Chess960 a pain in the neck?

Alright what I am talking about Chess960 and a pain in the neck? I'm actually trying to advocate it with this blog!

Let me explain. I spend hours and hours and hours behind a computer screen to earn a living. What do I do to relax? Well of course we all know it is Chess960. But Chess960 is done from behind a computer screen as well !@!#@

Over the years my neck muscles have tightened up like a knotted rope from lots of work in front of the computer. I've had various other issues with my neck but lately I started noticing that when I am playing a Chess960 game, I can actually get a bit "dizzy". I went to the doctor and had it checked. The doctor could find nothing wrong and even worse, he did not know what Chess960 was :-)

So I did a bit of research. Stress can make you dizzy that's one thing. Another thing is that Chess960 probably expends 25% more energy than a game of standard Chess because you are having to think from the first move. Not only that but the brain uses 25% of the total oxygen circulating in the body. How does oxygen get to the head where we are thinking? It get's there via the blood and the blood gets to the head via the neck, and the muscles in the neck can constrict the blood flow. Relax, stretch the neck muscles and deeestresssss.

So Chess960 is a sport that involves blood, but it is not a blood sport...... ok?
Enjoy 960

Courtesy  of "The Stretching Handbook"

Courtesy  of "The Stretching Handbook"

This exercise is more fun because you get to stick your hand under your bum

Courtesy  of "The Stretching Handbook"

Courtesy  of "The Stretching Handbook"

Courtesy  of "The Stretching Handbook"

Courtesy  of "The Stretching Handbook"