During my second year at the city college, I was told that the education department was offering a “free” course, called Thinking Chess, for three credits. I 41 the idea of taking the class because, after all, who doesn’t want to 42 a few dollars? More than that, I’d always wanted to learn chess. And, even if I weren’t 43 enough about free credits, news about our 44 was appealing enough to me. He was an international grandmaster, which 45 I would be learning from one of the game’s 46 . I could hardly wait to 47 him.

Maurice Ashley was kind and smart, a former graduate returning to teach, and this 48 was no game for him; he meant business. In his introduction, he made it 49

that our credits would be hard-earned. In order to 50 the class, among other criteria, we had to write a paper on how we plan to 51 what we would learn in class to our future professions and, 52 , to our lives. I managed to get an A in that 53 and learned life lessons that have served me well beyond the 54 .

Ten years after my chess class with Ashley, I’m still putting to use what he 55 me: “The absolute most important 56 that you learn when you play chess is how to make good 57 . On every single move you have to 58 a situation, process what your opponent (对手) is doing and 59 the best move from among all your options.” These words still ring true today in my 60 as a journalist.