* Balashov's Sicilian B20: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

Dum spiro, spero

"The game might be divided into three parts: the opening, the middle-game and the end-game. There is one thing you must strive for, to be equally efficient in the three parts." ― Jose Raul Capablanca

"Unfortunately, many regard the critic as an enemy, instead of seeing him as a guide to the truth." ― Wilhelm Steinitz

"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

"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

"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

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

"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

"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

"Capablanca used to talk calmly and moderately about everything. However, when our conversation turned to the problems of the battle for the world championship, in front of me was a quite different person: an enraged lion, although with the fervour typical only of a southerner, with his temperamental patter, which made it hard to follow the torrent of his indignant exclamations and words." ― Alexander Koblencs

"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

"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

"Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid." ― (Little by little, the bird makes its nest.)

"Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories." ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

"I'll play baseball for the Army or fight for it, whatever they want me to do." ― Mickey Mantle

"Chess is a miniature version of life. To be successful, you need to be disciplined, assess resources, consider responsible choices and adjust when circumstances change." ― Susan Polgar

"We are like chess players who are trying to predict the opponent's future moves, but in this case, we are dealing with life itself. True masters do not play the game on a single chessboard, but on multiple chessboards at the same time. And what's the difference between grandmasters and masters? Surprises. The moves that cannot be predicted by the opponent. Life can play a simultaneous game with seven billion people at the same time and it can take each and every one of us by surprise. And we still believe we are capable of winning, because we can predict three of four moves ahead. We are insignificant." ― Jaka Tomc, 720 Heartbeats

"The cherished dream of every chessplayer is to play a match with the World Champion. But here is the paradox: the closer you come to the realization of this goal, the less you think about it." ― Mikhail Tal

"I mean a man whose hopes and aims may sometimes lie (as most men's sometimes do, I dare say) above the ordinary level, but to whom the ordinary level will be high enough after all if it should prove to be a way of usefulness and good service leading to no other. All generous spirits are ambitious, I suppose, but the ambition that calmly trusts itself to such a road, instead of spasmodically trying to fly over it, is of the kind I care for." ― Charles Dickens, Bleak House

"Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley." ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

"But I find something compelling in the game's choreography, the way one move implies the next. The kings are an apt metaphor for human beings: utterly constrained by the rules of the game, defenseless against bombardment from all sides, able only to temporarily dodge disaster by moving one step in any direction." ― Jennifer duBois, A Partial History of Lost Causes

"The move is there, but you must see it." ― Savielly Tartakower

"You may delay, but time will not." ― Benjamin Franklin

"Chess is all about maintaining coherent strategies. It's about not giving up when the enemy destroys one plan but to immediately come up with the next. A game isn't won and lost at the point when the king is finally cornered. The game's sealed when a player gives up having any strategy at all. When his soldiers are all scattered, they have no common cause, and they move one piece at a time, that's when you've lost." ― Kazuo Ishiguro, A Pale View of Hills

"The King is only fond of words, and cannot translate them into deeds." ― Teck Foo Check, The Autobiography of Sun Tzu

"War is not just the shower of bullets and bombs from both sides, it is also the shower of blood and bones on both sides." ― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

"The skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field." ― Sun Tzu, The Art Of War

Easier said than done. ~ Canadian proverb

"Technique has taken over the whole of civilization. Death, procreation, birth all submit to technical efficiency and systemization." ― Jacques Ellul

"Time is an illusion." ― Albert Einstein

"Time isn't precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time—past and future—the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is." ― Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

"It's being here now that's important. There's no past and there's no future. Time is a very misleading thing. All there is ever, is the now. We can gain experience from the past, but we can't relive it; and we can hope for the future, but we don't know if there is one." ― George Harrison

"You are the biggest enemy of your own sleep." ― Pawan Mishra

Thank you, Gaborn! You're welcome, Fuller!

St. Jude

* Basic Rules: https://thechessworld.com/basic-che...

* Attack and Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc-...

* 10 Tips: https://www.uschess.org/index.php/L...

* 10 Crazy Gambits: https://www.chess.com/blog/yola6655...

* 25 Opening Traps: https://www.chess.com/blog/ChessLor...

* B23-B25: Game Collection: Sicilian Closed / Grand Prix Attack

* 150 Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH4...

* Artful Mates: Game Collection: Art of Checkmate

* Arjun Awakens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toK...

* Best Games of 2018: Game Collection: Best Games of 2018

* Be aggressive! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFl...

* About the chess pieces: https://chessforjuniors.com/pieces-... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydn...

- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pVwp...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wG6D...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JUCW...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/k9Io...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3I9B...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9jdD...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1wYs...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-pcw...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/blE1...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wlpN...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/27HL...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEi...

* 57 chess piece facts: https://thechessworld.com/articles/... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/l8na...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LvLZ...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CadB...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-S... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XV0E...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4x...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wlot...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0weg...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enu... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R19...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOk...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8n...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_Q6a...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m8F3...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9H...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCB...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLy...

* B pins Q: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ro0Q...

* B-Q battery: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Nfxm...

- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QePz...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aoU6...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3uxV...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/u_gX...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/97KO...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/e-q7...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbs...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1YbM...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yMis...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XgUk...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FJL3...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/c3T4...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ni09...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Xu4m...

* Bxf7+ Deflects K from protecting his Q: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/97LZ...

* Bxf7+ Decoys K into Discovery w/+ Double Attack: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J0sW...

* Bxf7+, KxBf7, Ng5+: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/87tN... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0rMF...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uHl0...

* Bf7+ protected by the Ng5: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eHyj... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Y26K...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nk5J...

* Bxf7+ protected by the Ne5, Legall's Mate: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9Spk... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6Aki...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/S_nd...

* N Unpin, Bxf7#, Legall's Mate:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9w1c...

* N Unpin, Bxf7+, Legall's Mate: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6NDT...

* Bxf7+, Extended Legall's Mate: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4dR3...

* Basic Bxf7+ traps royalty: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ueH0... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/M_a2...

* Bxh7+ Greek gift: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/E_zO... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/j_cB...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dUub...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SZ6D...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Xz3K...

* Bxh6 sacrifice: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/n-qg...

* Bh6#: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5y_u...

* Bh6 supports Q#: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CZkI...

* B supports R, Opera#:

- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IMwm...

* B supports Nc2+ fork: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zfUR...

* N supports Bf2+: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/E2Xj... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IAEi...

* 2-in-1 trap: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/M8Gc... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jHoA...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/10HB...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/M3fw...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kCC6...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2FvY...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/r07Y...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jB5S...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2qXi...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_jKU...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/z6TA...

* B pins f2-pawn from capturing Q+: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_lck...

* Kingside B attack on the dark squares: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl3...

"Big Red" on the track...
In 1973, Secretariat did not simply win the Triple Crown: he tore it down. His win in the Belmont Stakes by an unimaginable 31 lengths is one of the greatest sports feats of all time.

They called him "Big Red," a giant chestnut stallion with a stride so powerful, it seemed surreal. But beyond trophies and statistics, Secretariat was an inspiration to not only racing enthusiasts, but to a whole nation.

* Raking Bishops: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Is5h... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WCLc...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hd6P...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/k-5a...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7tKT...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/N14_...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TOCM...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XNyO...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xp5u...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rkhu...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/X-pi...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2zJN...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QtQN...

* Discovered Double++: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zK0R... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oUhJ...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fKNu...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HDAw...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zsI6...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5mgE...

* Discovered Attack involving B:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qjFk...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/no88...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-wk4...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2aAr...

* Bxf7+ followed by ++: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/l7bz...

* Bxf7+ followed by Q+: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tC1U... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8UKe...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/renf...

* Bobby's Bishop: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VnCs... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SadW...

* Hanging Bishop: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8XG-... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ario...

* B blockade prevents K escape: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7AdS...

* B on the queenside: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/e7YC... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Sjb4...

* Boden's Mate:
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HV4z...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/89iS...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/q3b8...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8wtE...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uEsK...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3OH6...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1tqe...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/p2bc...

* B fork and X-ray: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QZlc...

* B underpromotion to avoid stalemate! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3ZbE...

* B sacrifice avoids stalemate, generates b-pawn: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Inf8...

* B strikes from behind: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0_ez...

* Don't allow a B sacrifice: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jecw... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Yb4M...

* Dark-squared Bishops, overworked K cannot defend both: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HGN7...

* Franco-Polish Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/12Ja...

* Q vs 2 Bishops: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HL0y...

* Bishop treaties: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb3...

* Burly: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Rl_F...

* Checkmate patterns: Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns

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

* Capablanca's Double Attack — having the initiative is important: https://lichess.org/study/tzrisL1R

* Chess in old newspapers: https://www.schach-chess.com/chess-...

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

* C21-C22 miniatures: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* Center Fork Trick is very common: https://lichess.org/study/tzrisL1R

* Checkmate patterns: Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns

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

* ChessCafe.com column, The Openings Explained: Abby Marshall

* Chess Links: http://www.chessdryad.com/links/ind...

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

* Lekhika Dhariyal Chess Ops: https://www.zupee.com/blog/category...

* Danish treats: Game Collection: 200 Miniature Games of Chess - Du Mont (I)

* Double attack: Game Collection: DOUBLE ATTACK

* 4 Miniz: zPonziani, zKieseritzky, zPhilidor, zFrankenstein-Dracula: z https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76c...

* Free play: https://poki.com/en/chess?campaign=...

* Funny moments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mx...

* Fischer's Brilliance: https://www.chesspuzzler.com/Histor...

* Fischer Random Intro: https://www.chessable.com/blog/an-i...

* Fischer Random: https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...

* FM Schiller disagrees: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...

* GPA: https://chesstier.com/grand-prix-at...

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

* Greatest Hits: Game Collection: Mammoth Book-Greatest Games (Nunn/Burgess/Emms)

* Gain space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ7...

* Glossary of Chess Terms: http://www.arkangles.com/kchess/glo...

* Glossary W: Wikipedia article: Glossary of chess

* Aggressive Gambits: https://thechessworld.com/articles/...

* Unleash the Knight: https://cardclashgames.com/blog/che...

* KP Beauties: Game Collection: Beautiful mates

* Morphy Miniatures:
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* Neon Moon, smooth and easy: https://www.bing.com/search?q=Neon+...

* Puzzling: https://www.365chess.com/puzzles.php

* Puzzles: Tactics Archive

* Play for free: https://www.freechess.org/

* Short and Quick:
Game Collection: SHORT AND QUICK

* Ratsolon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJS... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WSvx...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOh...

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7Y...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/T6Ym...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wHwu...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-zuw...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RFgR...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4LHz...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kF2j...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MSLq...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4Qp_...

- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Rcll...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DJvW...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BMup...

- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/B4Nb...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6XvL...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1Kgw...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7Lbw...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qO0z...

* Rulon: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sieR... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yRw2...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Z4kY...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Lz4n...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fHtM...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GR7i...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amd...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQx...

- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8qRD...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EMBc...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yf4l...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LJSm...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/90uO...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkP...

- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tnwF...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lRyn...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Zo5b...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PWB0...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6Hn7...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO7...

- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pmWp...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZJcu...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7AdS...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_2K2...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rRDi...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0E7i...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/thME...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6eac...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/v5p2...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LPtC...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AWDF...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nfFz...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oZc4...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0Iv5...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QZlc...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJQ...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zGhT...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NzOR...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/al3u...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Q...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/11Q6...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1c61...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dgno...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bxOq...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gpAB...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xTqf...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/amHU...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tYog...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2uo7...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cWej...

* Roger that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9S...

"The only way to change anything in Russia is a revolution" ― Daniil Dubov https://en.chessbase.com/post/dubov...

* Steinitz Attack: Game Collection: STEINITZ ATTACK

* Tactical Mix: Game Collection: mastering Tactical ideas by minev

* Tactical Motifs: https://chesstempo.com/tactical-mot...

* The Best of... Game Collection: World Champions' Best Games

* 62 Masterpieces: Game Collection: Instructive Games (Chernev)

* Murder by Email: Brendan Searson

* Play whatever you like: Opening Explorer

* J Gambit for Black: Opening Explorer

* Suba's book: Game Collection: The Hedgehog by Mihai Suba

* Almost like giving odds: Opening Explorer

* Jaenisch Gambit: Opening Explorer

* Jambalaya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzj...

* James' Jedi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ta...

* GM Perelshteyn teaches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq3...

* Prizes: Game Collection: Brilliancy Prizes (Reinfeld)

* Reasonable book choices: https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell...

* Rubinstein: Game Collection: Rubinstein's Chess Masterpieces

* Random Zs: Game Collection: ZHVNE

* Secrets of Combination: Game Collection: Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters Volume II

* tacticmania - Game Collection: tacticmania

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

* The Unthinkable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9z...

* Bill Wall miniatures: Bill Wall

* Will Power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9S...

* Wonders and Curiosities: Game Collection: Wonders and Curiosities of Chess (Chernev)

* 960Chess: https://lichess.org/variant/chess960

* 1967: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PiFW...

* Z Vol 105: Game Collection: 0ZeR0's collected games volume 105

* 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

"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

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

New Hampshire: Dover
Established in: 1623

Dover was originally settled in 1623 by fishermen and traders. Dover is the seventh oldest settlement in the United States. It was once known as Northam, and in 1692, Northam became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Cocheco River in Dover was the first place water power was used, when a sawmill was built in 1642.

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

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

* World Chess Championship History: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkO...

* Magnus Carlsen's 5 tips for beginners: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...

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.

Eilfan ywmodryb dda
Meaning: A good aunt is a second mother

<<<poem by <B.H. Wood> which appeared in the following issues of the Chess Amateur: March 1930 (page 127).>

The Chess Cafe III – The Spectator>

Quiet in the corner sitting, not a word
He utters, but, his eyes glued on their board,
Where in oblivion the players brood,
He spends his lifetime's dearest hours.
His food
Is cold, his lighted pipe goes slowly out ….
Yet when the game ends, when they talk about
Its ins and outs, its characteristic twist,
He's seen that winning line a master missed!
You ask him for a game – ‘I never play
Myself – hardly a game a year', he'll say.>

Cash or Credit?
John-Shepherd Barron is credited with inventing the first fully-functional ATM (Automated Teller Machine). The first ATM was installed on June 27, 1967, for Barclays Bank in Enfield Town, London. The maximum withdrawal allowed was £10. Today, ATMs are just around the corner in most modern towns.

Lasker's Manual of Chess by Emanuel Lasker
ISBN: 0486206408
ISBN13: 9780486206400

Lasker's Greatest Chess Games 1889-1914 by Fred Reinfeld & Reuben Fine

Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge by Yuri Averbakh ISBN: 1857440226
ISBN13: 9781857440225

Capablanca's Best Chess Endings
by José Raúl Capablanca and Irving Chernev
ISBN: 0486242498
ISBN13: 9780486242491

The Art of the Middle Game
by Paul Keres, Alexander Kotov
ISBN: 0486261549
ISBN13: 9780486261546

The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played: 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy by Irving Chernev ISBN: 0486273024
ISBN13: 9780486273020

Judgment and Planning in Chess by Max Euwe
ISBN: 0679143254

Chess for Fun and Chess for Blood by Edward Lasker ISBN: 0486201465
ISBN13: 9780486201467

Botvinnik: One Hundred Selected Games
by Mikhail Botvinnik
ISBN: 0486206203

500 Master Games of Chess
by Julius Du Mont, Savielly Tartakower
ISBN: 0486232085
ISBN13: 9780486232089

Ideas Behind the Chess Openings: Algebraic Edition Large Print by Reuben Fine
ISBN: 0812917561
ISBN13: 9780812917567

Chess Thinking: The Visual Dictionary of Chess Moves, Rules, Strategies and Concepts (Fireside Chess Library) by Bruce Pandolfini
ISBN: 0671795023

Understanding Chess Tactics
Weteschnik, Martin
ISBN 10: 9197524425 / ISBN 13: 9789197524421
Published by Quality Chess Europe, 2006

Chess Tactics from Scratch: Understanding Chess Tactics by Martin Weteschnik ISBN-10: ‎ 1907982027
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1907982026

Power Mates: Essential Checkmating Strategies and Techniques by Bruce Pandolfini
ISBN: 0684801205

Select a good chess move:

1. Is my king and queen safe? Am I absolutely sure?

2. Why did my opponent make that move?

3. What just changed?

4. What is now en prise / un/under-defended?

5. Any immediate risks / opportunities? (If no, go to default) - Opening: Develop
- Middle game: Improve, build attack, pawn breaks. - End game: Assure the best outcome

6. What are ALL the candidate moves?

7. For each, what is likely to happen? New risks/opportunities?

8. Which is best?

9. Does it improve my position?

10. Sanity check, sure it's not a mistake?

The Cloud
By Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers, From the seas and the streams;
I bear light shade for the leaves when laid
In their noonday dreams.
From my wings are shaken the dews that waken
The sweet buds every one,
When rocked to rest on their mother's breast,
As she dances about the sun.
I wield the flail of the lashing hail,
And whiten the green plains under,
And then again I dissolve it in rain,
And laugh as I pass in thunder.

I sift the snow on the mountains below,
And their great pines groan aghast;
And all the night 'tis my pillow white,
While I sleep in the arms of the blast.
Sublime on the towers of my skiey bowers,
Lightning my pilot sits;
In a cavern under is fettered the thunder,
It struggles and howls at fits;
Over earth and ocean, with gentle motion,
This pilot is guiding me,
Lured by the love of the genii that move
In the depths of the purple sea;
Over the rills, and the crags, and the hills,
Over the lakes and the plains,
Wherever he dream, under mountain or stream,
The Spirit he loves remains;
And I all the while bask in Heaven's blue smile, Whilst he is dissolving in rains.

The sanguine Sunrise, with his meteor eyes,
And his burning plumes outspread,
Leaps on the back of my sailing rack,
When the morning star shines dead;
As on the jag of a mountain crag,
Which an earthquake rocks and swings,
An eagle alit one moment may sit
In the light of its golden wings.
And when Sunset may breathe, from the lit sea beneath, Its ardours of rest and of love,
And the crimson pall of eve may fall
From the depth of Heaven above,
With wings folded I rest, on mine aëry nest,
As still as a brooding dove.

That orbèd maiden with white fire laden,
Whom mortals call the Moon,
Glides glimmering o'er my fleece-like floor,
By the midnight breezes strewn;
And wherever the beat of her unseen feet,
Which only the angels hear,
May have broken the woof of my tent's thin roof, The stars peep behind her and peer;
And I laugh to see them whirl and flee,
Like a swarm of golden bees,
When I widen the rent in my wind-built tent,
Till calm the rivers, lakes, and seas,
Like strips of the sky fallen through me on high, Are each paved with the moon and these.

I bind the Sun's throne with a burning zone,
And the Moon's with a girdle of pearl;
The volcanoes are dim, and the stars reel and swim, When the whirlwinds my banner unfurl.
From cape to cape, with a bridge-like shape,
Over a torrent sea,
Sunbeam-proof, I hang like a roof,
The mountains its columns be.
The triumphal arch through which I march
With hurricane, fire, and snow,
When the Powers of the air are chained to my chair, Is the million-coloured bow;
The sphere-fire above its soft colours wove,
While the moist Earth was laughing below.

I am the daughter of Earth and Water,
And the nursling of the Sky;
I pass through the pores of the ocean and shores; I change, but I cannot die.
For after the rain when with never a stain
The pavilion of Heaven is bare,
And the winds and sunbeams with their convex gleams Build up the blue dome of air,
I silently laugh at my own cenotaph,
And out of the caverns of rain,
Like a child from the womb, like a ghost from the tomb, I arise and unbuild it again.

* Weird is what you're not used to: https://chessentials.com/weird-ches...

<limerick, entitled ‘The Solver's Plight' was by ‘A.J.F.' A.J. Fink and was published on page 22 of Chess Potpourri by Alfred C. Klahre (Middletown, 1931):

There was a man from Vancouver
Who tried to solve a two-mover;
But the boob, he said, ‘"Gee",
I can't find the "Kee",
No matter HOW I manouvre.'>

"Chess is the gymnasium of the mind." — Blasie Pascal

"Sometimes in life, and in chess, you must take one step back to take two steps forward." — IM Levy Rozman, GothamChess

So much, much, much better to be an incurable optimist than deceitful and untrustworthy.

In God we trust; all others pay cash. ~ American Proverb

Trusting in wealth is like looking for feathers on turtles. ~ Senegalese Proverb

<<<A Burnt Ship> By John Donne (1572-1631)>

Out of a fired ship, which by no way
But drowning could be rescued from the flame,
Some men leap'd forth, and ever as they came
Near the foes' ships, did by their shot decay;
So all were lost, which in the ship were found,
They in the sea being burnt, they in the burnt ship drown'd.>

Ever wanted to be able to clean your ears with your tongue? Then you'd probably fancy being a giraffe. They're able to do this thanks to having tongues which are around 21 inches long!

Question: What is the only number spelled out in English that has the same number of letters as its value? Answer: Four

Concrete-like structures began to appear for the first time in northern Jordan and southern Syria regions around 6500 B.C.E. Comprised of rough composite mixed with fluid cement, concrete is the most widely used man-made material. The mix hardens over time, making a sturdy, strong structural foundation. However, when it's still wet, the material is very easy to manipulate into different shapes.

Question: The U.S.A. $10,000 bill was last printed in 1945 and is the largest denomination ever in public circulation; whose portrait appeared on it? Answer: Salmon P. Chase – Secretary of the Treasury

Giraffes have unique markings. They are like our own fingerprints in that no two giraffes will ever have the same markings.

Philomel And Progne

From home and city spires, one day,
The swallow Progne flew away,
And sought the bosky dell
Where sang poor Philomel.
"My sister," Progne said, "how do you do?
It's now a thousand years since you
Have been concealed from human view;
I'm sure I have not seen your face
Once since the times of Thrace.
Pray, will you never quit this dull retreat?"
"Where could I find," said Philomel, "so sweet?" "What! sweet?" cried Progne – 'sweet to waste
Such tones on beasts devoid of taste,
Or on some rustic, at the most!
Should you by deserts be engrossed?
Come, be the city's pride and boast.
Besides, the woods remind of harms
That Tereus in them did your charms."
"Alas!" replied the bird of song,
"The thought of that so cruel wrong
Makes me, from age to age,
Prefer this hermitage;
For nothing like the sight of men
Can call up what I suffered then."

110 pounds of ketamine found in traveler's baggage at Detroit Airport CBS News
GABRIELLE DAWSON, ALIZA CHASAN
December 21, 2023 at 5:42 PM

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
ROMULUS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Officers found 110 pounds of ketamine in a traveler's baggage at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Wednesday.

The traveler, a citizen of the United Kingdom, arrived on a flight from France on Dec. 13, authorities said. He was selected for a second inspection.

Officers performed an X-ray scan and physical search of the man's two large suitcases, which he claimed were given to him by a family member, customs officials said. The search revealed plastic bags filled with large white crystals, which according to field tests, were ketamine.

At $90 per gram, the ketamine has a street value of over $4 million, authorities said.

Customs and Border Protection officers seized the ketamine. Under federal law, the agency is required to destroy most seized drugs and retain samples as evidence for criminal prosecutions. Officers didn't let the traveler enter and he was returned to France, according to a news release.

The amount of ketamine seized by law enforcement has steadily increased over the past seven years according to research published in May 2023 in JAMA Psychiatry. From 2017 to 2022, the research found the number of law enforcement seizures increased from 55 to 247 – more than 300% – with most activity reported in Tennessee, Florida, and California.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, most of the ketamine illegally distributed in the U.S. has been diverted or stolen from legitimate sources, including veterinary clinics, or smuggled into the country from Mexico.

Ketamine, a Schedule III controlled substance, has been approved by the FDA as an anesthetic since the 1970s. It is accepted for medical use, but the drug — which has been abused for its hallucinogenic effects — is known for its use in nightclub and party culture. A ketamine overdose can cause unconsciousness and dangerously slowed breathing, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency has warned.

"Friends" actor Matthew Perry died in October from the acute effects of ketamine, according to the results of an autopsy released earlier this month by the Los Angeles County medical examiner. Before his death, Perry received ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, the autopsy report said.

Perry's last treatment was a week and a half before his death. Based on the levels of ketamine in his blood, the coroner determined that his cause of death was not from his prior infusion therapy, but rather from ketamine taken in some other manner. Ketamine is usually metabolized in a matter of hours.

<Atterdag: Geoff - are you a descendant of Wordsworth?: There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream, The earth, and every common sight, To me did seem
Apparell'd in celestial light,
The glory and the freshness of a dream.
It is not now as it hath been of yore;—
Turn wheresoe'er I may,
By night or day,
The things which I have seen I now can see no more. :-)

Sally Simpson: Hi Atterdag,
This is my tribute to Wordsworth. (Daffodils.)

I wandered lonely as a pawn,
o'er a field coloured brown and cream,
When suddenly I ran out of squares
and discovered I was now a Queen.>

"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

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?

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.

Isolated pawns require a very expensive therapy, for keeping them alive.

Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system, approximately 3000 miles (4850 km) in diameter, hardly larger than the moon. Despite being the smallest, it's extremely dense. In fact, it's the second densest planet after Earth. It's also the closest planet to the sun, making it dangerous to explore. Mercury is 48 million miles from the earth.

Proverbs 14:29-35

29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered * exalts folly.

30 A tranquil heart is life to the body, But passion is rottenness to the bones.

31 He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.

32 The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, But the righteous has a refuge when he dies.

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, But in the hearts of fools it is made known.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.

35 The king's favor is toward a servant who acts wisely, But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.

"Chacun voit midi à sa porte." ― (Everyone sees noon at his own door, or Everyone sees things their own way.)

In November 1988, a computer called DeepThought was the first to defeat an international grandmaster in Long Beach, California.

In 1973, the Cleveland Police conducted a Chess Tournament raid.

A Knight's tour has over 122 million possibilities.

<<<<Below is the acrostic poem by <Mrs T.B. Rowland:>

Tears now we sadly shed apart,
How keenly has death's sudden dart
E'en pierced a kingdom's loyal heart.

Dark lies the heavy gloomy pall
Upon our royal bower,
Kings, queens, and nations bow their heads,
Each mourn for England's flower.

Oh! God, to her speak peace divine,
For now no voice can soothe but thine.

Ah, why untimely snatched away,
Loved Prince – alas, we sigh –
Before thy sun its zenith reached
Athwart the noonday sky.
Noble in heart, in deed, and will,
Years hence thy name we'll cherish still.>

That poem was published on pages 140-141 of Chess Fruits (Dublin, 1884)>

Nuclear power provides nearly half of America's clean energy Nuclear energy provided 47% of America's carbon-free electricity in 2022, making it the largest domestic source of clean energy.

Nuclear power plants do not emit greenhouse gases while generating electricity.

They produce power by boiling water to create steam that spins a turbine. The water is heated by a process called fission, which makes heat by splitting apart uranium atoms inside a nuclear reactor core.

<Nothing Gold Can Stay
By Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.>

The total number of children fathered by Genghis Khan is unknown, but estimates range from several hundred to over a thousand. DNA evidence has suggested that one in every 200 people in the world today is a descendant of Genghis Khan. That's around 16 million people.

The Celestial Sphere
Around the celestial sphere, we gaze in awe,
The universe's secrets, tightly draw.
The sky, a doorway to the beyond,
Where stars and galaxies fondly respond.

"If you want your children to listen, try talking softly to someone else." ― Ann Landers

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." ― Jesus Christ

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls." ― Mother Teresa

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be." ― Anne Frank

"Disappointment is inevitable. But to become discouraged, there's a choice I make. God would never discourage me. He would always point me to himself to trust him. Therefore, my discouragement is from Satan. As you go through the emotions that we have, hostility is not from God, bitterness, unforgiveness, all of these are attacks from Satan." ― Charles Stanley

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

"In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." — Max De Pree

"As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight." — The Revenant

WeordFun:
Ziryabn Jona tree nutz zona stick iz betta than kreem zina bowl super Riggins ran 4all STD ona windy side oval Chicago Go GO!

The Moon's Embrace The moon's embrace, gentle and bright,
A beacon in the depth of night.
In its glow, the world seems right,
A comforting presence, in the sky's vast height.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

* 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

Q: What do you call the lights on Noah's Ark?
A: Flood lights.

Q: What do you call a snobby criminal walking down the steps? A: A condescending con descending!

Q: What do you call a dollar frozen in a block of ice? A: Cold hard cash.

Q: What do you call a dead pine tree?
A: A nevergreen.

Q: What do you call a pencil that is broken?
A: Pointless.

Q: What do you call two birds in love?
A: Tweethearts!

Q: What do you call a sad coffee?
A: Depresso.

Q: What do you call a priest that becomes an attorney? A: Father-in-Law.

Q: What do you call a man with a toilet on his head? A: John.

'A stitch in time saves nine'

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

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

GM Magnus Carlsen
Born: Nov 30, 1990 (age 33)‎
Place of birth: Tønsberg, Norway
Federation: Norway

The 13-year-old Norwegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen drew GM Garry Kasparov https://www.britannica.com/biograph... and defeated GM Anatoly Karpov https://www.britannica.com/biograph... at the same event in 2004, one month before he became the second-youngest grandmaster in history (and still eighth-youngest as of 2021). In 2009, Carlsen became the youngest player to break the 2800-rating threshold (a record only broken by GM Alireza Firouzja in 2021). 2024: https://en.chessbase.com/post/chess...

Quiz: https://www.britannica.com/quiz/who...

<<The Republic of Latvia>

Latvia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe, one of the three Baltic states. It is bordered by Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, and Belarus to the southeast, as well as sharing a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Latvia has 1,957,200 inhabitants and a territory of 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi). The country has a temperate seasonal climate.

Riga is the capital and the largest city of Latvia. With 639,630 inhabitants (2016), Riga is the largest city in the Baltic states, home to one third of Latvia's population and one tenth of the Baltic states' population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the Daugava.

Latvian is a Baltic language spoken in the Baltic region. It is the language of Latvians and the official language of Latvia as well as one of the official languages of the European Union.

"Dievs, svētī Latviju!" (God, Bless Latvia!) is the title of the national anthem of Latvia.

Lyrics
God, bless Latvia!
Our beloved fatherland
Bless Latvia
Oh bless it, yet again! (repeat)

Where Latvian daughters bloom
Where Latvian sons sing
May this always be
Our Latvia!>

Dinner Prayer Hymn
Traditional Hymn

Lord, bless this food and grant that we

May thankful for thy mercies be;

Teach us to know by whom we're fed;

Bless us with Christ, the living bread.

Lord, make us thankful for our food,

Bless us with faith in Jesus' blood;

With bread of life our souls supply,

That we may live with Christ on high.
Amen.

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"There just isn't enough televised chess." — David Letterman

"Do the things that interest you and do them with all your heart. Don't be concerned about whether people are watching you or criticizing you. The chances are that they aren't paying any attention to you. It's your attention to yourself that is so stultifying. But you have to disregard yourself as completely as possible. If you fail the first time then you'll just have to try harder the second time. After all, there's no real reason why you should fail. Just stop thinking about yourself." — Eleanor Roosevelt

"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

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

Z is for Zookeeper (to the tune of "Do You Know the Muffin Man?")

Oh do you know the zookeeper,
The zookeeper, the zookeeper?
Oh, do you know the zookeeper
Who works down at the zoo?

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.

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