How old is old?
You're as old as you feel. Age is just a number. Chess is a game for a lifetime, anytime, anywhere in the world. Mental activity is good for the brain, as long as you don't become obsessed with it at the expense of other life matters.

Here is a fine example: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...

* SkySports has a fine collection: Game Collection: Old men (and women) vs. time

* Brilliancies: Game Collection: brilliacies

* Some Miniatures of the Champs: Game Collection: Champions miniature champions

* Generations: Game Collection: Across the generations

FTB scans a variety of games each day, and gradually adds 'em as he comes across such qualifiers. Surely some games are in both collections.

* Did it take?
User: mahmoudkubba
<mahmoudkubba: To ChG.com: Greetings, I just a few days ago made my renewal after a long absence and after a long time staying as just a participant and not a member. Please how to go to my Forum?> Welcome back!
First you need to open your forum.
The instructions on how to do this, and use the many other premium features at cg.com, can be found on these pages: Premium Membership Help Page
ChessGames.com Premium Membership XP looking for me ==============
<"Opening your forum"> is here: Premium Membership Help Page "Starting your own chessforum: To active your chessforum, visit your Preferences Page and check the selection <Activate your chessforum>, then click the <"Update Profile"> button. That's all there is to it! Now, when you visit your https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... , your forum will appear at the bottom. Now that you have a forum, you may wish to visit your Chessforum Configuration Page to customize some settings.

"Go forward bravely. Fear nothing. Trust in God; all will be well." ― Joan of Arc

"My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist. Drive is considered aggression today; I knew it then as purpose." ― Bette Davis

"Chess is a matter of vanity." ― Alexander Alekhine

"As a chess player one has to be able to control one's feelings, one has to be as cold as a machine." ― Levon Aronian

"Sometimes it happens that the computer's assessment is very abstract. It's correct, but it's not useful for a practical game. You have to prove the assessment with very strong moves and if you don't find all of these strong moves you may lose very quickly. For a computer this is not a problem, but for humans it is not so easy." ― Vassily Ivanchuk

"A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit." ― John Milton

"Chess is a sport. The main object in the game of chess remains the achievement of victory." ― Max Euwe

"A sport, a struggle for results and a fight for prizes. I think that the discussion about "chess is science or chess is art" is already inappropriate. The purpose of modern chess is to reach a result." ― Alexander Morozevich

"No one man is superior to the game." ― A. Bartlett Giamatti, in reference to Pete Rose, the all-time MLB hits leader banned for gambling.

"To err is human; to forgive, divine." ― Alexander Pope

"I consider Mr. Morphy the finest chess player who ever existed. He is far superior to any now living, and would doubtless have beaten Labourdonnais himself. In all his games with me, he has not only played, in every instance, the exact move, but the most exact. He never makes a mistake; but, if his adversary commits the slightest error, he is lost." ― Adolf Anderssen

"After white's reply to 1.e4 e5 with 2.f4 the game is in its last throes" ― Howard Staunton

"I have added these principles to the law: get the Knights into action before both Bishops are developed." ― Emanuel Lasker

"With opposite coloured bishops the attacking side has in effect an extra piece in the shape of his bishop." ― Mikhail Botvinnik

"A pawn, when separated from his fellows, will seldom or never make a fortune." ― Francois-Andre Danican Philidor

Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. — Alfred Lord Tennyson

"Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances." ― Thomas Jefferson

"The human element, the human flaw and the human nobility - those are the reasons that chess matches are won or lost." ― Viktor Korchnoi

"Faulty execution of a winning combination has lost many a game on the very brink of victory. In such cases, a player sees the winning idea, plays the winning sacrifice, and then inverts the order of their follow-up moves or misses the really clinching point of their combination." ― Fred Reinfeld

"In chess, you should be as cool as a cucumber." ― Yuliya Snigir

"Be warned! From Satan's viewpoint you are a pawn in his game of cosmic chess." ― Adrian Rogers

"Pawns not only create the sketch for the whole painting, they are also the soil, the foundation, of any position." ― Anatoly Karpov

"The object of the state is always the same: to limit the individual, to tame him, to subordinate him, to subjugate him." ― Max Stirner

"It is a profound mistake to imagine that the art of combination depends only on natural talent, and that it cannot be learned." ― Richard Reti

"A Queen's sacrifice, even when fairly obvious, always rejoices the heart of the chess-lover." ― Savielly Tartakower

"Everyone makes mistakes. The wise are not people who never make mistakes, but those who forgive themselves and learn from their mistakes." ― Ajahn Brahm

"As a rule, so-called "positional" sacrifices are considered more difficult, and therefore more praise-worthy, than those which are based exclusively on an exact calculation of tactical possibilities." ― Alexander Alekhine

"It would be idle, and presumptuous, to wish to imitate the achievements of a Morphy or an Alekhine; but their methods and their manner of expressing themselves are within the reach of all." ― Eugene Znosko-Borovsky

"The most powerful weapon in chess is to have the next move." ― David Bronstein

"It's never too late to lose." ― GM Benjamin Finegold

"Get there firstest with the mostest." ― Nathan Bedford Forrest

"If the defender is forced to give up the center, then every possible attack follows almost of itself." ― Siegbert Tarrasch

"Erudition, like a bloodhound, is a charming thing when held firmly in leash, but it is not so attractive when turned loose upon a defenseless and unerudite public." ― Agnes Repplier

"If you watch it, you should watch it with other players and try to find moves, like it was before. Now on many sites you watch together with the computer and the pleasure is gone." ― Boris Gelfand

"I believe that Chess possesses a magic that is also a help in advanced age. A rheumatic knee is forgotten during a game of chess and other events can seem quite unimportant in comparison with a catastrophe on the chessboard." ― Vlastimil Hort

"It's funny, but many people don't understand why I draw so many games nowadays. They think my style must have changed but this is not the case at all. The answer to this drawing disease is that my favorite squares are e6, f7, g7 and h7 and everyone now knows this. They protect these squares not once but four times!" ― Mikhail Tal

"Having spent alarmingly large chunks of my life studying the white side of the Open Sicilian, I find myself asking, why did I bother?" ― Daniel J. King

"Apart from direct mistakes, there is nothing more ruinous than routine play, the aim of which is mechanical development." ― Alexey Suetin

"Not infrequently ... the theoretical is a synonym of the stereotyped. For the 'theoretical' in chess is nothing more than that which can be found in the textbooks and to which players try to conform because they cannot think up anything better or equal, anything original." ― Mikhail Chigorin

"The choice of opening, whether to aim for quiet or risky play, depends not only on the style of a player, but also on the disposition with which he sits down at the board." ― Efim Geller

"Despite the development of chess theory, there is much that remains secret and unexplored in chess." ― Vasily Smyslov

"No matter how much theory progresses, how radically styles change, chess play is inconceivable without tactics." ― Samuel Reshevsky

"Collect as precious pearls the words of the wise and virtuous." ― Abdelkader El Djezairi

"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble." — William Shakespeare, Macbeth

"There are two types of sacrifices: correct ones and mine." — Tal

"Whatever you do, don't fall asleep."
— Nancy Thomas, "Nightmare on Elm Street"

"Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are." — Will Ferrell

"It's easy for me to get along with chess players. Even though we are all very different, we have chess in common." — Magnus Carlsen

"Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and diligence." ― Abigail Adams

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." ― Winston Churchill

"When I was preparing for one term's work in the Botvinnik school I had to spend a lot of time on king and pawn endings. So when I came to a tricky position in my own games, I knew the winning method." ― Garry Kasparov

"As a rule, pawn endings have a forced character, and they can be worked out conclusively." ― Mark Dvoretsky

"It is a gross overstatement, but in chess, it can be said I play against my opponent over the board and against myself on the clock." ― Viktor Korchnoi

"The fact that the 7 hours time control allows us to play a great deep game is not of great importance for mass-media." ― Alexei Shirov

"For me, each game is a new challenge, which has to be dealt with rationally and systematically. At that time, every other thought fades into oblivion." ― Viswanathan Anand

Ne kadar bilirsen bil, o kadar azdır.

"Any fool can know. The point is to understand." ― Albert Einstein

"To be content with what we possess is the greatest and most secure of riches." ― Marcus Tullius Cicero

"One bad move nullifies forty good ones."
― Israel Albert Horowitz

"It is a well-known phenomenon that the same amateur who can conduct the middle game quite creditably, is usually perfectly helpless in the end game. One of the principal requisites of good chess is the ability to treat both the middle and end game equally well." ― Aron Nimzowitsch

"My hard work and excellent training entitled me to be a better actress than some of my competitors." ― Pola Negri

"Endings of one rook and pawns are about the most common sort of endings arising on the chess board. Yet though they do occur so often, few have mastered them thoroughly. They are often of a very difficult nature, and sometimes while apparently very simple they are in reality extremely intricate." ― Jose Raul Capablanca

"A player is said to have the opposition when he can place his King directly in front of the adverse King, with only one square between them. This is often an important advantage in ending games." ― Howard Staunton

"A player can sometimes afford the luxury of an inaccurate move, or even a definite error, in the opening or middlegame without necessarily obtaining a lost position. In the endgame ... an error can be decisive, and we are rarely presented with a second chance." ― Paul Keres

"Never trust a government that doesn't trust its own citizens with guns." ― Benjamin Franklin

"The Soviet Union was an exception, but even there chess players were not rich. Only Fischer changed that." ― Boris Spassky

"Chess never has been and never can be aught but a recreation. It should not be indulged in to the detriment of other and more serious avocations - should not absorb or engross the thoughts of those who worship at its shrine, but should be kept in the background, and restrained within its proper province. As a mere game, a relaxation from the severe pursuits of life, it is deserving of high commendation." ― Paul Morphy

"Incidentally, when we're faced with a "prove or disprove," we're usually better off trying first to disprove with a counterexample, for two reasons: A disproof is potentially easier (we need just one counterexample); and nitpicking arouses our creative juices. Even if the given assertion is true, our search for a counterexample often leads to a proof, as soon as we see why a counterexample is impossible. Besides, it's healthy to be skeptical." ― Ronald Graham

"Even though chess isn't the toughest thing that computers will tackle for centuries, it stood as a handy symbol for human intelligence. No matter what human-like feat computers perform in the future, the Deep Blue match demands an indelible dot on all timelines of AI progress." ― Steven Levy

"Attackers may sometimes regret bad movez, but it's much worse to forever regret an opportunity you allowed to pass you by." ― Garry Kasparov

"Even the laziest king flees wildly in the face of a double check." ― Aron Nimzowitzch

"When you see a good move – WAIT! – look for a better one." ― Emanuel Lasker The Portuguese chess player and author Pedro Damiano (1480–1544) first wrote this in his book "Questo libro e da imparare giocare a scachi et de li partiti" published in Rome, Italy, in 1512.

Proverbs 29:25
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

"Winning is about commitment, discipline, hard work, dedication, determination, courage and sometimes even luck!" ― Susan Polgar

"Every defeat is an opportunity to learn from our mistakes! Every victory is a confirmation of our hard work!" ― Susan Polgar

"A chess player uses his/her knowledge to prepare for next game while a passionate coach preparez for next generation!" ― Susan Polgar

Alas, heed Lasker's observation: "More chess games are lost by not applying what you already know, than by what you don't know." (FTB is paraphrasing the original quote.)

"Heroism doesn't always happen in a burst of glory. Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history. Sometimes a chicken can save a man's life." ― Mary Roach, Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War

"Remember that there are two kinds of beauty: one of the soul and the other of the body. That of the soul displays its radiance in intelligence, in chastity, in good conduct, in generosity, and in good breeding, and all these qualities may exist in an ugly man. And when we focus our attention upon that beauty, not upon the physical, love generally arises with great violence and intensity. I am well aware that I am not handsome, but I also know that I am not deformed, and it is enough for a man of worth not to be a monster for him to be dearly loved, provided he has those spiritual endowments I have spoken of." ― Miguel Cervantes

"Customers don't expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong." — Donald Porter

"It is so much easier to be nice, to be respectful, to put yourself in your customer's' shoes and try to understand how you might help them before they ask for help, than it is to try to mend a broken customer relationship." — Mark Cuban

"Only once customer service has become habitual will a company realize its true potential." — Than Merrill

"Customers don't care about your policies. Find and engage the need. Tell the customer what you can do." — Alice Sesay Pope

"Always keep in mind the old retail adage: Customers remember the service a lot longer than they remember the price." — Lauren Freedman

"Here is a powerful yet simple rule. Always give people more than they expect to get." — Nelson Boswell

"Teach us to give and not to count the cost." — Saint Ignatius

"Every contact we have with a customer influences whether or not they'll come back. We have to be great every time or we'll lose them." — Kevin Stirtz

"The customer is always right." — Harry Gordon Selfridge (Not hardly says FTB.)

"Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia." ― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

* Back rankers: Game Collection: Back Rank Mate Examples

* Basic Checkmates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y-...

* Blowing Away the Castled King: Game Collection: Attack The King's Pocket

* KingG has collected brilliant miniatures:
Game Collection: Brilliant Miniatures

* H2B Black Bart: Game Collection: tpstar KG

* Black Licorice: Game Collection: repertorio gaston

* Black B-G Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAI...

* More slow QP answers for Black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK2...

* Chained: Game Collection: CARLSEN CHAIN! CARLSEN CHAIN! CARLSEN CHAIN!

* Diagrammed Checkmate Patterns Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns

* Deflection/Undermining the Defender: Game Collection: Deflection/Undermining Tactics-- OTB Examples

* Devin's Doughnuts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goK...

* Dutch Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAo...

* Short Draws: Game Collection: Short Forced Draws

* For now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fik...

* Gambits & stuff: https://gambitchessplayer.com/page/3/

* More Gs: https://saintlouischessclub.org/blo...

* King's English: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che...

* Reti/English 0-1: Game Collection: Reti/English systems: Black's viewpoint

* Bg2 vs Bg7 English: Game Collection: Inglesa 3

* Common Mistakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI1...

* Snipe Hunting: https://temposchlucker.blogspot.com...

* A Brief History of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeB...

* A Brief History of the Game of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2a...

* Chess for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU6...

* Learn Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adY...

* Learn Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGu...

* Learn ALL the Rules of the Royal Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej_...

* Ladder Checkmate with Two Rooks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaQ...

* Checkmate with King and Rook vs lone King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yf...

* Checkmate with Two Bishops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN7...

* Colle System: Game Collection: The Colle System: Koltanowski, Phoenix, Zukertor

* Colle book Introduction: Game Collection: Games from "The Ultimate Colle" by Gary Lane

* Copy the Colle 5.c3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3N...

* Club 1.d4 Nf6 2...e6 3...as you please. Symmetrical English ...c5, Qc7, a6, form a hut/small center. Much the same w/the QGA dxc4 and cxd4: D Kryakvin vs Evgeni Kuligin, 2008

* Chess Equipment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLA...

* Common Checkmate Patterns:
http://gambiter.com/chess/Checkmate...

* Famous Chess Photos: https://tr.pinterest.com/pin/585256...

* Glossary P: https://www.peoriachess.com/Glossar...

* Malaguena: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxD...

* Nimzowitsch Defense: https://www.chessable.com/blog/nimz...

* The Opposition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52y...

* King and Pawn vs King (both kings want to be in front of the pawn to affect its progress): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvB...

* Overworked! Game Collection: Overworked Piece

* Opening Tree: https://www.shredderchess.com/onlin...

* 10 Best to Watch: https://www.chessjournal.com/best-c...

* 23 Opening Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-5...

* 30 Concepts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amr...

* 50 Games to Know: https://en.chessbase.com/post/50-ga...

* Champion miniatures: Game Collection: Champions miniature champions

* Chess Step-by-Step: https://www.chess.com/learn-how-to-...

* Common Checkmate Patterns:
http://gambiter.com/chess/Checkmate...

* Caviar: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...

* CFN: https://www.youtube.com/@CFNChannel

* Diagrammed Checkmate Patterns:
Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns

* Bill Wall should have been on beer commercials crushing empty beer cans with his bare hands: Bill Wall

"Why don't you play checkers with Bill anymore?" "Would you play with a person who cheats and moves his men around when you are not looking?" "No."
"Well, neither would Bill."

* Chessmaster 2000 Classic Games:
Game Collection: Chessmaster '86

* Candidates 2014: World Championship Candidates (2014)

* Carlsen's Minis: Game Collection: Carlsen's winning miniatures

* Defend Your Pieces, Kids! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc-...

* A great decade of chess: Game Collection: Mil y Una Partidas 1950-1959

* Expanded Edition:
Game Collection: 125 Greatest Chess Games

* Feeling Punny? Don't tell Fredthebear. Use the Submission Page: Pun Submission Page

* Find Forcing Moves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHO...

* Fried Fox is awful: https://allchessopenings.blogspot.c...

* Gambits by ECO code: https://www.jimmyvermeer.com/openin...

* Glossary P: https://www.peoriachess.com/Glossar...

* Good Historical Links:
https://www.saund.co.uk/britbase/in...

* Happy Days! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slv...

* h-file attacks: Game Collection: h-file Attacks, some Greek Gifts by Fredthebear

* How to Play Chess! http://www.serverchess.com/play.htm...

* Imagination: Game Collection: Imagination in Chess

* Immortal Games: Game Collection: Immortal games

* Jackpot History: https://www.megamillions.com/About/...

* Surprise Knockouts: Game Collection: quick knockouts of greats

* Collection assembled by Fredthebear, vandalized by CGs.

* Jupiter, Pluto, or Mars? https://www.urduchess.com/chess-gra...

* Move-by-Move book: Game Collection: Move by Move - Carlsen (Lakdawala)

* This MC collection is way better than mine: Game Collection: The Carlsen Chronicles Part I - Wonderboy

* Eat like a champion: https://tartajubow.blogspot.com/201...

* 2013 WCC: Game Collection: Anand-Carlsen WC November 2013

* Today's Titans: search "Sergey Karjakin vs Magnus Carlsen"

* FIDE Laws of Chess (2018): https://www.schachschiri.de/fide_18...

* Golden Treasury of Chess (Wellmuth/Horowitz): Game Collection: Golden Treasury of Chess (Wellmuth/Horowitz)

https://archive.org/details/the-gol...

* GM Endgames: Game Collection: Grandmaster Preparation - Endgame Play

* Hotel: https://www.chesshotel.com/

* How to catch a Spanish Rabbit: https://fi.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esp...

* ICC: https://www.chessclub.com/

* Use your King: Game Collection: ABC Games for Lessons

* Lasker's Manual: Game Collection: Manual of Chess (Lasker)

* MC Move-by-Move: Game Collection: Move by Move - Carlsen (Lakdawala)

* Miniatures: Game Collection: 200 Miniature Games of Chess - Du Mont (III)

* Monday Puzzles: Game Collection: Monday Puzzles, 2011-2017

* Nunn's Course: Game Collection: Lasker JNCC

* Occupy the Open File: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_w...

* Overloaded! Game Collection: OVERLOADED!

* Opening Explorer: Opening Explorer

* Become a Predator at the Chessboard: https://www.chesstactics.org/

* Famous Chess Photos: https://tr.pinterest.com/pin/585256...

* Common Phrases and Terms: https://www.ragchess.com/chess-basi...

* POTD 2023: Game Collection: Puzzle of the Day 2023

* Pawn Instruction: http://www.logicalchess.com/learn/l...

* Petrosian's Best: Game Collection: P.H.Clarke: Petrosian's Best games

* Read The Planet Greenpawn - https://www.redhotpawn.com/

* Results: https://chess-results.com/TurnierSu...

* Queen vs Rook Ending: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJn...

* Simple EG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejj...

* Solitaire: Game Collection: Solitaire Chess by I. A. Horowitz

* Stunners: Game Collection: Stunners

* Top Chessgames by ECO Code: http://schachsinn.de/gamelist.htm

* Top Games by Year: Wikipedia article: List of chess games

* Terminology: https://www.angelfire.com/games5/ch...

* Triangulation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH3...

* Trap the Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmU...

* When to Trade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGa...

* Winning 1.d4: Game Collection: Winning with 1 d4!

* 1.d4 Response: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ-...

* UK: https://chesscircuit.substack.com/

* Use your king in the endgame! Game Collection: King Power In The Endgame

* Zwischenzug! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-q...

* Mr. Harvey's Puzzle Challenge: https://wtharvey.com/

WTHarvey:
There once was a website named WTHarvey,
Where chess puzzles did daily delay,
The brain-teasers so tough,
They made us all huff and puff,
But solving them brought us great satisfaction today.

There once was a website named WTHarvey
Where chess puzzles were quite aplenty
With knight and rook and pawn
You'll sharpen your brain with a yawn
And become a master of chess entry

There once was a site for chess fun,
Wtharvey.com was the chosen one,
With puzzles galore,
It'll keep you in store,
For hours of brain-teasing, none done.

There once was a website named WTHarvey,
Where chess puzzles were posted daily,
You'd solve them with glee,
And in victory,
You'd feel like a true chess prodigy!

"Chess is played with the mind and not with the hands." ― Renaud & Kahn

"Chess is a terrific way for kids to build self-image and self-esteem." ― Saudin Robovic

"Chess is a sport. The main object in the game of chess remains the achievement of victory." ― Max Euwe

"Life is like a chess. If you lose your queen, you will probably lose the game." ― Being Caballero

"The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them." — Ernest Hemingway

"If you wish to succeed, you must brave the risk of failure." — Garry Kasparov

"You win some, you lose some, you wreck some." — Dale Earnhardt

"Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." ― Albert Einstein

"In life, unlike chess the game continues after checkmate." ― Isaac Asimov

"The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens." ― Jimmy Carter, 39th U.S. President

Connecticut: Windsor
Established in: 1633

Settlers from Plymouth Colony built the first trading house in Windsor in 1633 on an expanse of land they bought from Native Americans who were living there. Windsor was Connecticut's first English settlement, with a perfect location on the water. Today, the city uses its "first town" status to create a historical atmosphere ideal for tourism.

* Chess History: https://www.uschesstrust.org/chess-...

* Chess History: https://www.britannica.com/topic/ch...

* Three Simple Chess Tips: https://www.premierchesscoaching.co...

The Kings of Chess: A History of Chess, Traced Through the Lives of Its Greatest Players by William Hartston William Hartson traces the development of the game from its Oriental origins to the present day through the lives of its greatest exponents - men like Howard Staunton, who transformed what had been a genteel pastime into a competitive science; the brilliant American Paul Morphy, who once played a dozen simultaneous games blindfold; the arrogant and certified insane Wilhelm Steinitz; the philosopher and mathematician Emanual Lasker; Bobby Fischer, perhaps the most brilliant and eccentric of them all; and many other highly gifted individuals. Hartson depicts all their colorful variety with a wealth of rare illustrations.

Format: Hardcover
Language: English
ISBN: 006015358X
ISBN13: 9780060153588
Release Date: January 1985
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Length: 192 Pages
Weight: 1.80 lbs.

The Heron

One day, – no matter when or where, –
A long-legged heron chanced to fare
By a certain river's brink,
With his long, sharp beak
Helved on his slender neck;
It was a fish-spear, you might think.
The water was clear and still,
The carp and the pike there at will
Pursued their silent fun,
Turning up, ever and anon,
A golden side to the sun.
With ease might the heron have made
Great profits in his fishing trade.
So near came the scaly fry,
They might be caught by the passer-by.
But he thought he better might
Wait for a better appetite –
For he lived by rule, and could not eat,
Except at his hours, the best of meat.
Anon his appetite returned once more;
So, approaching again the shore,
He saw some tench taking their leaps,
Now and then, from their lowest deeps.
With as dainty a taste as Horace's rat,
He turned away from such food as that.
"What, tench for a heron! poh!
I scorn the thought, and let them go."
The tench refused, there came a gudgeon;
"For all that," said the bird, "I budge on.
I'll never open my beak, if the gods please,
For such mean little fishes as these."
He did it for less;
For it came to pass,
That not another fish could he see;
And, at last, so hungry was he,
That he thought it of some avail
To find on the bank a single snail.
Such is the sure result
Of being too difficult.
Would you be strong and great,
Learn to accommodate.
Get what you can, and trust for the rest;
The whole is often lost by seeking the best.
Above all things beware of disdain;
Where, at most, you have little to gain.
The people are many that make
Every day this sad mistake.
It's not for the herons I put this case,
You featherless people, of human race.
– List to another tale as true,
And you'll hear the lesson brought home to you.

"So if you think that when you are better, it means that you can smash ahead and mate the guy, you are wrong, that is not what better means. What better means is that your position has the potential, if played correctly, to turn out well. So do not think that when you are better and when you are attacking that you can just force mate. That is not what it is about. Often the way to play best, the way to play within the position, is to maintain it." ― Josh Waitzkin

Ephesians 6:4: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

Deuteronomy 6:6-9: "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

Ecclesiastes 9:9: "Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun."

"The participation of women in some armies in the world is in reality only symbolic. The talk about the role of Zionist women in fighting with the combat units of the enemy in the war of 5 June 1967 was intended more as propaganda than anything real or substantial. It was calculated to intensify and compound the adverse psychological effects of the war by exploiting the backward outlook of large sections of Arab society and their role in the community. The intention was to achieve adverse psychological effects by saying to Arabs that they were defeated, in 1967, by women." ― Saddam Hussein, The Revolution and Woman in Iraq

Chess
Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Exactly four different men have tried
to teach me how to play. I could never
tell the difference between a rook
or bishop, but I knew the horse meant

knight. And that made sense to me,
because a horse is night: soot-hoof
and nostril, dark as a sabled evening
with no stars, bats, or moon blooms.

It's a night in Ohio where a man sleeps
alone one week and the next, the woman
he will eventually marry leans her body
into his for the first time, leans a kind

of faith, too—filled with white crickets
and bouquets of wild carrot. And
the months and the honeyed years
after that will make all the light

and dark squares feel like tiles
for a kitchen they can one day build
together. Every turn, every sacrificial
move—all the decoys, the castling,

the deflections—these will be both
riotous and unruly, the exact opposite
of what she thought she ever wanted
in the endgame of her days.

blogger cinephilia once said: >"The flawless game is impossible. Feed off your opponent's mistakes like a leech.">

"There's always a hidden owl in knowledge." – E.I. Jane

"If you open it, close it. If you turn it on, turn it off. If you take it out, put it back. If you empty it, fill it. If you fill it, empty it." — Kathryn Malter, St. Paul, MN

"Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it." — Christopher Hitchens

"What are you willing to give up, in order to become who you really need to be?" — Elizabeth Gilbert

A Word To Husbands by Ogden Nash

To keep your marriage brimming
With love in the loving cup,
Whenever you're wrong, admit it;
Whenever you're right, shut up.

Is Queen + Knight really stronger than Queen + Bishop? The Queen + Knight does not seem to be an advantage of itself. In order to be considered advantageous, there must always be a second element influencing the position. The most common factors are weakness of the opposing king, passed pawns, and weak squares that can be accessed.

Mr. H. H. Strand wrote: "There is no true answer to this, but here are some general observations that are commonly agreed upon by strong players:

Bishops are stronger in open positions with few pawns on the board, especially if you have the bishop pair and especially in endgames.

Knights are stronger in closed positions, where the pawns are locked against each other.

Having the bishop pair against a knight and a bishop is usually a slight advantage in middle games. Against the knight pair it is less clear.

A knight that can be anchored in the center of the board (protected by a pawn) is often stronger than a bishop.

A knight anchored in an advanced position in the enemy camp (typically on squares like e6, d6, d3 or e3) is often very strong, even as strong as a rook.

A bishop is usually stronger than a knight in an open endgame, especially if the side with the bishop has a passed wing pawn.

A knight is often stronger than a bishop in endgames with static pawn structures. This theme is called "good knight versus bad bishop."

Knights on the edge of the board, or even worse, a corner, can be quite weak. "A knight on the rim is dim."

Bishops on long diagonals are often very strong, especially on an open diagonal.

The value of knights go up in blitz games or in time trouble, as their movements are harder to calculate and predict.

Rooks cooperate better with a bishop than a knight.

Queens cooperate better with a knight than a bishop."

Such hypothetical conceptions are difficult to answer. Chess requires analysis of a specific position to determine who is better. There are simply too many variables to generalize with any degree of accuracy. Thus, the value of the pieces can change during a game.

Underface by Shel Silverstein

Underneath my outside face
There's a face that none can see.
A little less smiley,
A little less sure,
But a whole lot more like me

The Italian chess player Carlo Cozio (1715-1780) was a writer and theorist with an opening named after him. The Cozio Defense to the Ruy Lopez (or Spanish Game) is 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Nge7.

Max Lange (1832-1899) was a very successful German chess player and composer of chess problems. The opening 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 d4 exd4 5 O–O Bc5 6 e5 is called the Max Lange Attack.

<<Tips to calm down> Here are some helpful, actionable tips you can try the next time you need to calm down.>

1. Breathe
"Breathing is the number one and most effective technique for reducing anger and anxiety quickly," says Scott Dehorty, LCSW-C, of Delphi Behavioral Health.

When you're anxious or angry, you tend to take quick, shallow breaths. Dehorty says this sends a message to your brain, causing a positive feedback loop reinforcing your fight-or-flight response. That's why taking long, deep calming breaths disrupts that loop and helps you calm down.

There are various breathing techniques to help you calm down. One is three-part breathing. Three-part breathing requires you to take one deep breath in and then exhale fully while paying attention to your body.

Once you get comfortable with deep breathing, you can change the ratio of inhalation and exhalation to 1:2 (you slow down your exhalation so that it's twice as long as your inhalation).

Practice these techniques while calm so you know how to do them when you're anxious.

2. Admit that you're anxious or angry
Allow yourself to say that you're anxious or angry. When you label how you're feeling and allow yourself to express it, the anxiety and anger you're experiencing may decrease.

3. Challenge your thoughts
Part of being anxious or angry is having irrational thoughts that don't necessarily make sense. These thoughts are often the "worse-case scenario." You might find yourself caught in the "what if" cycle, which can cause you to sabotage a lot of things in your life.

When you experience one of these thoughts, stop and ask yourself the following questions:

Is this likely to happen?
Is this a rational thought?
Has this ever happened to me before?
What's the worst that can happen? Can I handle that?
After you go through the questions, it's time to reframe your thinking. Instead of "I can't walk across that bridge. What if there's an earthquake, and it falls into the water?" tell yourself: "There are people that walk across that bridge every day, and it has never fallen into the water."

4. Release the anxiety or anger
Dehorty recommends getting the emotional energy out with exercise. "Go for a walk or run. Engaging in some physical activity releases serotonin to help you calm down and feel better."

However, you should avoid physical activity that includes the expression of anger, such as punching walls or screaming.

"This has been shown to increase feelings of anger, as it reinforces the emotions because you end up feeling good as the result of being angry," Dehorty explains.

5. Visualize yourself calm
This tip requires you to practice the breathing techniques you've learned. After taking a few deep breaths, close your eyes and picture yourself calm. See your body relaxed, and imagine yourself working through a stressful or anxiety-causing situation by staying calm and focused.

By creating a mental picture of what it looks like to stay calm, you can refer back to that image when you're anxious.

6. Think it through
Have a mantra to use in critical situations. Just make sure it's one that you find helpful. Dehorty says it can be, "Will this matter to me this time next week?" or "How important is this?" or "Am I going to allow this person/situation to steal my peace?"

This allows the thinking to shift focus, and you can "reality test" the situation.

"When we're anxious or angry, we become hyper-focused on the cause, and rational thoughts leave our mind. These mantras give us an opportunity to allow rational thought to come back and lead to a better outcome," Dehorty explains.

7. Change your focus
Leave the situation, look in another direction, walk out of the room, or go outside.

Dehorty recommends this exercise so you have time for better decision making. "We don't do our best thinking when anxious or angry; we engage in survival thinking. This is fine if our life is really in danger, but if it isn't life threatening, we want our best thinking, not survival instincts," he adds.

8. Have a centering object
When you're anxious or angry, so much of your energy is being spent on irrational thoughts. When you're calm, find a "centering object" such as a small stuffed animal, a polished rock you keep in your pocket, or a locket you wear around your neck.

Tell yourself that you're going to touch this object when you're experiencing anxiety or frustration. This centers you and helps calm your thoughts. For example, if you're at work and your boss is making you anxious, gently rub the locket around your neck.

9. Relax your body
When you're anxious or angry, it can feel like every muscle in your body is tense (and they probably are). Practicing progressive muscle relaxation can help you calm down and center yourself.

To do this, lie down on the floor with your arms out by your side. Make sure your feet aren't crossed and your hands aren't in fists. Start at your toes and tell yourself to release them. Slowly move up your body, telling yourself to release each part of your body until you get to your head.

10. Drop your shoulders
If your body is tense, there's a good chance your posture will suffer. Sit up tall, take a deep breath, and drop your shoulders. To do this, you can focus on bringing your shoulder blades together and then down. This pulls your shoulders down. Take a few deep breaths.

You can do this several times a day.

11. Identify pressure points to calm anger and anxiety Going for a massage or getting acupuncture is a wonderful way to manage anxiety and anger. But it's not always easy to find time in your day to make it happen. The good news is, you can do acupressure on yourself for instant anxiety relief.

This method involves putting pressure with your fingers or your hand at certain points of the body. The pressure releases the tension and relaxes your body.

One area to start with is the point where the inside of your wrist forms a crease with your hand. Press your thumb on this area for two minutes. This can help relieve tension.

12. Get some fresh air
The temperature and air circulation in a room can increase your anxiety or anger. If you're feeling tense and the space you're in is hot and stuffy, this could trigger a panic attack.

Remove yourself from that environment as soon as possible and go outside — even if it's just for a few minutes.

Not only will the fresh air help calm you down, but also the change of scenery can sometimes interrupt your anxious or angry thought process.

13. Fuel your body
Being hangry never helps. If you're hungry or not properly hydrated, many relaxation techniques won't work. That's why it's important to slow down and get something to eat — even if it's just a small snack.

Try nibbling on some dark chocolate. ResearchTrusted Source shows it can help boost brain health and reduce stress.

Wash it down with a cup of green tea and honey. Studies show green tea can help reduce the body's stress response. Research has found that honey can help relieve anxiety.

14. Chew gum
Chewing on a piece of gum can help reduce anxiety (and even boost mood and productivity). In fact, research shows people who chew gum regularly are typically less stressed than non-gum chewers.

15. Listen to music
The next time you feel your anxiety level cranking up, grab some headphones and tune in to your favorite music. Listening to music can have a very calming effect on your body and mind.

16. Dance it out
Get moving to your favorite tunes. Dancing has traditionally been used as a healing art. ResearchTrusted Source shows it's a great way to combat depression and anxiety and increase quality of life.

17. Watch funny videos
Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine. Research has found that laughing provides therapeutic benefits and can help relieve stress and improve mood and quality of life. Do a quick internet search to find funny videos for an instant mood boost.

18. Write it down
If you're too angry or anxious to talk about it, grab a journal and write out your thoughts. Don't worry about complete sentences or punctuation — just write. Writing helps you get negative thoughts out of your head.

19. Squeeze a stress ball
When you're feeling stress come on, try interacting with a stress-relief toy. Options include:

stress ball
magnetic balls
sculpting clay
puzzles
Rubik's cube
fidget spinner

20. Try aromatherapy
Aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils, may help alleviate stress and anxiety and boost mood. Those commonly used in aromatherapy include:

bergamot
cedarwood
chamomile
geranium
ginger
lavender
lemon
tea tree
Add a few drops of essential oil to a diffuser, or mix it with a carrier oil (like coconut oil) and apply to your skin for quick relief.

21. Seek social support
Venting to a trusted friend, family member, or coworker can do wonders. Even if you don't have time for a full play-by-play phone call, a quick text exchange can help you let it all out and help you feel heard.

Bonus points if you engage with a funny friend who can help you laugh for added stress relief.

22. Spend time with a pet
Interacting with your favorite furry friend can decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol and lower blood pressure. Quality time with a pet can also help you feel less alone and boost your overall mood.

"....his countrymen, Kolisch and Steinitz, are greatly indebted for their later success to their having enjoyed early opportunities of practicing with the departed amateur whose death is also greatly deplored amongst all who knew him personally." — Wilhelm Steinitz, regarding Karl Hamppe

The first appearance of the (John) Cochrane gambit against Petrov's defense C42 was in the year 1848 against an Indian master Mohishunder Bannerjee.

"Sorry don't get it done, Dude!" — John Wayne, Rio Bravo

"Gossip is the devil's telephone. Best to just hang up." — Moira Rose

<pages 24-25 of The Year Book of the United States Chess Federation 1944 (Chicago, 1945), which published ‘Brave Heart', Anthony Santasiere's tribute to <Frank J. Marshall>. Written in August 1942 for Marshall's 65th birthday, it began:

Brave Heart –
We salute you!
Knowing neither gain nor loss,
Nor fear, nor hate –;
But only this –
To fight – to fight –
And to love.

Santasiere then gushes on in a similar vein for another 40 lines or so, and we pick up the encomium for its final verse:

For this – dear Frank –
We thank you.
For this – dear Frank –
We love you!
Brave heart –
Brave heart –
We love you!>

According to Chessmetrics, Emanuel Lasker was #1 for longer than anyone else in history: 292 different months between June 1890 and December 1926. That's a timespan of 36 1/2 years, in which Lasker was #1 for a total of 24 years and 4 months. Lasker was 55 years old when he won New York 1924.

"Just because you know stuff doesn't mean you are smart... You have to know how to use that information." ― Josh Keller

The Three Kings By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Three Kings came riding from far away,
Melchior and Gaspar and Baltasar;
Three Wise Men out of the East were they,
And they travelled by night and they slept by day, For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star.

The star was so beautiful, large and clear,
That all the other stars of the sky
Became a white mist in the atmosphere,
And by this they knew that the coming was near
Of the Prince foretold in the prophecy.

Three caskets they bore on their saddle-bows,
Three caskets of gold with golden keys;
Their robes were of crimson silk with rows
Of bells and pomegranates and furbelows,
Their turbans like blossoming almond-trees.

And so the Three Kings rode into the West,
Through the dusk of the night, over hill and dell, And sometimes they nodded with beard on breast, And sometimes talked, as they paused to rest,
With the people they met at some wayside well.

"Of the child that is born," said Baltasar, "Good people, I pray you, tell us the news;
For we in the East have seen his star,
And have ridden fast, and have ridden far,
To find and worship the King of the Jews."

And the people answered, "You ask in vain;
We know of no King but Herod the Great!"
They thought the Wise Men were men insane,
As they spurred their horses across the plain,
Like riders in haste, who cannot wait.

And when they came to Jerusalem,
Herod the Great, who had heard this thing,
Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them;
And said, "Go down unto Bethlehem,
And bring me tidings of this new king."

So they rode away; and the star stood still,
The only one in the grey of morn;
Yes, it stopped—it stood still of its own free will, Right over Bethlehem on the hill,
The city of David, where Christ was born.

And the Three Kings rode through the gate and the guard, Through the silent street, till their horses turned And neighed as they entered the great inn-yard; But the windows were closed, and the doors were barred, And only a light in the stable burned.

And cradled there in the scented hay,
In the air made sweet by the breath of kine,
The little child in the manger lay,
The child, that would be king one day
Of a kingdom not human, but divine.

His mother Mary of Nazareth
Sat watching beside his place of rest,
Watching the even flow of his breath,
For the joy of life and the terror of death
Were mingled together in her breast.

They laid their offerings at his feet:
The gold was their tribute to a King,
The frankincense, with its odor sweet,
Was for the Priest, the Paraclete,
The myrrh for the body's burying.

And the mother wondered and bowed her head,
And sat as still as a statue of stone,
Her heart was troubled yet comforted,
Remembering what the Angel had said
Of an endless reign and of David's throne.

Then the Kings rode out of the city gate,
With a clatter of hoofs in proud array;
But they went not back to Herod the Great,
For they knew his malice and feared his hate,
And returned to their homes by another way.

Fools look to tomorrow. Wise men use tonight. ~ Scottish Proverb

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." ― Denis Waitley

Lichess has all the same basic offerings as Chess.com: a large community, many game types, tutorials, puzzles, and livestreams. The site has a simple appearance, and it seems built to get you where you want to go in as few clicks as possible. You can create an account, but if you're not concerned with tracking your games and finding other players at your level, there's no need to log in. Just fire up a new game, try some puzzles, or watch a chess streamer play three-minute games while listening to techno and chatting with the comments section.

<Steinitz's Theory
1. At the beginning of the game, Black and White are equal.

2. The game will stay equal with correct play on both sides.

3. You can only win by your opponent's mistake.

4. Any attack launched in an equal position will not succeed, and the attacker will suffer.

5. You should not attack until an advantage is obtained.

6. When equal, do not seek to attack, but instead, try to secure an advantage.

7. Once you have an advantage, attack or you will lose it.>

Driving too fast is linked to the majority of all traffic accidents. About one-third of all traffic fatalities are caused, in part, due to driving too fast.

Drive sober or get pulled over.

"For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable." — Assiac

Switch your pawn insurance to Promotion and you could save hundreds.

"There are more adventures on a chessboard than on all the seas of the world." ― Pierre Mac Orlan

"Chess is an infinitely complex game, which one can play in infinitely numerous & varied ways." ― Vladimir Kramnik

Psalm 8 King James Version

8 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Chessgames.com will be unavailable October 13, 2023 from 11:30AM through 11:45AM(UTC/GMT) for maintenance. We apologize for this inconvenience.

I can always tell, you know, when you've been time tripping.

Examine all moves that smite.
Another search and seizure.
Not equitable this inconvenience.
Light, blonde hair is marked by impartiality and honesty: free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"Sometimes the most ordinary things could be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people." ― Elizabeth Green

"Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." ― Andy (Tim Robbins), "The Shawshank Redemption"

Psalms 31:24 - Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

"Here's something to think about: How come you never see a headline like ‘Psychic Wins Lottery'?" — Jay Leno

<<by W.A. Ballantine given on page 153 of the American Chess Journal, September 1878:>

Charming as the sweetest music;
High above the common reach,
Easy to the bright and wise;
Splendid in the hands of genius;
Such the royal game of chess.>

"The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize." — Clairee Belcher (Olivia Dukakis), Steel Magnolias

Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." — Steve Martin

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

If the game is well-played, the rook's first move is usually sideways.

edtrz sayz crutly nota joek allowd to abs othrz rptdly smr sx chng al u wanto.

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society." — Mark Twain

God Our Father, Lord, and Savior
Traditional

God our Father, Lord, and Savior

Thank you for your love and favor

Bless this food and drink we pray

And all who share with us today.

In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.

* Crafty Endgame Trainer: https://www.chessvideos.tv/endgame-...

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush ― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, "Don Quixote"

Old Russian Proverb: "The elbow is close but you cannot bite it. (Близок локоток, да не укусишь.)" Close is no cigar.

Ya might be ah redneck if'n ya thunk "lol" means low on liquor.

"If you ain't the lead dog, the view never changes."

"Here's a two-step formula for handling stress... Step number one: Don't sweat the small stuff. Step number two: Remember it's all small stuff." ― Tony Robbins

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

"Friend, you don't have to earn God's love or try harder. You're precious in His sight, covered by the priceless blood of Jesus, and indwelt by His Holy Spirit. Don't hide your heart or fear you're not good enough for Him to care for you. Accept His love, obey Him, and allow Him to keep you in His wonderful freedom." — Charles F. Stanley

"To what greater inspiration and counsel can we turn than to the imperishable truth to be found in this treasure house, the Bible?" — Queen Elizabeth II

"Many have become chess masters, no one has become the master of chess." ― Siegbert Tarrasch

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ― Howard Thurman

'A stitch in time saves nine'

"You can't hold with the hare and run with the hounds."

wordsyfun
48xp L Zaid Tacocchio peeked up eza wally's pride b4 HOCF askd CIOD to open athe zodiacaleon bad zappasta gaspd last requested Dzagnidze instead of Dzindzi's line of playday.

Psalm 96: 1-3
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

HUMPTY DUMPTY
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses
And all the King's men
Couldn't put Humpty
Together again.

Q: What is money called in space?
A: Star bucks.

Q: Where do the stars go to get their milk?
A: The Milky Way.

Q: Why didn't the Dog Star laugh at the joke? A: It was too Sirius.

]

I'm much the same way. I make it a point to be relaxed and not burn up energy that I'll need later. Perspective helps a lot.

As far as improving one's chess after 50, do a few things well. Study the same material that YOU like over and over. Don't try to be comprehensive. Severely limit your opening repertoire to the same system of sound, efficient development. If there are gaps in your knowledge, so what. Apply what you already know. Know what you know very well for efficient recall. Study and play to your strengths; keep your strengths razor sharp. Let your weaknesses be weak unless you come across a quick fix that suits you. Do what you like, enjoy and don't worry about following grand grandmaster advice. Have realistic expectations; you're not going to reach GM level, and teenagers will put you to task. Enjoy the games and the comradery.

One should try to understand WHY they won or lost. What was it that tilted the outcome? Trying not to repeat the same old mistakes is a most important lesson. Be prepared to break a bad habit or two.