Sally Rooney story about a chess player

In the New Yorker, called Opening Theory. 


She brings up an interesting thing. You play to your level, and then if you play above that you always lose, and if you play below that you always win. It's really hard to get your level. Online chess is pretty good, though honestly my rating has gone up and down and it seems sometimes I play a lot and don't care if I lose, and sometimes I just play a few games, and I get out of shape thinking about chess. 

Rooney is a really cool writer, who really gets in there and describes romantic relationships. My guess is she's making a parallel with guys a man makes on a woman, and the opening theory of a chess player who studies all the major openings. It's a good example of her writing for those who want to try her out. 



World Chess Champion Anatoly Karpov (right) in a demonstration chess game, 1978 | Photo: Vladimir Rodionov








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