous way to improve my surfing. How, you might ask? Well, good question. By developing an analytical mind honed to a razor's edge, yet, capable of intuitive creativity. This, of course, is expressed in the way I surf. By analyzing a chess board for possibilities, I'll be teaching myself to analyze waves, where they'll break, how, and when, and with what power, more so, the predictive skills honed by chess will teach me to see patterns in the waves of what is going to happen.

And, if none of this comes to pass, so. What else does one do on dark nights, when alone on the North Shore? Well, okay, sure, there's lots, but, my surfing comes from where I surf with my home break, in the Wilds, where, I surf alone, for, nobody is there. And, thus, to spend nights in meditative contemplation in a sort of monastic lifestyle almost, seems intellectually to fit my surfing style of the daylight hours.

Interestingly enough, both internal arts, of the body and mind, then, also lead to an internalization of the soul or spirit too, creating a calmness, a mellow way of living life, which, is what the hippy girl lifestyle I live is all about anyways.

I surf alone, not through choice, but through fate. And, I surf for me. Likewise, I live in the country, in the middle of a deep forest with few about, thus, I play chess alone too, also, by fate. And as with surfing, I play chess, for me, not for others, fame, or glory, just, simply, because I love the game. Interestingly enough, my sense of spirituality, that being Shamanism and expressed as Chi Gung, is also a solitary act, followed, since I've been a young girl of 5. Few in the world follow such a path for the path of the Shaman, by its very nature, is solitary.

My hope with this perhaps unusual New Years kind of focus,  is to honor the surfers of yesteryear, who braved Sunset Beach for the first time. Surfing. Fishing. Eating simple meals. And, playing chess.

One girl, one ultralight backpack containing daily needs plus one hammock tent and one chessboard (a travel set that's gone to the North Pole), and slung over my shoulder in a carry bag, one longboard surfboard, on a quest to surf the world and play chess in some of the most famous spots of both sports.

Now, to make it more fun, with the three languages I'm still working on, namely, Hawaiian, Hawaiian Pidgin, and, Surfish (Surfer's Language), it'll be fun for me to think, verbally, in each of these languages, as I learn to express myself on the chess board, and, on the waves.

It's a spiritual quest, I'm on, that of the Vagabond, Feral Surfer, alone, and, okay with that. Searching the world for the perfect game of chess, and, the perfect ride. Both, of which, happen, at least for me, internally.

Which, is what Chi Gung, is all about, especially at the Nei Dan level. So, by bringing Nei Dan Chi Gung to my longboard and my chess board, I hope to express in new ways my love of surfing and the quest we all are on as surfers, to find out how we fit into the sea.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley