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13 Understanding Chess: Move By Move - John Nunn
Compiled by Sergio X Garcia
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Axioms are the same as assumptions, or basic intuitive knowledge, which are most of the time independent from each other. In the game of chess, the moves of the pieces are independent from each other. The move of the bishops has nothing to do with the move of the rooks.

Bobby Fischer on Paul Morphy:
"Perhaps the most accurate player who ever lived, he would beat anybody today in a set-match. He had complete sight of the board and seldom blundered even though he moved quite rapidly. I've played over hundreds of his games and am continually surprised and entertained by his ingenuity."

"If you're going to make your mark among masters, you've to work far harder and more intensively, or, to put it more exactly, the work is far more complex than that needed to gain the title of Master." ― Mikhail Botvinnik

"Those who think that it's easy to play chess are mistaken. During a game, a player lives on his nerves, and at the same time he must be perfectly composed." ― Victor Kortchnoi

"Enormous self-belief, intuition, the ability to take a risk at a critical moment and go in for a very dangerous play with counter-chances for the opponent. It's precisely these qualities that distinguish great players." ― Garry Kasparov

"There are two kinds of idiots - those who don't take action because they have received a threat, and those who think they are taking action because they have issued a threat." ― Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym

* Charming: Game Collection: Charming Miniatures

* Robert Fischer's Best Games by KingG (127 games, a ton of quotes): Game Collection: Robert Fischer's Best Games

* Bobby Fischer Rediscovered/Andrew Soltis (97 games): Game Collection: Bobby Fischer Rediscovered (Andy Soltis)

* 1992: Game Collection: Spassky-Fischer Match 1992

* Black Defends: Game Collection: Opening repertoire black

* Masterful: Game Collection: FRENCH DEFENSE MASTERPIECES

* Nakhmanson Gambit: https://chesstier.com/nakhmanson-ga...

* C53s: Game Collection: rajat21's italian game

* RL Minis: Game Collection: Ruy Lopez Miniatures

* Del's: Game Collection: Del's hidden gems

* 21st Century: Game Collection: 21st Century Masterpieces - First decade (2000)

* B20s: Game Collection: Grand Prix (Ginger's Models)

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

* GK: Game Collection: Kasparov - The Sicilian Sheveningen

* Can you whip Taimanov's Sicilian? http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* Glossary: Wikipedia article: Glossary of chess

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

The Lion's Court

His lion majesty would know, one day,
What bestial tribes were subject to his sway.
He therefore gave his vassals all,
By deputies a call,
Despatching everywhere
A written circular,
Which bore his seal, and did import
His majesty would hold his court
A month most splendidly; –
A feast would open his levee,
Which done, Sir Jocko's sleight
Would give the court delight.
By such sublime magnificence
The king would show his power immense.

Now were they gathered all
Within the royal hall. –
And such a hall! The charnel scent
Would make the strongest nerves relent.
The bear put up his paw to close
The double access of his nose.
The act had better been omitted;
His throne at once the monarch quitted,
And sent to Pluto's court the bear,
To show his delicacy there.
The ape approved the cruel deed,
A thorough flatterer by breed.
He praised the prince's wrath and claws,
He praised the odour and its cause.
Judged by the fragrance of that cave,
The amber of the Baltic wave,
The rose, the pink, the hawthorn bank,
Might with the vulgar garlic rank.
The mark his flattery overshot,
And made him share poor Bruin's lot;
This lion playing in his way,
The part of Don Caligula.
The fox approached. "Now," said the king,
"Apply your nostrils to this thing,
And let me hear, without disguise,
The judgment of a beast so wise."
The fox replied, "Your Majesty will please
Excuse" – and here he took good care to sneeze; – "Afflicted with a dreadful cold,
Your majesty need not be told:
My sense of smell is mostly gone."

From danger thus withdrawn,
He teaches us the while,
That one, to gain the smile
Of kings, must hold the middle place
"Between blunt rebuke and fulsome praise;
And sometimes use with easy grace,
The language of the Norman race.

"One more dance along the razor's edge finished. Almost dead yesterday, maybe dead tomorrow, but alive, gloriously alive, today." ― Robert Jordan, Lord of Chaos

"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

Psalm 31:24
Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

"The wind cannot defeat a tree with strong roots." — The Revenant

'As you sow so shall you reap

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.

Sailing to Byzantium
by William Butler Yeats

That is no country for old men. The young
In one another's arms, birds in the trees
—Those dying generations—at their song,
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
Caught in that sensual music all neglect
Monuments of unageing intellect.

An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick, unless
Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
For every tatter in its mortal dress,
Nor is there singing school but studying
Monuments of its own magnificence;
And therefore I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium.

O sages standing in God's holy fire
As in the gold mosaic of a wall,
Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre,
And be the singing-masters of my soul.
Consume my heart away; sick with desire
And fastened to a dying animal
It knows not what it is; and gather me
Into the artifice of eternity.

Once out of nature I shall never take
My bodily form from any natural thing,
But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make
Of hammered gold and gold enamelling
To keep a drowsy Emperor awake;
Or set upon a golden bough to sing
To lords and ladies of Byzantium
Of what is past, or passing, or to come.

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.

* 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: "Measure seven times, cut once. (Семь раз отмерь — один отрежь.)" Be careful before you do something that cannot be changed.

Ye Jiangchuan has won the Chinese Chess Championship seven times.

This poem is dedicated to all
female chessplayers on Caissa's Web.

Sweet Caissa

Oh, Sweet Caissa, Goddess of chess
in the name of this holistic game
I pray Thee: bless my noble aim
to render all my opponents lame
in my holy quest for worldly fame,
to be Supreme no more no less.
In awe I heard this Sweet Caissa say
"Daughter go forth and smite them all,
stoutly charge your knight sitting tall
while flying over the castle's wall
to slay all men in your deadly call."
Now in fear I hide and will no longer play.

"You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore." ― William Faulkner

"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.

Old Russian Proverb: "Scythe over a stone." (Нашла коса на камень.) The force came over a stronger force.

"It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things." ― Leonardo da Vinci

1 Corinthians 13
King James Version

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

chess writer and poet Henry Thomas Bland.

Another example of his way with words is the start of ‘Internal Fires', a poem published on page 57 of the March 1930 American Chess Bulletin:

I used to play chess with the dearest old chap,
Whom naught could upset whatever might hap.
He'd oft lose a game he might well have won
But made no excuse for what he had done.
If a piece he o'erlooked and got it snapped up He took it quite calmly and ne'er ‘cut up rough'.

When Moses asked God, "Who shall I tell Pharaoh has sent me?" God said, "I AM THAT I AM." Jehovah or Yahweh is the most intensely sacred name to Jewish scribes and many will not even pronounce the name. When possible, they use another name." https://www.biblestudytools.com/bib...

Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever.

"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

"Someday, somewhere – anywhere, unfailingly, you'll find yourself, and that, and only that, can be the happiest or bitterest hour of your life." ― Pablo Neruda

Philippians 4:7
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The Pawn Who Had to Go

The little pawn screamed: "I cannot hold it anymore, get me a pot or I will do exactly what I did before." Everybody laughed with the exception of the opposing king who guessed what was on the mind of this filthy thing. But nobody had time to fetch a pot or even a plastic bag They were too busy to ensure that the game became a drag. The guys in white kept running back and forth but no change. The guys in black stayed also within the very same range. Suddenly the unhappy pawn who had screamed for a pot, did a weird little dance while moving up one slot. Now standing near the king he simply pulled his pants down and peed straight up against the king's beautiful crown.

"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

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

"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

1. Get the Pieces Out! (Opening Theme)
Chernin vs Van der Wiel, 1997 
(A04) Reti Opening, 25 moves, 1-0

2. King in the Centre (Opening Theme)
Khalifman vs Sveshnikov, 1996 
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 26 moves, 1-0

3. Successful Control of the Centre (Opening Theme)
K Aseev vs N Rashkovsky, 1998 
(B06) Robatsch, 38 moves, 1-0

4. An Over-Extendes Pawn-Centre (Opening Theme)
Van der Wiel vs Vaganian, 1993 
(B03) Alekhine's Defense, 27 moves, 0-1

5. Modern Gambit Play (Opening Theme)
T Markowski vs Onischuk, 1999 
(E06) Catalan, Closed, 5.Nf3, 26 moves, 0-1

6. Basic Attacking Ideas (Attacking Play)
Kasparov vs Short, 1994 
(C11) French, 32 moves, 1-0

7. Bring up the reserves (Attacking Play)
Kasparov vs Karpov, 1990 
(C92) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 41 moves, 1-0

8. Standard Sacrifices (Attacking Play)
Shirov vs D Reinderman, 1999 
(B46) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 44 moves, 1-0

9. The All-Out Sacrificial Onslaught (Attacking Play)
Nunn vs I Nataf, 1999 
(B32) Sicilian, 28 moves, 0-1

10. Opposite-Side Castling (Attacking Play)
Nunn vs C Ward, 1998 
(B78) Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 10.castle long, 39 moves, 1-0

11. The Deadly Long Diagonal (Attacking Play)
Timman vs J Polgar, 2000 
(E15) Queen's Indian, 40 moves, 0-1

12. Don't Panic (Defensive Play)
M Rychagov vs Z Lanka, 1992 
(B89) Sicilian, 44 moves, 0-1

13. The Defensive Sacrifice (Defensive Play)
B Lalic vs Khalifman, 1997 
(A57) Benko Gambit, 27 moves, 0-1

14. Defence and Counter-Attack (Defensive Play)
X Bu vs J Ye, 1999 
(E86) King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox, 7.Nge2 c6, 29 moves, 0-1

15. Grim Defence (Defensive Play)
Kramnik vs Anand, 1997 
(D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 42 moves, 0-1

16. Bad Pawn-Structure (Positional Play)
Kasparov vs I Sokolov, 1996 
(C45) Scotch Game, 36 moves, 1-0

17. Space Advantage (Positional Play)
Karpov vs Ribli, 1986 
(A30) English, Symmetrical, 56 moves, 1-0

18. Outpost (Positional Play)
J Piket vs Smirin, 1993 
(E94) King's Indian, Orthodox, 36 moves, 1-0

19. Open File (Positional Play)
Short vs Timman, 1991 
(B04) Alekhine's Defense, Modern, 34 moves, 1-0

20. Weak Colour Complex (Positional Play)
Kasparov vs Shirov, 1994 
(B33) Sicilian, 38 moves, 1-0

21. The Queenside Attack (Positional Play)
Yermolinsky vs L Christiansen, 1999 
(D37) Queen's Gambit Declined, 29 moves, 1-0

22. The Two Bishops (Positional Play)
M Gurevich vs N Miezis, 1996 
(A52) Budapest Gambit, 64 moves, 1-0

23. Bad Bishops (Positional Play)
M Stean vs Sax, 1978 
(B33) Sicilian, 28 moves, 1-0

24. Pawn-Chain Play (Positional Play)
P San Segundo Carrillo vs Topalov, 1996 
(E92) King's Indian, 48 moves, 0-1

25. Exploiting the Isolated d-Pawn (Positional Play)
Kamsky vs Karpov, 1996 
(E54) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System, 45 moves, 0-1

26. The Isolated d-Pawn Triumphs (Positional Play)
Kamsky vs Short, 1994 
(E41) Nimzo-Indian, 26 moves, 1-0

27. Positional Sacrifices (Positional Play)
Lautier vs Shirov, 1990 
(E63) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Panno Variation, 32 moves, 0-1

28. The Active King (Endgame Theme)
Smyslov vs Sax, 1979 
(A49) King's Indian, Fianchetto without c4, 54 moves, 0-1

29. The Power of Passed Pawns (Endgame Theme)
Kramnik vs Svidler, 1998 
(D86) Grunfeld, Exchange, 30 moves, 1-0

30. Rook on the Seventh (Endgame Theme)
E Handoko vs J Xu, 1995 
(B22) Sicilian, Alapin, 42 moves, 0-1

Home Away from Home
Smyslov vs I Rudakovsky, 1945 
(B83) Sicilian, 29 moves, 1-0

A Wonderful Knight
L Pugh vs S Weeramantry, 1992 
(E62) King's Indian, Fianchetto, 31 moves, 0-1

A Real Together Feeling
M Lamon vs S Weeramantry, 1990 
(B06) Robatsch, 25 moves, 0-1

One to Remember
Harris vs S Weeramantry, 1972 
(B09) Pirc, Austrian Attack, 23 moves, 0-1

Playing with a Full Deck
Paulsen vs Morphy, 1857  
(C48) Four Knights, 28 moves, 0-1

Saw it Went home Main Game
Steinitz vs von Bardeleben, 1895 
(C54) Giuoco Piano, 25 moves, 1-0

Strike while the Iron is Cold
S Weeramantry vs M Goldberg, 1991 
(B23) Sicilian, Closed, 23 moves, 1-0

37 games

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