Chess can be a lonely game if we want it to be, but it doesn't have to be that way either. I love self-help books, and recently finished the book Eat Your Ice Cream. The book talks about how social connections are a strong predictor of longevity and happiness. Whenever I read these types of books, I always think about how the tips can be applied to chess improvement. That got me thinking hard about this core question: Can chess connections improve chess progress? Many adult improvers are locked into…