Life is like a game of chess, if your not first your last.

Of chess it has been said that life is not long enough for it, but that is the fault of life, not chess

In life, unlike chess, the game continues after checkmate

I feel that my chess strengths are still here, ... I believe I can still improve.

Life's too short for chess

In chess, as a purely intellectual game, where randomness is excluded, - for someone to play against himself is absurd ...
It is as paradoxical, as attempting to jump over his own shadow.