I once knew a guy nicknamed 'Lucky.' He was a native Indian, and had finished grade six and then went to work.. This was in a place near the Yukon border, i.e. the mining town of Cassiar; pop about 1900. I worked in the Diesel Generating plant/powerhouse.Lucky, for fun, drew out the schematic for the synchronizing station. Took him less than half an hour. Also drew in the alarm system, showing relays and all.
Grade six? ! ?
I thought I was a decent Chess player, because I had just beaten this guy from Vancouver and he was one of the top Chess guys on the Vancouver College chess team.
Lucky had taught himself Math to the grade 12 level, and he also read a fair bit. He was an electrician. We played 5 games of chess and he beat me every time. Nobody ever owned me so easily.
Last time I played him he said to me, after about 14 moves apiece: 'Look, you are 6 moves from checkmating me. Let me show you 'and he called/demonstrated all 6 moves , as though he were just ordering lunch in a restaurant. I just sat there kinda stunned. I didn't win that last game because I couldn't see the 'track' He'd have done me in
Good guy, too. Except in a chess game. That was over 50 years ago, and I still marvel when I think about that
11/4/2023 8:09 PM (edited)