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Audie's avatar

I’m currently reading the book Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, and the message here aligns. Thank you for this attention given to the psychological aspects of this game (which mirror our psychology more generally, so well).

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Nick Vasquez, MD's avatar

Thanks! Let me know if that book is worth it. I also recommend 4000 Weeks if you like that kind of message

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Audie's avatar

I devour everything Oliver Burkeman writes, and indeed he was the one who recommended Tiny Experiments, in a recent blog post! I’m about halfway through the book, and so far it has already been well worth it (though there is a little bit of fluff in it, as well).

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Jeff K's avatar

Doc - Thanks again for another always informative and always relevant article. On a side note, I just started watching the series "The Pitt" on Max+. It's about the daily activities of doctors and nurses in an ER. If what they depict in the series is half as realistic as what you experience in your daily real life, hats off to you and I am amazed that you have the time or energy to write articles like this, study and play chess.

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Nick Vasquez, MD's avatar

That show is so realistic to what we deal with that it's hard to watch, it's like being back at work. The medical writers come from a group called EMRAP, a company that educated ER docs. The medicine is spot on and so is the feel of the place. The only flaw I saw was that the residents and students were all amazingly educated. Often I find they have knowledge gaps. Otherwise... 100% accurate.

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Oscar's avatar

Great article! I think the idea of the journal next to where you play only works if you’re playing online. I try to mimic OTB conditions when I play online, precisely to develop habits that will work OTB.

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Nick Vasquez, MD's avatar

Good choices!

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Babkes's avatar

Nick have you decided to play in a over the board tournament in 2025, or are you restricting you play to online chess?

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Nick Vasquez, MD's avatar

No, OTB is going to happen...just not as much as I would wish

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