Chess Fight

Maybe you’ve heard about the fight that broke out at the Boston Pops’ opening night concert. For some reason, this story reminded me of a fight that took place at my junior high chess tournament. When I was in eighth grade, I participated in a chess tournament with about a dozen other schools in the area. I don’t remember how it started or what it was about (probably someone touched a piece without moving it, which is a no-no in a chess tournament), but Aaron G. and a kid from another school started to get in an argument. (The argument took place during a break so my touching theory is likely wrong.) Aaron was a cool guy. He also had a bit of a temper and seemed to be in detention or in-school-suspension a lot, sometimes for fighting.

Anyway, perhaps inspired by the chess fight that took place in a “Family Ties” episode or just being a 13 year-old, I helped escalate the situation. Aaron and the other kid starting trading insults. Nothing major, but I thought I would “help” the situation by throwing in “Oooooooooh; you’re going to let him say that!” By continuing to say things like that, Aaron and the other kid couldn’t back down. They probably didn’t want to fight – well at least the other guy didn’t – but they had no choice. Pushing ensued and a punch or two may have been thrown before a few teachers broke up the fight. The moral of the story: I was a really good chess player.

P.S. There is no truth to the rumor that the World Chess Boxing Organisation started based on the aforementioned chess tournament incident.