I learnt chess by playing my Father at home. For five motherfucking years, I didn't win a single damn game. Then, finally, I beat him. We stopped playing as much after that.
When I started playing people at school, I absolutely whupped them all. I remember in the chess club there was a showdown between me and this Chinese kid, that had my friends watching. The guy actually started sweating from his forehead while I was playing him, lol. I won.
I don't play as much now. I've met plenty of people in adult life who can beat me, but I always enjoy it if you can spot how they got you, and add it to your own attacks. I can still beat most people, but some only if I've been playing a bit recently.