Chess

One of my favorite games has always been chess. The thought of playing a game that relied only on skill and tactics, not luck, was a novel and fantastic idea to me. Because of that, it was not an uncommon occurrence during the summer months to play chess with my little brother.

If you know my family at all, then you know that we are a very competitive bunch. So, whenever, by some miracle, my brother actually managed to beat me in a game of chess, my excuse would often be that "I was taking it easy on him". This of course was not true in the least. Of course, due to my young age and thus lack of maturity, I could not acknowledge that he could accomplish such a feat.

 The competitive nature of our games didn't stop there. When at the library, I would stealthily sneak towards the section with books about chess. I would quickly take a few, and then put them in the middle of my bookstack, allowing the other books to hide them. At home, I would hide the books under my bed until it was necessary to explore their knowledge.

Chess is still a great game, even though I haven't played for awhile. It is a great way to think strategically, and it really pushes one's intellectual capabilities to the maximum.