Stepping away from chess has alowed me to be more objective in my assessments of my "chess" career, and showed to me its true impact on a persons life. What I found with my newfound outsider eye is this - The amount of time a chess enthusiast spends on the game borders on "unhealthy".

I mean, when I read chess blogs, all I see is - I spent all day analysing this.. learning that.. playing online, OTB, correspondence.. I bet, If we can perhaps tabulate the amount of time spent by your usual chess addict on the game, my guess is that it would go upward starting from 4 hours everyday (I know I used to spend this and more on weekends).

Now, if we replace chess with say - X-box, imagine what it would sound like? You spend 4 hours a day playing X-Box? Now, I dont suppose to compare X-box with chess (although there is chess in X-Box I gather, and so you can theoretically play 4 hours of X-box and chess both at the same time). But the point is - to an outsider, there is really no difference. They would think, and perhaps righly so, that a mature person aught not to spend such a large amount of time on a "mere" game?

- Ok, there is no point in this. Just sharing my obsservasion at this current point in time.

--------------------------

Anyway, heh - I told you all so.. Topalov will win. I nezha have applied my world renowned powers of prediction, and have seen all possibilities. Hey did anyone see his piece sacrifice against Svidler? I bet I can do that same sacrifice after 10minutes of think. And you my readers, I bet it takes you 20minutes..

I'm out like Anands chances..
(Yeah, I've been reading too many basketball blogs.. =>)