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No she went that way Opening tactics, middlegame mating combinations and trapped pieces. “Pawns are such fascinating pieces, too...So small, almost insignificant, and yet--they can depose kings." ― Lavie Tidhar, The Bookman "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." — Albert Einstein “To find something, anything, a great truth or a lost pair of glasses, you must first believe there will be some advantage in finding it.” — Jack Burden, All The King’s Men "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." — Jimmy Dean “Chess is above all, a fight!” — Emanuel Lasker “In Chess, at least, the brave inherit the earth” — Edmar Mednis "The harder you fall, the heavier your heart; the heavier your heart, the stronger you climb; the stronger you climb, the higher your pedestal." — Criss Jami "Tal has a terrifying style. Soon even grandmasters will know of this." - Vladimir Saigin (after losing to 17-year-old Tal in a qualifying match for the master title) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5S... * 10 Crazy Gambits: https://www.chess.com/blog/yola6655... * Lekhika Dhariyal Chess Ops: https://www.zupee.com/blog/category... * Black Defends: Game Collection: Opening repertoire black * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * 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: 0 * Pawns are the Soul of Chess: Game Collection: 0 * Brutal Attacking Chess: Game Collection: Brutal Attacking Chess * Yasser's Book: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics * Most Common Openings: http://www.chesskids.org.uk/grownup... Childhood Games Judy Ponceby, Ohio Feb 2011 Hopscotch Girlfriends running, twirling, too. Taking turns out in the sun. Skip and hop across the board. Leap over the marked one. Twister. Red right foot, Bodies blend. Green left hand Twist and bend Blue left foot, Over extend. Yellow right hand In a body pile, again. Chess Pawns in play, Knights abound. King in check, Queens around. Pieces falling one by one Check and Mate is the sound. Tag Tag! You're It. Running wild. Laughing, screaming, Swift little child. Jumprope Rope atwirling overhead. Jump when its under. Singsong chanting Sounds like thunder. Checkers Red men, Black men. Jump on a diagonal. King me, king me Gonna jump a handful Kick the Can Running down the street. Kicking that can. Swarm of kiddies Chasing past the man. Hopscotch. Twister. Chess. Tag. Checkers. Kick the Can. Jumprope. "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 Proverbs of Solomon 4 A Father’s Instruction 1Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. 2For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive. 3When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother, 4he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. 5Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them. 6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you. 7Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, a gain understanding. 8Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. 9She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.” 10Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many. 11I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths. 12When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble. 13Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life. 14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. 15Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by. 16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall. 17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. 19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble. 20My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. 22For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. 23Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. 24Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. 25Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. 26Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. 27Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil. The Bear and the Amateur Gardener A certain mountain bear, unlicked and rude, By fate confined within a lonely wood, A new Bellerophon, whose life, Knew neither comrade, friend, nor wife, – Became insane; for reason, as we term it, Dwells never long with any hermit. It's good to mix in good society, Obeying rules of due propriety; And better yet to be alone; But both are ills when overdone. No animal had business where All grimly dwelt our hermit bear; Hence, bearish as he was, he grew Heart-sick, and longed for something new. While he to sadness was addicted, An aged man, not far from there, Was by the same disease afflicted. A garden was his favourite care, – Sweet Flora's priesthood, light and fair, And eke Pomona's – ripe and red The presents that her fingers shed. These two employments, true, are sweet When made so by some friend discreet. The gardens, gaily as they look, Talk not, (except in this my book;) So, tiring of the deaf and dumb, Our man one morning left his home Some company to seek, That had the power to speak. – The bear, with thoughts the same, Down from his mountain came; And in a solitary place, They met each other, face to face. It would have made the boldest tremble; What did our man? To play the Gascon The safest seemed. He put the mask on, His fear contriving to dissemble. The bear, unused to compliment, Growled bluntly, but with good intent, "Come home with me." The man replied: "Sir Bear, my lodgings, nearer by, In yonder garden you may spy, Where, if you'll honour me the while, We'll break our fast in rural style. I have fruits and milk, – unworthy fare, It may be, for a wealthy bear; But then I offer what I have." The bear accepts, with visage grave, But not unpleased; and on their way, They grow familiar, friendly, gay. Arrived, you see them, side by side, As if their friendship had been tried. To a companion so absurd, Blank solitude were well preferred, Yet, as the bear scarce spoke a word, The man was left quite at his leisure To trim his garden at his pleasure. Sir Bruin hunted – always brought His friend whatever game he caught; But chiefly aimed at driving flies – Those hold and shameless parasites, That vex us with their ceaseless bites – From off our gardener's face and eyes. One day, while, stretched on the ground The old man lay, in sleep profound, A fly that buzz'd around his nose, – And bit it sometimes, I suppose, – Put Bruin sadly to his trumps. At last, determined, up he jumps; "I'll stop your noisy buzzing now," Says he; "I know precisely how." No sooner said than done. He seized a paving-stone; And by his modus operandi Did both the fly and man die. A foolish friend may cause more woe Than could, indeed, the wisest foe. REMODE: In 1090, a Chessboard with alternating light and dark squares was introduced in Europe. * Riddle-e-dee: https://chessimprover.com/chess-rid... During World War II, several of the world’s best chess players were code breakers. In India, chess was initially known as the ‘Game of Kings.’ “In life, as in chess, one’s own pawns block one’s way. A man’s very wealth, ease, leisure, children, books, which should help him to win, more often checkmate him.” — Charles Buxton “Play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the endgame like a machine.” — Rudolph Spielmann “A thorough understanding of the typical mating continuations makes the most complicated sacrificial combinations leading up to them not only difficult, but almost a matter of course.” — Savielly Tartakower. “Knowing which pieces you want to be exchanged is a great help in finding the right moves.” — Graham Burgess “Life is like a chess game. Every decision, just like every move, has consequences. Therefore, decide wisely!” ― Susan Polgar “When people insult and disrespect you, the best revenge is to continue to win, and win, and win….” ― Susan Polgar “The mind has no restrictions. The only restriction is what you believe you cannot do. So go ahead and challenge yourself to do one thing every day that scares you.” ― Susan Polgar “I don’t think you can really compare anyone to Fischer and I have high respect for him – he’s one of the greatest chess players who ever lived!” — Wesley so “Fischer…is abnormally sensitive to the slightest noise in the hall…Then there are other players, among them Spassky, [Viktor] Korchnoi, and myself. For us, it is simply boring to play in an empty hall. When we appear on the stage, we are artistes.” — Mikhail Tal “He went out of his way to provoke the opponent to attack, and, reeking of contempt and crusader’s zeal, devoted himself to consolidating some of the most hideously unconsolidated positions ever seen on a chessboard.” — Robert Byrne on Wilhelm Steinitz “The defensive power of a pinned piece is only imaginary.” ― Aaron Nimzowitsch 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.” “He (Jose R. Capablanca) makes the game look easy. Art lies in the concealment of art.” ― Philip W. Sergeant “Beautiful, cold, remorseless chess, almost creepy in its silent implacability.” ― Raymond Chandler (on a Capablanca game) “What others could not see in a month's study, he saw at a glance.” ― Reuben Fine (on Capablanca) “Capablanca invariably chose the right option, no matter how intricate the position.” ― Garry Kasparov. “Capablanca's games generally take the following course: he begins with a series of extremely fine prophylactic maneuvers, which neutralize his opponent's attempts to complicate the game; he then proceeds, slowly but surely, to set up an attacking position. This attacking position, after a series of simplifications, is transformed into a favorable endgame, which he conducts with matchless technique.” ― Aaron Nimzowitsch “The greatest compliment one can pay a master is to compare him with [Jose] Capablanca.” — Irving Chernev “The peculiarity of his style is that only rarely does he make moves which no one else would make.” — Max Euwe on Vassily Smyslov “When his opponent forces him into wild play, his performance is stunning.” — Robert Byrne on Tigran Petrosian “You can never relax. I keep the same amount of energy and concentration during the tournament.” ― 13-year-old FM Brewington Hardaway from New York The friendly Fredthebear made this collection. Thank you FTB! “Most promises featuring the word 'always' are unkeepable.” ― John Green, The Anthropocene Reviewed “You should never say never. Just like you should never say always; because, always and never are always never true.” ― J. R. Krol “Never and Always Never take advantage of someone whom loves you Never avoid someone whom needs you Never betray anyone whom has trust in you Never forget the people that always remember you Never speak ill of a person who is not present Never support something you know is wrong or unethical Always speak to your parents on their birthday and anniversary Always defend those who cannot defend themselves Always forgive those you love whom have made mistakes Always give something to those less fortunate than you Always remember to look back at those who helped you succeed Always call your parents and siblings on New Year’s Eve.” ― R.J. Intindola Take care of your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves. ~ Scottish Proverb Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER Alaska: Kodiak Established in: 1792 Kodiak is the main city in Kodiak Island and was founded in 1792 by Aleksandr Andreyevich Baranov. It was first called Pavlovsk Gavan, which is Russian for Paul's Harbor, and was the first capital of Russian Alaska. You can still find a large Russian Orthodox church there, as well as plenty of beautiful views. * Chess History: https://www.britannica.com/topic/ch... * Chess Principles: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comm... * Linus: https://zoboko.com/text/o1qn0yy8/ch... * List of gambits: https://detailedpedia.com/wiki-List... * Fried Fox is awful: https://allchessopenings.blogspot.c... * The Gaw-Paw? Game Collection: GA PA Wins Draws by Black * Chicago, 2007: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEp... * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEp... * Defensive Replies to the Queen's Pawn: Game Collection: e6 after 1.d4 * QP Bg2: Queen's Pawn Game (E00) * Game with ...e6: Game Collection: Partidas modelo con temas variados * Sicilians: Game Collection: Sicilian/French/Westerimen and other ...c5,...e6 * Sicilian O'Kelly leaves White all kinds of choices: Opening Explorer * Wikipedia on Computer Chess: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compu... * elmubarak: my fav games: Game Collection: elmubarak: my fav games * assorted Good games Compiled by rbaglini: Game Collection: assorted Good games * Golden Treasury of Chess (Wellmuth/Horowitz): Game Collection: 0 * LAST COLLECTION Compiled by Jaredfchess: Game Collection: LAST COLLECTION * 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 <The Fooles Mate Black Kings Biſhops pawne one houſe. White Kings pawne one houſe. Black kings knights pawne two houſes White Queen gives Mate at the contrary kings Rookes fourth houſe — Beale, The Royall Game of Chesse-Play Beale's example can be paraphrased in modern terms where White always moves first, algebraic notation is used, and Black delivers the fastest possible mate after each player makes two moves: 1.f3 e6 2.g4 Qh4# There are eight distinct ways in which Fool's Mate can be reached in two moves. White may alternate the order of f- and g-pawn moves, Black may play either e6 or e5, and White may move their f-pawn to f3 or f4.> “Chess is life in miniature. Chess is a struggle, chess battles.” — Garry Kasparov “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. “Don’t blow your own trumpet.” — Australian Proverb Old Russian Proverb: "Scythe over a stone." (Нашла коса на камень.) The force came over a stronger force. “Continuing to play the victim is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Blaming others for your station in life will indeed make you a victim but the perpetrator will be your own self, not life or those around you.” — Bobby Darnell Feb-09-12 ray keene: nimzos best endgames v lasker zurich 1934 v spielmann carlsbad 1929 v lundin stockholm 1934 v maroczy bled 1931 v henneberger winterthur 1931 v thomas frankfurt 1930 v sultan khan liege 1930 v marshall berlin 1928 v reti berlin 1928 v alehine ny 1927 v tchigorin carlsbad 1907 and for a joke entry duras v nimzo san sebastian 1912 !! People believe what they want to believe, truth or not. “Search for the grain of truth in other opinions.” ― Richard Carlson “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5). The Bear ~ Author Unknown ~ Here is a cave, (make a fist) Inside is a bear. (put a thumb inside fist) Now he comes out To get some fresh air. (pop out thumb) He stays out all summer In sunshine and heat. He hunts in the forest For berries to eat. (move thumb in circle) When snow starts to fall, He hurries inside His warm little cave, And there he will hide. (put thumb back inside fist) Snow covers the cave Like a fluffy white rug. Inside the bear sleeps All cozy and snug. (cover fist with other hand) Old Russian Proverb: Чему́ быть, того́ не минова́ть Pronunciation: ChiMU BYT’, taVOH ni mihnoVAT’ Translation: You can’t avoid that which is meant to happen Meaning: Whatever shall be, will be. Engineer Ralph Baer is often held to be the "father of video games." His "Brown Box" video game system, designed in 1967, paved the way for all future consoles. “mãos frias, coração quente“. In English, it means “a cold hand, a warm heart” Drive sober or get pulled over. “For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable.” — Assiac “mais vale um passarinho na mão do que dois a voar“ Contrary to popular belief, the first video game was not Pong. It was preceded by Tennis for Two in 1958 and Spacewar! in 1962. Q: What do you call something that goes up when the rain comes down? A: An umbrella. Q: What do you call a doctor who fixes websites? A: A URL-ologist. Q: What do you call a sleeping dinosaur? A: A dinosnore. Q: What do you call a Christmas tree that knows karate A: Spruce Lee. Q: What does a triangle call a circle? A: Pointless. Q: What do you call a piece of sad cheese? A: Blue cheese. Q: What do you call a cow in an earthquake? A: A milkshake. Q: What do you call an M&M that went to college? A: A smarty. The Man And His Image To M. The Duke De La Rochefoucauld. A man, who had no rivals in the love Which to himself he bore, Esteemed his own dear beauty far above What earth had seen before. More than contented in his error, He lived the foe of every mirror. Officious fate, resolved our lover From such an illness should recover, Presented always to his eyes The mute advisers which the ladies prize; – Mirrors in parlours, inns, and shops, – Mirrors the pocket furniture of fops, – Mirrors on every lady's zone,[13] From which his face reflected shone. What could our dear Narcissus do? From haunts of men he now withdrew, On purpose that his precious shape From every mirror might escape. But in his forest glen alone, Apart from human trace, A watercourse, Of purest source, While with unconscious gaze He pierced its waveless face, Reflected back his own. Incensed with mingled rage and fright, He seeks to shun the odious sight; But yet that mirror sheet, so clear and still, He cannot leave, do what he will. Before this, my story's drift you plainly see. From such mistake there is no mortal free. That obstinate self-lover The human soul does cover; The mirrors follies are of others, In which, as all are genuine brothers, Each soul may see to life depicted Itself with just such faults afflicted; And by that charming placid brook, Needless to say, I mean your Maxim Book. This is one of La Fontaine's most admired fables, and is one of the few for which he did not go for the groundwork to some older fabulist. The Duke de la Rochefoucauld, to whom it was dedicated, was the author of the famous "Reflexions et Maximes Morales," which La Fontaine praises in the last lines of his fable. La Rochefoucauld was La Fontaine's friend and patron. The "Maximes" had achieved a second edition just prior to La Fontaine's publication of this first series of his Fables, in 1668. "The Rabbits" (Book 10, Fable 15.), published in the second collection, in 1678-9, is also dedicated to the Duke, who died the following year, 1680. “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 “Many have become chess masters, no one has become the master of chess.” — Siegbert Tarrasch “True power is expressed in quiet confidence; it was the sea's very calmness that epitomized its mighty force.” ― Emile Habiby “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 4$drivz u nokt mee crazy wheelr. 4$fare iz fair evn 4all hairy bearz no shirts no shoez still get servd biden court 2appear b4 congress 2testify on internet caught see lionz zandi drownd outta noiz. So sad. “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” — Calvin Coolidge 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. A TISKET A TASKET A tisket, a tasket A green and yellow basket. I wrote a letter to my love And on the way I dropped it. I dropped it, I dropped it And on the way I dropped it. A little boy he picked it up And put it in his pocket. 16 yellow #2 pencilz “When you’re lonely, when you feel yourself an alien in the world, play Chess. This will raise your spirits and be your counselor in war.” ― Aristotle “The habit of holding a Man in the hand, and moving it first to one square and then to another, in order to engage the assistance of the eye in deciding where it shall actually be placed, is not only annoying to the adversary but a practical infraction of the touch-and-move principle.” ― Howard Staunton “A bad plan is better than none at all.” ― Frank Marshall <Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" Bombardment of Fort Fisher, near Wilmington, New York, 1865 The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in the middle of the Civil War, wrote this poem which has more recently been adapted as a modern Christmas classic. Longfellow wrote this on Christmas Day in 1863, after his son had enlisted in the Union's cause and had returned home, seriously wounded. The verses which he included and are still generally included, speak of the despair of hearing the promise of "peace on earth, goodwill to men" when the evidence of the world is clearly that war still exists. And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men." The original also included several verses referring specifically to the Civil War. Before that cry of despair and answering cry of hope, and after verses describing the long years of hearing of "peace on earth, goodwill to men" (a phrase from the Jesus birth narratives in the Christian scriptures), Longfellow's poem includes, describing the black cannons of the war: Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South, And with the sound The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men! It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men!> *At some time or other tournament player learns a few opening lines, some tactical ideas, the most basic mating patterns, and a few elementary endgames. As he gets better and more experienced, he significantly adds to this knowledge. However, the one thing that just everybody has problem is planning. From Z to class E (under 1200) D to Master, I get blank stares when asking what plan they had in mind in a particular position. Usually the choice of a plan (if they had any plan at all) is based on emotional rather than chess-specific considerations. By emotional, I mean that the typical player does what he feels like doing rather than the board "telling him what to do. This is somewhat cryptic sentence leads us to the following extremely important concept: if you want to be successful, you have to base your moves and plans on the specific imbalance-oriented criteria that exist in that given position, not your mood, taste and/or feared. Literally every non-master's games are filled with examples of "imbalance avoidance". Beginners, of course, simply don't know what imbalances are. Most experienced players have heard of the term and perhaps even tried to make use of them from time to time, however once the rush of battle takes over, isolated moves and raw aggression (or terror, if you find yourself defending) push any and all thoughts of imbalances out the door. In this case, chess becomes empty move-by-move, threat-by-threat (either making them or responding to them) affair. What is this mysterious allusion of the chessboard's desires (i.e., doing what the chess board wants you to do)? What is this "imbalance-oriented criteria? ― How To Reassess Your Chess by Jeremy Silman “To a good listener, half a word is enough” – Portuguese Proverb The Old Man And His Sons All power is feeble with dissension: For this I quote the Phrygian slave. If anything I add to his invention, It is our manners to engrave, And not from any envious wishes; – I'm not so foolishly ambitious. Phaedrus enriches often his story, In quest – I doubt it not – of glory: Such thoughts were idle in my breast. An aged man, near going to his rest, His gathered sons thus solemnly addressed: "To break this bunch of arrows you may try; And, first, the string that binds them I untie." The eldest, having tried with might and main, Exclaimed, "This bundle I resign To muscles sturdier than mine." The second tried, and bowed himself in vain. The youngest took them with the like success. All were obliged their weakness to confess. Unharmed the arrows passed from son to son; Of all they did not break a single one. "Weak fellows!" said their sire, "I now must show What in the case my feeble strength can do." They laughed, and thought their father but in joke, Till, one by one, they saw the arrows broke. "See, concord's power!" replied the sire; "as long As you in love agree, you will be strong. I go, my sons, to join our fathers good; Now promise me to live as brothers should, And soothe by this your dying father's fears." Each strictly promised with a flood of tears. Their father took them by the hand, and died; And soon the virtue of their vows was tried. Their sire had left a large estate Involved in lawsuits intricate; Here seized a creditor, and there A neighbour levied for a share. At first the trio nobly bore The brunt of all this legal war. But short their friendship as It was rare. Whom blood had joined – and small the wonder! – The force of interest drove asunder; And, as is wont in such affairs, Ambition, envy, were co-heirs. In parcelling their sire's estate, They quarrel, quibble, litigate, Each aiming to supplant the other. The judge, by turns, condemns each brother. Their creditors make new assault, Some pleading error, some default. The sundered brothers disagree; For counsel one, have counsels three. All lose their wealth; and now their sorrows Bring fresh to mind those broken arrows. from the simpleton poet: Roses are red. Violets are blue. Chess is creative. And a journey too. Good in the morning. Or just before bed. Play cheater_1, with engine. Or OTB, all in your head. “Only those who want everything done for them are bored.” — Billy Graham “My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world.” — Billy Graham “Whatever you are doing in the game of life, give it all you've got.” — Norman Vincent Peale “What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” — Ralph Marston * Riddle-z-dee: https://www.briddles.com/riddles/ch... “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. “Never reply to an anonymous letter.” ― Yogi Berra, MLB Hall of Fame catcher “Even Napoleon had his Watergate.” ― Yogi Berra, 10-time World Series champion 499 games, 1560-2022 Noordwijk 1938 Yanni wannabe tiv by sneaky pete “Focused will is incredible. If you have a dream and you don’t give up no matter what obstacles come up, then life’s problems will fall away and you will get what you want. It happens. It works.” ― Yanni “Life is like a game of chess. To win you need to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with insight and knowledge and by learning the lessons that are accumulated along the way. We become each and every piece within the game called LIFE.” ― Alan Rufus “Chance favors the prepared mind.” ― Louis Pasteur "Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly." ― John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, and former Navy Lieutenant “He who whets his steel, whets his courage” ― Steven Pressfield, Gates of Fire “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” ― Dale Carnegie “The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Don’t give up.” ― Robert Tew “When you feel like quitting think about why you started.” ― Anonymous “You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up but you don’t give up.” ― Chuck Yeager “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” ― Conrad Hilton “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ― C.S. Lewis * Windmills: Game Collection: Tactics: windmill * Windmills: Game Collection: World Champs and Windmills * World Champions: History of the World Chess Championship Apparently spurred by the 1936 Zandvoort tournament, the seaside resort Noordwijk had its own international tournament in 1938, organised by the Daniel Noteboom Chess Club. The main sponsor (also the actual playing site) was the Rembrandt Hotel, high on a dune overlooking the North Sea. Games started at 5.30 p.m., to enable the amateur Dr. Euwe to finish his classes in Amsterdam before driving to Noordwijk to match his strength with the old (Bogoljubov, Tartakower, Spielmann) and new (Eliskases, Keres, Pirc) masters. table[ 1.Eliskases 7,5/9 * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 2.Keres 6,5/9 ½ * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 3.Pirc 5,5/9 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 1 4.Euwe 5/9 0 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 5=Bogoljubov 4,5/9 ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 5=Landau 4,5/9 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 1 ½ 7.Thomas 4/9 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 8=Schmidt 2,5/9 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ * 0 0 8=Spielmann 2,5/9 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 * ½ 8=Tartakower 2,5/9 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ * ]table The Ass And His Masters A gardener's ass complained to Destiny Of being made to rise before the dawn. "The cocks their matins have not sung," said he, vere I am up and gone. And all for what? To market herbs, it seems. Fine cause, indeed, to interrupt my dreams!" Fate, moved by such a prayer, Sent him a currier's load to bear, Whose hides so heavy and ill-scented were, They almost choked the foolish beast. "I wish me with my former lord," he said; "For then, whenever he turned his head, If on the watch, I caught A cabbage-leaf, which cost me nothing. But, in this horrid place, I find No chance or windfall of the kind: Or if, indeed, I do, The cruel blows I rue." Anon it came to pass He was a collier's ass. Still more complaint. "What now?" said Fate, Quite out of patience. "If on this jackass I must wait, What will become of kings and nations? Has none but he anything here to tease him? Have I no business but to please him?" And Fate had cause; – for all are so. Unsatisfied while here below Our present lot is aye the worst. Our foolish prayers the skies infest. Were Jove to grant all we request, The din renewed, his head would burst. “Every master was once a disaster.” – T.S. Wood "Chess is all about stored pattern recognition. You are asking your brain to spot a face in the crowd that it has not seen." — Sally Simpson “If you see a good move, look for a better one.” — Emanuel Lasker “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” — Thomas Edison “The winner of the game is the player who makes the next to last mistake.” — Savielly Tartakower * Fireside book: Game Collection: Fireside Book of Chess * Giuoco Pianissimo: Game Collection: GIUOCO PIANISSIMO * Two Knts Defense: Game Collection: Two Knights Defence by Beliavsky mikhalchisin Uncompromising Chess, by Belyavsky, Alexander (User: Resignation Trap) Game Collection: Uncompromising Chess by Alexander Beliavsky ♖♖♖ http://www.amazon.com/Uncompromisin... Understanding Chess Move by Move: A Top-Class Grandmaster Explains Step-by-Step How Chess Games Are Won, by Nunn, John (User: PhilipTheGeek) Game Collection: Nunn's Understanding Chess Move by Move ♖♖♖ http://www.amazon.com/Understanding... * Best Games of 2018: Game Collection: Best Games of 2018 * Glossary: https://www.peoriachess.com/Glossar... * Opening Tree: https://www.shredderchess.com/onlin... “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. I know I can.” – Watty Piper Adapt on the fly. “A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.” — General George S. Patton “If you’re positive you can get through it OK. When you think negatively, you’re putting poison on your body. Just smile. They say laughter is the best medicine there is.” — Elsa Bailey, athlete, 100 years old I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud William Wordsworth I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils Apr-05-23 WannaBe: Can a vegan have a 'beef' with you? Or Vegans only have 'beet' with you? I am confused. Apr-05-23 Cassandro: Vegan police officers should be exempt from doing steak-outs. All The World’s A Stage William Shakespeare All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms. Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slippered pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. “Life is fun. It’s all up to the person. Be satisfied. You don’t have to be ‘happy’ all the time, you need to be satisfied.” — Lucille Boston Lewis, eternal optimist 101 years old “A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away.” — Dr. Boyce “Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Adair “He who imagines himself capable should attempt to perform. Neither originality counts, nor criticism of another’s work. It is not courage, nor self-confidence, nor a sense of superiority that tells. Performance alone is the test.” — Emanuel Lasker “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell What is the name of the largest ocean? Answer: The Pacific Ocean 2. What is the smallest country in the world? Answer: Vatican City 3. What is the majority of the earth covered by? Answer: Oceans 4. What is the largest continent? Answer: Asia 5. What is the name of the longest mountain range? (Hint: it is under the Atlantic Ocean) Answer: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge 6. The destruction of Pompeii in 79 A.D. was done by what volcano? Answer: Mt. Vesuvius 7. What is the world's longest river? Answer: Amazon River 8. What is the only continent without an active volcano? Answer: Australia 9. Which is the world's most earthquake-prone country? Answer: Japan 10. Name the three countries that do not use the metric system? Answer: U.S., Myanmar, Liberia 11. What is the deepest part in all of the world's oceans called? Answer: The Mariana Trench 12. Where is the Golden Gate Bridge located? Answer: San Fransico, California 13. This large tower is known for its "tilt." Answer: Pisa 14. What are the Northern Lights also known as? Answer: Aurora Borealis 15. Which continent is in all four hemispheres? Answer: Africa 16. 77% of the world's maple syrup is made in this Canadian province. Answer: Quebec 17. Africa is home to how many deserts? Answer: Three 18. What is the name of the large river that flows through London? Answer: The Thames River 19. Which is colder the North Pole or the South Pole? Answer: South Pole 20. What are the imaginary horizontal and vertical lines around the Earth called? Answer: Longitude and latitude lines 21. What body of water separates Australia and New Zealand? Answer: The Tasman Sea 22. Where are 75% of the world's pineapples grown? Answer: Hawaii 23. Which Colorado mountain range contains The Continental Divide? Answer: The Rockies 24. Name the largest volcano in the world. Answer: Mouna Loa 25. Which Italian city is known for its canals? Answer: Venice 26. This country has the largest number of pyramids. Answer: Sudan 27. Which country has the most natural lakes? Answer: Canada 28. Where is the driest place on Earth? Answer: Antarctica 29. Which continent is also an island? Answer: Australia 30. The world's largest fish market is located in what capital city? Answer: Tokyo, Japan 31. Which major city is located on two continents? Answer: Istanbul, Turkey 32. Where would you find "The Valley of the Kings?" Answer: Egypt 33. In what state is the Grand Canyon located? Answer: Arizona Related: 150 Fun Movie Trivia Questions (With Answers) To Stump All Your Film-Loving Friends! Science trivia questions 1. Which of the planets in our solar system is the hottest? Answer: Venus 2. What is the universal donor blood type? Answer: O negative 3. How many people have walked on the moon? Answer: 12 4. Who was the first American in space? Answer: Alan Shephard 5. What is the most common eye color in humans? Answer: Brown 6. Which galaxy is closest to the Milky Way Galaxy? Answer: Andromeda Galaxy 7. What are the three layers of the planet? Answer: Crust, mantle & core 8. How many bones are in the human body? Answer: 206 9. Which part of the brain deals with hearing and language? Answer: Temporal lobe 10. Who was the scientist that filed 1,093 patents alone? Answer: Thomas Edison 11. End the debate...is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Answer: Fruit 12. Which is the only metal to be in liquid form at room temperature? Answer: Mercury 13. What is the cause of a tsunami? Answer: Tsunami is caused by the displacement of water due to an earthquake or landslide under the sea or ocean. 14. What is the oldest living thing on Earth? Answer: Bristlecone Pine 15. What is the shape of the human DNA called? Answer: Double helix 16. The chemical equation for water? Answer: H2O 17. Who invented the airplane? Answer: The Wright Brothers 18. What is the largest reef system called? Answer: The Great Barrier Reef 19. Which islands west of Ecuador were studied by Charles Darwin to increase his knowledge? Answer: Galapagos Islands 20. Igneous rocks are normally associated with what natural phenomenon? Answer: Volcano 21. These trees are known as the tallest in the world. Answer: Giant Sequoia 22. What is the human body's largest organ? Answer: The skin 23. What was the first satellite to enter space called? Answer: Sputnik 24. Seismology is the study of what? Answer: Earthquakes 25. When a gas changes into a liquid, it is called what? Answer: Condensation 26. At what temperature is Fahrenheit equal to Centigrade? Answer: -40 degrees 27. The movement of pollen from the male anther to a flower’s female stigma is known as what? Answer: Pollination 28. How long is an eon? Answer: A billion years 29. What is the scientific word for push or pull? Answer: Force 30. Which person is known for publishing “The Interpretation of Dreams”? Answer: Sigmund Freud 31. What is the splitting of atomic nuclei called? Answer: Nuclear fission 32. The process of weathered material moving due to gravity is called what? Answer: Erosion 33. What is the quality of an object that allows it to float on water? Answer: Buoyancy Funny trivia questions The ancient Romans boiled vinegar and what else together to make their version of an energy drink? Answer: Goat poop What is the main ingredient in Bombay Duck? Answer: Fish Name one of the two countries that do not allow tattoos. Answer: Japan or Iran What were the first hockey pucks made out of? Answer: Frozen cow dung When held to an ultra-violet ray, which animal's urine glows? Answer: Cat What mythical creature is Scotland's national animal? Answer: Unicorn Who invented the word "vomit"? Answer: Shakespeare Native to the Carribean, what kind of animal is a Mountain Chicken? Answer: Frog Why did pirates wear earrings? Answer: They believed it improved eyesight. What is the longest movie ever made? Answer: The Cure for Insomnia (85 hours) What is the hottest pepper in the world? Answer: Carolina Reaper Name one of the two countries that allow you to take a nap during work hours? Answer: Italy or Spain When do babies get their fingerprints? Answer: 21 weeks (fetus) What bird has eyes bigger than its brain? Answer: Ostrich What reptile cannot stick its tongue out? Answer: Crocodile In the U.S., someone does 'this' every 12 seconds at a Holiday Inn. (Keep your mind out of the gutter!) Answer: Steals a towel What color is an airplane's black box? Answer: Orange What is a pupu platter? Answer: It is a tray of American Chinese or Hawaiian food consisting of an assortment of small meat and seafood appetizers. It is illegal to wrestle a bear in which country? Answer: South Africa You cannot be overweight in what country? Answer: Japan What are sweetbreads? Answer: Sweetbreads is a culinary name for the thymus or pancreas, typically from calf and lamb. You cannot purchase items using too many coins in which country? Answer: Canada Which U.S. state has a law preventing your chicken from crossing the road? Answer: Georgia You will get picked up by the law for peeing in the ocean in which country? Answer: Portugal Which animal can hold its pee for up to eight months? Answer: Wood frog This English word has the most "definitions." Answer: Set Napoleon Bonaparte was once attacked by what kind of animals? Answer: Rabbits How many times zones are located in France? Answer: 12 What part of the human body can regrow itself in three weeks? Answer: Liver What is occasionally used to enhance vanilla flavorings? Answer: Beaver bum goo What is the oldest toy in the world? Answer: A stick What animal did Edison film with while experimenting with moving images with his Kinetograph invention in 1892? Answer: Cat By law every citizen of Kentucky must do what annually? Answer: Take a bath 46 games, 1938-1939 Ns in action The uniqueness of the bucking knight adds much flavor to chess, like a grenade blows out a fox hole. This is a collection of games where the knight plays a certain important role in the outcome at some point in the game. Of course, many many many games would qualify under this criteria. It has been the easiest collection to assemble. In the opening, the knight often strikes somewhere along the bishop's diagonal. The queen and knight are especially effective together, one covering for the other. A typical alignment might be Bc4, Nf3-Ng5 & Qh5 hitting upon both f7 and h7. A knight on the rim is dim; it's chances are slim. (But if you need the knight to do a specific job there, then put it there!) Here's a tip for mating attacks from "The Knights of the Square Table": If you can eventually, securely place one of your units on the opponent's c3/c6 or f3/f6 squares (the ideal squares that are generally best suited for opposing knights in the opening), your opponent will often find himself restricted in a world of hurt as you coordinate additional pieces within the opposing camp. This entrenched placement on the long diagonal often involves the concept of blocking a backward bishop's pawn on it's original square as part of a fianchetto. Finally, when promoting a pawn, don't automatically convert the pawn into a new queen. Always consider underpromotion to a knight first, especially if the knight can give a devastating check. For examples, see Reinle vs Lange, 1936 and Wiede vs A Goetz, 1880. Sorry, there were just too many Budapest games to keep in this collection. That's a brutal collection in itself. Note to self: There was no special arrangement of the 7.7's, but there is to the 8's. ECO code A has been removed. * Diagrammed Checkmate Patterns: Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns * Short and Quick by Jungol (101 games of various lengths): Game Collection: SHORT AND QUICK * Mr. Harvey's Puzzle Challenge: https://wtharvey.com/ Caïssa originated in a 658-line poem called Scacchia Ludus published in 1527 by Hieronymus Vida (Marco Girolamo Vida): Tum geminae velut extremis in cornibus arces hinc atque hinc altis stant propugnacula muris, quae dorso immanes gestant in bella Elephanti. "Then twin, as if at the ends, citadels in the corners, here and here stand ramparts with high walls, which are carried into war on the back by immense elephants." The Woodman and Mercury To M. The Chevalier De Bouillon. Your taste has served my work to guide; To gain its suffrage I have tried. You'd have me shun a care too nice, Or beauty at too dear a price, Or too much effort, as a vice. My taste with yours agrees: Such effort cannot please; And too much pains about the polish Is apt the substance to abolish; Not that it would be right or wise The graces all to ostracize. You love them much when delicate; Nor is it left for me to hate. As to the scope of Aesop's plan, I fail as little as I can. If this my rhymed and measured speech Avails not to please or teach, I own it not a fault of mine; Some unknown reason I assign. With little strength endued For battles rough and rude, Or with Herculean arm to smite, I show to vice its foolish plight. In this my talent wholly lies; Not that it does at all suffice. My fable sometimes brings to view The face of vanity purblind With that of restless envy joined; And life now turns on these pivots two. Such is the silly little frog That aped the ox on her bog. A double image sometimes shows How vice and folly do oppose The ways of virtue and good sense; As lambs with wolves so grim and gaunt, The silly fly and frugal ant. Thus swells my work – a comedy immense – Its acts unnumbered and diverse, Its scene the boundless universe. Gods, men, and brutes, all play their part In fields of nature or of art, And Jupiter among the rest. Here comes the god who's wont to bear Jove's frequent errands to the fair, With winged heels and haste; But other work's in hand today. A man that laboured in the wood Had lost his honest livelihood; That is to say, His axe was gone astray. He had no tools to spare; This wholly earned his fare. Without a hope beside, He sat him down and cried, "Alas, my axe! where can it be? O Jove! but send it back to me, And it shall strike good blows for you." His prayer in high Olympus heard, Swift Mercury started at the word. "Your axe must not be lost," said he: "Now, will you know it when you see? An axe I found on the road." With that an axe of gold he showed. "Is it this?" The woodman answered, "Nay." An axe of silver, bright and gay, Refused the honest woodman too. At last the finder brought to view An axe of iron, steel, and wood. "That's mine," he said, in joyful mood; "With that I'll quite contented be." The god replied, "I give the three, As due reward of honesty." This luck when neighbouring choppers knew, They lost their axes, not a few, And sent their prayers to Jupiter So fast, he knew not which to hear. His winged son, however, sent With gold and silver axes, went. Each would have thought himself a fool Not to have owned the richest tool. But Mercury promptly gave, instead Of it, a blow on the head. With simple truth to be contented, Is surest not to be repented; But still there are who would With evil trap the good, – Whose cunning is but stupid, For Jove is never duped. A piece of cake: https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/che... Dionisyus1: I had basil on the pub's potage du jour yesterday. Soup herb! Hacked! 496 games, 1620-2016 O Interesting... by blingice &records li Phil St Compiled by blingice Charge! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charg.... “Winning needs no explanation, losing has no alibi.” ― Greg Baum. “A determined soul will do more with a rusty monkey wrench than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools in a machine shop.” ― Robert Hughes “Chess is a fairy tale of 1,001 blunders.” ― Savielly Tartakower “Pawns are the soul of the game.” ― François-André Danican Philidor “The king pawn and the queen pawn are the only ones to be moved in the early part of the game.” ― Wilhelm Steinitz “There is no such thing as an absolutely freeing move. A freeing move in a position in which development has not been carried far always proves illusory, and vice versa, a move which does not come at all in the category of freeing moves can, given a surplus of tempi to our credit, lead to a very free game.” ― Aron Nimzowitsch “You may knock your opponent down with the chessboard, but that does not prove you the better player.” ― English Proverb “I've played a number of interesting novelties lately. Mostly that's because I haven't got a clue what I am doing in the opening.” ― Nigel Short “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. “It's a short trip from the penthouse to the outhouse.” ― Paul Dietzel “Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.” ― Francis Bacon “Discipline is wisdom and vice versa.” ― M. Scott Peck “The punishment of every disordered mind is its own disorder.” ― St. Augustine of Hippo, Confessions “In chess, as in life, a man is his own most dangerous opponent.” — Vasily Smyslov (1921-2010), 7th World Chess Champion “For a period of ten years--between 1946 and 1956--Reshevsky was probably the best chessplayer in the world. I feel sure that had he played a match with Botvinnik during that time he would have won and been World Champion.” ― Bobby Fischer “I believe that true beauty of chess is more than enough to satisfy all possible demands.” ― Alexander Alekhine “We cannot resist the fascination of sacrifice, since a passion for sacrifices is part of a chessplayer's nature.” ― Rudolf Spielmann “To play for a draw, at any rate with white, is to some degree a crime against chess.” ― Mikhail Tal “Boring? Who's boring? I am Fredthebear. My mind is always active, busy. If you are bored, then why are you wasting your time following FTB?” “The future reshapes the memory of the past in the way it recalibrates significance: some episodes are advanced, others lose purchase.” ― Gregory Maguire, A Lion Among Men “Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons.” ― Douglas MacArthur “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 prepares for next generation!” ― Susan Polgar <Chief Deputy Art Mullen: Hell of a shot. Did you consider what might have happened if you'd missed? Tim Gutterson: I can't carry a tune. I don't know how to shoot a basketball and my handwriting is, uh, barely legible. But I don't miss. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJF...> * B23-B25: Game Collection: Sicilian Closed / Grand Prix Attack * Happy Days! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slv... * IECC: https://www.chess-iecc.com/ * MC Move-by-Move: Game Collection: Move by Move - Carlsen (Lakdawala) * Records: http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/records... Bughouse Rules Bughouse is an outrageously fun team game in which one partner plays White and the other plays Black. As a player captures an opponent's piece, that captured piece is passed to the partner. The partner can either make a regular chess move, or place any one of the pieces passed by the partner anywhere on the board! (well, almost anywhere - there are certain rules to follow that we go over in class). To add to the excitement, Bughouse is played with clocks at a quick pace (5 minutes) and players are allowed to TALK!! In fact, you have to talk in order to effectively communicate strategies with your partner. Of course, your opponents might overhear you and plan their counter strategy. So you could whisper, or even talk in secret codes! But you can't hide captured pieces - they have to stay out in the open where everyone can see them. Not fair pulling a rook out from under your beard! These rules and others are contained in he official USCF Bughouse Rules 5th Edition, which will be posted on the walls for Bughouse events. It was interesting to note, during Grandmaster Nigel Davies' recent instructional clinics, that he greatly encouraged Bughouse as a tool for developing the imagination. IMPORTANT! Because of the high level of noise, Bughouse will be played only on pre-advertised Bughouse tournament days (normally around Halloween, plus or minus a week, and sometimes at other times during the year). BUGHOUSE RULES (adapted from http://raleighchessacademy.com/wp-c... ) 1. Number of Players - There are exactly two players on a team; they are called 'team members,' 'partners' or 'pardners' (Texas only). No substitutions of players are allowed at any time during the tournament. Ya dances with the pardner what brought ya. A Tournament can have many competing teams. 2. Bughouse Game - A 'Bughouse Game' matches one team member against one opponent, and the other team member against that opponent's partner. Play is conducted by the four players on two regulation chess boards, each starting from the normal chess starting position, with white moving first and each using a chess clock (digital takes precedence over analog). One partner plays White; the other Black. The first checkmate or time forfeit on either board ends the Game. If either partner on a team wins their board, then their team wins the Game. Just as in regular chess, there are multiple Games (rounds) per tournament. 3. Colors - For each Game, the team decides which partner is to play white and which is to play black. Once a Game is started, partners may not switch boards (and although you can always give advice to your partner, you cannot touch your partner's pieces). 4. Time control - The time control is Game in 5 minutes. Use 2 second delay when possible. 5. Bring a clock- Each team is responsible for providing a clock. If a team does not have a clock and their opponents do have a clock, the team without a clock forfeits. If neither team has a clock then both teams forfeit. 6. Completion of Move - If a player's hand has released a piece then that move cannot be changed, unless it is an illegal move. A move is not Completed until the piece is released AND the clock is pressed. If the clock has not been pressed then the opponent may not move (this is under review) 8. Illegal moves lose, if they are caught before the next move is made. I. If an opponent makes a move and starts the opponent's clock, they have forfeited the right to claim that illegal move. II. Before play begins both players should inspect the position of the pieces and the setting of the clock, since once each side has made a move all claims for correcting either are null and void. The only exception is if one or both players have more than five minutes on their clock, then the tournament director may reduce the time accordingly. III. Illegal moves, unnoticed by both players, cannot be corrected afterwards, nor can they become the basis for later making an illegal move claim. If the King and Queen are set up incorrectly when the game begins, then you may castle short on the queen side and castle long on the kingside. Once each side has made a move, incorrect setups must stay. 9. Passing pieces - When a piece is captured, the captured piece is passed to the partner only after the move is completed (opponent’s clock is started). 10. Placing or moving pieces- A player has the option of either moving one of their pieces on their board or placing a piece their teammate has captured and passed to them. I. A captured piece may be placed on any unoccupied square on the board, with the exception that a pawn may not be placed on the first or last rank. II. Pieces may be placed to create or interpose check or checkmate. (under review - some variants do not allow "drop mates") III. A promoted pawn, which has been captured, reverts to a pawn and not the promoted piece. 11. Displaying captured pieces- A player may not attempt to hide pieces captured by their partner from the opponent. The first attempt will be a warning and the second attempt will result in forfeiture of the game. 12. Communicating allowed- Partners may verbally communicate throughout a game. It is legal for one partner to make move suggestions to the other partner. It is illegal and grounds for forfeiting the match if one partner physically moves one of their partner's pieces. 13. Clock Hand- Each player must push the clock button with the same hand they use to move their pieces. Exception: only during castling may a player use both hands. When capturing only one hand may be used. The first infraction will get a warning, the second a one minute penalty and the third will result in the loss of the game. 14. Touching a Clock- Except for pushing the clock button neither player should touch the clock except: I. To straighten it; II. If either player knocks over the clock his opponent gets one minute added to their clock; III. If your opponent's clock does not begin you may push their side down and repunch your side; however, if this procedure is unsatisfactory, please call for a director; IV. Each player must always be allowed to push the clock after their move is made. Neither player should keep their hand on or hover over the clock. 15. Define a win- A game is won by the player: I. who has mated their opponent's king; II. If the checking piece is not a knight or is not in contact (on an adjacent square) with the defending king and the defending player does not have any material to block the check, the defending player may wait until his or her partner supplies a piece provided their time does not run out. III. whose opponent resigns; IV. whose opponent's flag falls first, at any time before the game is otherwise ended, provided he/she points it out and neutralizes the clock while their own flag is still up; V. who, after an illegal move, takes the opponent's king or stops the clock; VI. an illegal move doesn't negate a player's right to claim on time, provided he/she does so prior to their opponent's claim of an illegal move. If the claims are simultaneous, the player who made the illegal move loses. 16. Defining a draw- A game is a draw: I. By agreement between the teams during the game only. II. If the flag of one player falls after the flag of the other player has already fallen and a win has not been claimed, unless either side mates before noticing both flags down. Announced checkmate nullifies any later time claims. 17. Replacing pieces- If a player accidentally displaces one or more pieces, he shall replace them on his own time. If it is necessary, his opponent may start the opponent's clock without making a move in order to make sure that the culprit uses his own time while replacing the pieces. Finally, it is unsportsmanlike to knock over any pieces then punch the clock. For the first offense the player will get a warning (unless this causes his flag to fall, in which case the opponent will get one extra minute added to his clock). For a second offense a one minute add-on for the opponent will be imposed. For a third offense the offender shall forfeit the game. Thereafter, the tournament director may use other penalties or expel a player from the event for repeated offenses. 18. Dispute between players - In case of a dispute either player may stop both clocks while the tournament director is being summoned. In any unclear situation the tournament director will consider the testimony of both players and any reliable witnesses before rendering his decision. If a player wishes to appeal the decision of a tournament director, the player must first appeal to the section chief then, if necessary, the player may appeal to the Chief floor director, whose decision in all cases is final. 19. TD touching the clock - The tournament director shall not pick up the clock; except in the case of a dispute. 20. Observer conduct - Spectators and players of another match are not to speak or otherwise interfere in a game. If a spectator interferes in any way, such as by calling attention to the flag fall or an illegal move, the tournament director may cancel the game and rule that a new game be played in its stead, and he may also expel the offending party from the playing room. The tournament director should also be silent about illegal moves, flag falls, etc. (unless there is an agreement with the players, before the game, to call them) as this is entirely the responsibility of the players. 21. Replacing a promoted pawn - If a player promotes a pawn they must leave the pawn on the board and clearly indicate to their opponent to what piece the pawn is being promoted too. The promoted pawn will be laid on it's side to indicate that it is a promoted pawn (MCS&C local rule - to prevent later disagreements about what piece the pawn was promoted to, and to avoid pawns annoyingly rolling about and off the board, a spare piece quickly found from another set should be used and placed in the normal upright position, an upside down rook still signifying a queen. The argument against this is nuclear proliferation of Queens, but I don't think it is a strong argument). 22. Replacement clock - Only a tournament director may determine if a clock is defective and change clocks. 23. Player behavior - Excessive banging of pieces or clock will not be tolerated and the offending player may be penalized with loss of time (Director discretion) 24. Insufficient Losing Chances- Insufficient losing chances claims cannot be made in Bughouse games. 25. Rules Not Covered Above - The Official Rules of Chess, 5th edition, shall be used to resolve any situation not covered by these rules. FACTRETRIEVER 2020: The bird on the Twitter logo is named "Larry." He was named after the basketball player Larry Bird, who played for the Boston Celtics. “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 “If you’re too open-minded; your brains will fall out.” ― Lawrence Ferlinghetti “Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. “It ain't over 'til it's over, no matter how over it looks.” ― Yogi Berra <The Fooles Mate Black Kings Biſhops pawne one houſe. White Kings pawne one houſe. Black kings knights pawne two houſes White Queen gives Mate at the contrary kings Rookes fourth houſe — Beale, The Royall Game of Chesse-Play Beale's example can be paraphrased in modern terms where White always moves first, algebraic notation is used, and Black delivers the fastest possible mate after each player makes two moves: 1.f3 e6 2.g4 Qh4# There are eight distinct ways in which Fool's Mate can be reached in two moves. White may alternate the order of f- and g-pawn moves, Black may play either e6 or e5, and White may move their f-pawn to f3 or f4.> HEY YOU! You can't win them all You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar You pays your money and you takes your choice You reap what you sow You win some, you lose some Youth is wasted on the young <The One-Ring Scam A separate but similar scam is the one-ring cell phone scam. In this scam, crooks use robocall technology to place internet calls that ring only once on cell phones. If you pick up, the robocaller just drops the line. But the bigger danger is if you miss the call. Like many people, you might think it’s an important call and dial that number right back. Bad move. Turns out the area codes are largely located in the Caribbean and could cost you $15 to $30 between international fees and per-minute charges! With that in mind, the Federal Trade Commission says you should never call back numbers in these area codes: 268: Antigua and Barbuda 284: British Virgin Islands 473: Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique 664: Montserrat 649: Turks and Caicos Islands 767: Commonwealth of Dominica 809, 829, 849: Dominican Republic 876: Jamaica When an unfamiliar number comes in, you’re better off waiting for a voicemail so you can determine if the call is legitimate before calling back. You can also Google the phone number itself. If the number is a scam, chances are good that others will have posted warnings about it.> “Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities. Without humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy.” ― Norman Vincent Peale “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever. “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 “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” ― Benjamin Franklin Wordsfun 12z Zebuln Peyek twent up up up colo fora do hike high then fell off low upon hez tailbon andrw rezortd toe playin chesst bcuz hez tailbon could nolongr go up up up leyek hez ahot hair buffoon From's Gambit of China passin thru. “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” — Calvin Coolidge 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. Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. JACK AND JILL Jack and Jill Went up the hill To fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down And broke his crown And Jill came tumbling after. Helvetica and Times New Roman walk into a bar. “Get out of here!” shouts the bartender. “We don’t serve your type.” f. REALITY: <The One-Ring Scam A separate but similar scam is the one-ring cell phone scam. In this scam, crooks use robocall technology to place internet calls that ring only once on cell phones. If you pick up, the robocaller just drops the line. But the bigger danger is if you miss the call. Like many people, you might think it’s an important call and dial that number right back. Bad move. Turns out the area codes are largely located in the Caribbean and could cost you $15 to $30 between international fees and per-minute charges! With that in mind, the Federal Trade Commission says you should never call back numbers in these area codes: 268: Antigua and Barbuda 284: British Virgin Islands 473: Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique 664: Montserrat 649: Turks and Caicos Islands 767: Commonwealth of Dominica 809, 829, 849: Dominican Republic 876: Jamaica When an unfamiliar number comes in, you’re better off waiting for a voicemail so you can determine if the call is legitimate before calling back. You can also Google the phone number itself. If the number is a scam, chances are good that others will have posted warnings about it.> “Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities. Without humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy.” ― Norman Vincent Peale “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever. “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 “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” ― Benjamin Franklin FACTRETRIEVER 2020: There are no seagulls in Hawaii.[4] FACTRETRIEVER 2020: Even though dragonflies have six legs, they cannot walk.[39] FACTRETRIEVER 2020: Gummy bears were originally called "dancing bears."[38] Sea otters have the thickest fur of any mammal, at 1 million hairs per square inch.[38] FACTRETRIEVER 2020: The bird on the Twitter logo is named "Larry." He was named after the basketball player Larry Bird, who played for the Boston Celtics.[38] FACTRETRIEVER 2020: The term "coccyx" (also known as your tailbone) is derived from the Greek word "cuckoo" ("kokkux") because the curved shape of the tailbone resembles the bird's beak.[23] FACTRETRIEVER 2020: A baby has around 30,000 taste buds. They are not just on the tongue but also on the sides, back, and roof of the mouth. Adults have about 10,000.[23] FACTRETRIEVER 2020: In one survey, three out of four people admitted to sharing an ice cream cone with their pet.[38] FACTRETRIEVER 2020: When humans take a breath, they replace only 15% of the air in their lungs with fresh air. When dolphins take a breath, they replace 90% of the air in their lungs with fresh air.[21] FACTRETRIEVER 2020: Dolphins usually breathe through their blowhole, but, in 2016, scientists discovered a dolphin with a damaged blowhole that could breath through its mouth FACTRETRIEVER 2020: Feral pigs ate and completely destroyed $22,000 worth of cocaine that had been hidden in an Italian forest.[25] FACTRETRIEVER 2020: Pablo Picasso would often carry around a pistol loaded with blanks. He would fire it at people he found boring or anyone who insulted the Post-Impressionist painter, Paul Cézanne.[22] FACTRETRIEVER 2020: Monarch caterpillars breathe through holes in the sides of their bodies.[38] Fact: The United States, Burma, and Liberia are the only countries that have not officially adopted the metric system. “I am no longer cursed by poverty because I took possession of my own mind, and that mind has yielded me every material thing I want, and much more than I need. But this power of mind is a universal one, available to the humblest person as it is to the greatest.” ― Andrew Carnegie “Luckily, there is a way to be happy. It involves changing the emphasis of our thinking from what we want to what we have.” ― Richard Carlson Charge! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charg.... “Winning needs no explanation, losing has no alibi.” ― Greg Baum. “A determined soul will do more with a rusty monkey wrench than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools in a machine shop.” ― Robert Hughes “Chess is a fairy tale of 1,001 blunders.” ― Savielly Tartakower “Pawns are the soul of the game.” ― François-André Danican Philidor “The king pawn and the queen pawn are the only ones to be moved in the early part of the game.” ― Wilhelm Steinitz “I believe that it is best to know a 'dubious' opening really well, rather than a 'good' opening only slightly.” ― Simon Williams “There is no such thing as an absolutely freeing move. A freeing move in a position in which development has not been carried far always proves illusory, and vice versa, a move which does not come at all in the category of freeing moves can, given a surplus of tempi to our credit, lead to a very free game.” ― Aron Nimzowitsch “The future reshapes the memory of the past in the way it recalibrates significance: some episodes are advanced, others lose purchase.” ― Gregory Maguire, A Lion Among Men “Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons.” ― Douglas MacArthur Matthew 17:20 Our faith can move mountains. Other people’s wisdom prevents the king from being called a fool. ~ Nigerian Proverb Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand. ~ Guinean Proverb Ingratitude is sooner or later fatal to its author. ~ Twi Proverb The laughter of a child lights up the house. ~ Swahili proverb * One of Pandolfini's Best: Game Collection: Solitaire Chess by Bruce Pandolfini * Two Great Attackers: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... * Capablanca's Double Attack — having the initiative is important: https://lichess.org/study/tzrisL1R * Golden Treasury of Chess (Wellmuth/Horowitz): Game Collection: 0 * Glossary: https://www.peoriachess.com/Glossar... * Classic games by great players: Game Collection: Guinness Book - Chess Grandmasters (Hartston) * 100+ Scandinavian Miniatures: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... * 610_Back rank mating tactics: Game Collection: 610_Back rank mating tactics * Fork OVerload (Remove the Defender): Game Collection: FORK-OVERLOAD OR HOOK-AND-LADDER TRICK * Impact of Genius: 500 years of Grandmaster Chess: Game Collection: Impact of Genius : 500 years of Grandmaster Ches * Chess Prehistory Compiled by Joe Stanley: Game Collection: Chess Prehistory * Organized Steinitz collection: Game Collection: Steinitz Gambits * Best (Old) Games of All Time: Game Collection: Best Games of All Time * 'Great Brilliancy Prize Games of the Chess Masters' by Fred Reinfeld: Game Collection: 0 * bengalcat47's favorite games of famous masters: Game Collection: bengalcat47's favorite games * Mil y Una Partidas 1914-1931: Game Collection: Mil y Una Partidas 1914-1931 * Fire Baptisms Compiled by Nasruddin Hodja: Game Collection: Fire Baptisms * maxruen's favorite games III: Game Collection: maxruen's favorite games III * some famous brilliancies: Game Collection: brilliacies * Brilliant games Compiled by madhatter5: Game Collection: Brilliant games * The Fireside Book of Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld: Game Collection: Fireside Book of Chess * 'Chess Praxis' by Aron Nimzowitsch: Game Collection: Chess Praxis (Nimzowitsch) * '500 Master Games of Chess' by Savielly Tartakower and Julius Du Mont: Game Collection: 500 Master Games of Chess * Great Combinations Compiled by wwall: Game Collection: Combinations * Middlegame Combinations by Peter Romanovsky: Game Collection: Middlegame Combinations by Peter Romanovsky * Exchange sacs – 1 Compiled by obrit: Game Collection: Exchange sacs - 1 * Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters Volume II: Game Collection: Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters Volume II * Ne5 Holler of a Tree in Fredthebear Country: Game Collection: 5 Ne5 Holler of a Tree in Fredthebear Country * 'The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games' by Graham Burgess, John Nunn and John Emms. New expanded edition-now with 125 games. Game Collection: Mammoth Book-Greatest Games (Nunn/Burgess/Emms) * Best of the British Compiled by Timothy Glenn Forney: Game Collection: Best of the British * The Best Chess Games (part 2): Game Collection: The Best Chess Games (part 2) * GK: Game Collection: Kasparov - The Sicilian Sheveningen * Annotated Games: Game Collection: Annotated Games * sapientdust's favorite games: Game Collection: sapientdust's favorite games * shakman's favorite games – 2: Game Collection: shakman's favorite games - 2 * Reti Opening Compiled by KingG: Game Collection: Reti Opening * Veliki majstori saha 16 RETI (Slavko Petrovic): Game Collection: Veliki majstori saha 16 RETI (Petrovic) * Richard Réti's Best Games by Golombek: Game Collection: Richard Réti's Best Games by Golombek * ray keene's favorite games: Game Collection: ray keene's favorite games * (Variety Pack) Compiled by Nova: Game Collection: KID games * JonathanJ's favorite games 4: Game Collection: JonathanJ's favorite games 4 * jorundte's favorite games: Game Collection: jorundte's favorite games * elmubarak: my fav games: Game Collection: elmubarak: my fav games * assorted Good games Compiled by rbaglini: Game Collection: assorted Good games * Golden Treasury of Chess (Wellmuth/Horowitz): Game Collection: 0 * LAST COLLECTION Compiled by Jaredfchess: Game Collection: LAST COLLECTION “Chess first of all teaches you to be objective.” ― Alexander Alekhine “Among a great many other things that chess teaches you is to control the initial excitement you feel when you see something that looks good. It trains you to think before grabbing and to think just as objectively when you’re in trouble.” ― Stanley Kubrick “Chess helps you to concentrate, improve your logic. It teaches you to play by the rules, take responsibility for your actions, how to problem solve in an uncertain environment.” ― Garry Kasparov “Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward. They may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.” ― Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe “To avoid losing a piece, many a person has lost the game.” ― Savielly Tartakower “Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter.” ― Winston S. Churchill <Chief Deputy Art Mullen: Hell of a shot. Did you consider what might have happened if you'd missed? Tim Gutterson: I can't carry a tune. I don't know how to shoot a basketball and my handwriting is, uh, barely legible. But I don't miss. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJF...> “If you want it, work for it.” “Tough times don't last, tough people do, remember?” — Gregory Peck Old Russian Proverb: "If you are given something, take it; if you are being beaten, run. (Дают — бери, а бьют — беги.)" “Discontent is the first necessity of progress.” — Thomas A. Edison Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER “You can only get good at chess if you love the game.” ― Bobby Fischer “Sometimes the most ordinary things could be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people.” ― Elizabeth Green “It ain't over 'til it's over, no matter how over it looks.” ― Yogi Berra “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” ― Frederick Douglass “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. “Don’t trust everything you see. Even salt looks like sugar.” — Unknown Justified Theme Song - Long Hard Times to Come: https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi... You can make a small fortune in farming-provided you start with a large one. I hate that ATMs don't dispense coins. It just doesn't make cents. “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 Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER 'Ask no questions and hear no lies Q: What do you call two octopuses that look exactly the same? A: Itenticle. Q: What do you call a crab that plays baseball? A: A pinch hitter. Q: What do you call a fish with no eyes? A: Fsh. Q: What do you call a dancing lamb? A: A baaaaaa-llerina! Q: What do you call a bear with no socks? A: Barefoot. Q: What do you call a snail aboard a ship? A: A snailor. Q: What do you call an aardvark that is three feet long? A: A yardvark. Q: What do you call a pony with a sore throat? A: A little horse. Q: What do you call a deer that only costs a dollar? A: A buck. Q: What do you call a dog that’s freezing? A: A chili dog. Q: What do you call a horse that likes arts and crafts? A: A hobby horse. Q: What do you call a bear in the rain? A: A drizzly bear. Q: What do you call an illegally parked frog? A: Toad! Q: What do you call a meditating wolf? A: Aware wolf! Q: What do you call a pile of cats? A: Meowtain. Q: What do you call a rabbit that is really cool? A: A hip hopper. Q: What do you call a bee that’s having a bad hair day? A: A frisbee. Q: What do you call a camel with no humps? A: Humphrey. Q: What do you call a row of rabbits hopping away? A: A receding hare line! Q: What do you call an owl that’s a magician? A: Who-dini. Q: What do you call a bear that never wants to grow up? A: Peter Panda! Q: What do you call a dinosaur with a big vocabulary? A: A thesaurus. Q: What do you call an egg laid by an evil chicken? A: A deviled egg. Q: What did the mama cow say to the baby cow? A: It’s pasture bedtime! Q: Why were the cows not speaking to each other? A: They had beef. Q: How do you count cows? A: With a cowculator! Q: What happens when you try talking to a cow? A: Everything just goes in one ear and out the udder. Q: Where do cows eat lunch? A: In the calfeteria. Q: What did one dairy cow say to the other? A: Got milk? Q: What do you call a sad cow? A: Moo-dy. Q: What do you call a cow that can’t make milk? A: A milk dud. Q: How do you make a cow be quiet? A: Press the moo-te button. Q: What do cows read in the morning? A: The moos-paper! Q: How did the farmer find the missing cow? A: He tractor down. Q: Why did the cow cross the road? A: To get to the udder side! Q: What does the farmer talk about while milking a cow? A: Udder nonsense. Q: What do you call a cow jumping on a trampoline? A: A milkshake. Q: Where do cows get all their medicine? A: The farmacy! Q: How did the cow get to the moon? A: It went to udder space. Q: Why did the cow jump over the moon? A: To get to the Milky Way. Q: What do you call it when one cow spies on another cow? A: A steak-out. Q: Why do cows have hooves instead of feet? A: Because they lactose. Q: What do you get if you cross a cow and rooster? A: Roost beef. Q: What kind of shows do cows like best? A: Moosicals. Q: What happens when a cow laughs? A: Milk comes out of its nose. Q: What has the lone cow been up to lately? A: Nobody’s herd… Q: How do dairy farmers do their taxes? A: They go to an accountant. Q: What do you call an acid with an attitude? A: A mean-o-acid! Q: What do you call a priest who becomes a lawyer? A: A father-in-law! Q: What do you call birds that stick together? A: Vel-crows! Q: What do you call a bagel that can fly? A: A plain bagel! Q: What do you call a snobby criminal walking down the steps? A: A condescending con descending! Q: What do you call an illegally parked frog? A: Toad! Q: What do you call twin dinosaurs? A: A pair-odactyls! Q: What do you call a pile of cats? A: A meow-ntain! Q: What do you call a row of rabbits hopping away? A: A receding hare line! Q: What do you call the wife of a hippie? A: A Mississippi! Q: What do you call a monkey that loves Doritos? A: A chipmonk! Q: What do you call a mac 'n' cheese that gets all up in your face? A: Too close for comfort food! Q: What do you call a cow in an earthquake? A: A milkshake! Q: What do you call a cold dog? A: A chili dog! Q: What do you call a sad cup of coffee? A: A depresso! Q: What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A: A thesaurus! Q: What do you call a dog magician? A: A labracadabrador! Q: What do you call a magic owl? A: Whooo-dini! Q: What do you call a cow with two legs? A: Lean beef! Q: What do you call blueberries playing the guitar? A: A jam session! Q: What do you call a joke you make in the shower? A: A clean joke! Q: What do you call an elephant that doesn't matter? A: An irrelephant! Q: What do you call a pony with a cough? A: A little horse! Q: What do you call a farm that makes bad jokes? A: Corny! Q: What do you call a deer that costs a dollar? A: A buck! Q: What do you call a fake noodle? A: Impasta! Q: What do you call a cat on the rocks? A: One cool cat! Q: What do you call the fear of being trapped in a chimney? A: Claus-traphobia! Q: What do you call two birds in love? A: Tweethearts! Q: What do you call it when one cow spies on another? A: A steak out! Q: What do you call a computer that sings? A: A-Dell! Q: What do you call a bear with no teeth? A: A gummy bear! Q: What do you call a man with a rubber toe? A: Roberto! Q: What do you call it when a cat wins a dog show? A: A cat-has-trophy! Q: What do you call a smelly Santa? A: Farter Christmas! Q: What do you call a cat that likes to eat beans? A: Puss 'n' Toots! Q: What do you call a clown who's in jail? A: A silicon! Q: What do you call a deer with no eyes? A: No eye deer!! Q: What do you call a three-footed aardvark? A: A yardvark! Q: What do you call a dancing lamb? A: A baaaaaa-llerina! Q: What do you call a meditating wolf? A: Aware wolf! Q: What do you call a witch who lives at the beach? A: A sand-witch! Q: What do you call an avocado that's been blessed by the pope? A: Holy Guacamole! Q: What do you call a tiny mother? A: A minimum!' Q: What do you call a person who doesn't fart in public? A: A private tutor! Q: What do you call someone wearing a belt with a watch on it? A: A waist of time! Q: What do you call a seagull that flies over the bay? A: A bagel! 'Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer 32 games, 1866-2023 Oh Pin Stripes Copy “Every master was once a disaster.” – T.S. Wood “It takes a dream to get started, desire to keep going, and determination to finish.” ― Eddie Harris, Jr. What do Alexander the Great and Winnie the Pooh have in common? Same middle name. “There should be no boundaries to human endeavor. We are all different. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there’s life, there is hope.” ― Stephen Hawking Why is it sad that parallel lines have so much in common? Because they'll never meet. “Chess is the art of analysis.” ― Mikhail Botvinnik “Chess is imagination.” ― David Bronstein “Chess is as much a mystery as women.” ― Cecil John Seddon Purdy “Take wrong turns. Talk to strangers. Open unmarked doors. And if you see a group of people in a field, go find out what they are doing. Do things without always knowing how they’ll turn out.” ― Randall Munroe <First And Last Author Riddle: What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you? By 2024 India will overtake China as the world’s most populous country China currently has 1.4 billion inhabitants, closely followed by India with 1.3 billion. Together they make up 37% of the world’s population. Riddle Answer: Your name.> Is it ignorance or apathy that's destroying the world today? I don't know, and I don't care. One of Bobby Fischer’s famous utterances is that “Chess is life.” “Chess is my life, but my life is not chess.” ― Anatoly Karpov “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” ― Forrest Gump “Life is like a game of chess. To win you need to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with insight and knowledge and by learning the lessons that are accumulated along the way. We become each and every piece within the game called LIFE.” ― Alan Rufus “The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Don’t give up.” ― Robert Tew “Life is like a cup of coffee or tea. No matter how bitter it may be, it is always enjoyable.” ― Jason Wong Never criticize someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you'll be a mile away, and you'll have their shoes. “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” ― Mahatma Gandhi “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.” ― Dalai Lama “The game of chess is not just an idle amusement. Several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired or strengthened by it… Life is a kind of Chess, in which we have often pointed to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with.” ― Benjamin Franklin “Chess is played with the mind and not with the hands.” ― Renaud & Kahn, The Art of the Checkmate “Out of difficulties grow miracles.” ― Jean de la Bruyere What do you call a bee that can't make up its mind? A maybe. “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” ― Albert Einstein What did the swordfish say to the marlin? "You're looking sharp." “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” ― Albert Einstein “Failure is success in progress.” ― Albert Einstein “Failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it.” ― Mia Hamm How do celebrities stay cool? They have many fans. "The broader the chess player you are, the easier it is to be competitive, and the same seems to be true of mathematics - if you can find links between different branches of mathematics, it can help you resolve problems. In both mathematics and chess, you study existing theory and use that to go forward." ― Viswanathan Anand “A quitter never wins and a winner never quits.” ― Napoleon Hill “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” ― Robert. H. Schuller “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.” ― Charles Spurgeon “Don’t be discouraged. It’s often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock.” ― Unknown “Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.” ― Louis Pasteur "All of the real heroes are not storybook combat fighters either. Every single man in this Army play a vital role. Don't ever let up. Don't ever think that your job is unimportant. Every man has a job to do and he must do it. Every man is a vital link in the great chain.” ― General George S. Patton, U.S. Army Which branch of the military accepts toddlers? The infantry. “Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them.” ― Napoleon Bonaparte, French military and political leader After winning a good game, I always ask myself: "Where did I go right?" ― Tom Wiswell (1910-1988) who made a quote regarding playing checkers worth using in chess circles. “Life is like a chess. If you lose your queen, you will probably lose the game.” — Being Caballero Why couldn't the bicycle stand on its own? It was two tired. “Each life is made up of mistakes and learning, waiting and growing, practicing patience and being persistent.” — Billy Graham Why were the teacher's eyes crossed? She couldn't control her pupils. “Just because someone stumbles and loses their path, doesn’t mean they’re lost forever.” — Professor X “If you’re positive (attitude) you can get through it OK. When you think negatively, you’re putting poison in your body. Just smile. They say laughter is the best medicine there is.” — Elsa Bailey, athlete, 100 years old “If plan A doesn’t work, the alphabet has 25 more letters – 204 if you’re in Japan.” — Claire Cook Exaggerations have become an epidemic. They went up by a million percent last year. “Life is like a game of chess. I cannot undue the moves but I can make the next step better.” — Edwin Tan “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us.” — Alexander Graham Bell I told my physical therapist that I broke my arm in two places. He told me to stop going to those places. “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” — Maria Robinson “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. I know I can.” – Watty Piper “The winner of the game is the player who makes the next to last mistake.” — Savielly Tartakower “Part of being a champ is acting like a champ. You have to learn how to win and not run away when you lose.” — Nancy Kerrigan “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” — Martin Luther King Jr. * 15 Life Lessons: https://herculeschess.com/life-less... “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” — Pablo Picasso “I stand corrected!” said the man in the orthopedic shoes. “Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.” — Thomas Jefferson You're not completely useless. You can always serve as a bad example. “Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt and dance like no one is watching.” — Satchel Paige “If you’re doing something just to make money, it’s easy to quit. Most people do. But if you’re doing something because it makes you come alive, then removing the restrictions life throws at you clears the path.” — Evan Carmichael “I believe where there is a will, there is a way. You just can’t give up, you have to keep going.” — Charmaney Bayton “Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” — Harriet Beecher Stowe “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ― C.S. Lewis “I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald “You just can’t beat the person who won’t give up.” — Babe Ruth I was wondering why the ball was getting bigger, then it hit me. Don't Quit Poet: Edgar A. Guest When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit - Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns. As everyone of us sometimes learns. And many a fellow turns about when he Might have won had he stuck it out. Don't give up though the pace seems slow - You may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than it seems To a faint and faltering man; Often the struggler has given up when he Might have captured the victor's cup; And he learned too late when the night came down, How close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out - The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, And when you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems afar; So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - It's when things seem worst, You must not quit. “Rest if you must but don’t you quit!” — Anonymous “Courage doesn’t always roar, sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering ‘I will try again tomorrow’.” — Mary Anne Radmacher “The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.” — Barack Obama I saw Usain Bolt sprinting around the track shouting, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" It was a running joke. $ $ $ “Elon Musk, the world's richest person, recently revealed his strategy for investing alongside record inflation. According to the WSJ, since February 2020, the Fed increased the nation’s money supply by a staggering 40%. To some experts, it explains why the U.S. is experiencing its highest inflation rate since 1981. The Tesla and SpaceX founder told investors, in his experience, it’s “better to own physical things than dollars when inflation is high.” That’s especially shocking from Musk, who has historically passionately supported cryptocurrencies and other digital goods. The “physical goods” he mentioned could include oil, metals, and grains, which have all soared in prices…” — Nigel Glenday, Chief Financial Officer “If you do what you need, you’re surviving. If you do what you want, you’re living.” — Unknown "Stick to the prepared plan, man. Don't let others down who expect you to do your part. Do no harm. Fools rush in. Be calm, composed, wise; obey boundaries. Control your impulses, urges, your emotions, your words and actions. Respectfully play by the rules, or willful recklessness will burn you soon enough. All God's ambular creatures must stay back off thin ice. Mother Nature and Father Time always have their say. Be safe and sound as you explore." — Anonymous Bear <Luke 8:16-18 New King James Version The Parable of the Revealed Light Jesus said: 16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”> Luke 2:9, 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. “You can only get good at chess if you love the game.” ― Bobby Fischer “Be active. I do things my way, like skiing when I’m 100. Nobody else does that even if they have energy. And I try to eat pretty correctly and get exercise and fresh air and sunshine.” ― Elsa Bailey, first time skier at age 100 “Don't look at the calendar, just keep celebrating every day.” ― Ruth Coleman, carpe diem at age 101 1953 Zurich: move 29 Zukertort retort. zooter Frit z drip drip drip Kh7? lubes hiz own Szabo freechrgbl electrk shavr oodd bbee hiveior. This game an Indian Brahmin did invent, The force of Eastern wisdom to express; From thence the same to busy Europe sent; The modern Lombards stil'd it pensive Chess. — Sir John Denham You don’t have to be a polymath like Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit to improve your game Stephen Moss Sat 14 Nov 2020 01.56 EST The first thing to say about chess is that we are not all natural geniuses like Beth Harmon, the star of The Queen’s Gambit, who is taught the game by grumpy but lovable janitor Mr Shaibel at the age of nine and is very soon beating him. The daughter of a maths PhD, she sees the patterns and movement in chess immediately, can visualise effortlessly – being able to memorise moves and play without a board is the sign of chess mastery – and sees whole games on the ceiling of her orphanage dormitory. She is a prodigy, just like world champion Bobby Fischer, on whom Walter Tevis based the novel from which the TV series is drawn. We are mere mortals. So how do we get good? First, by loving chess. “You can only get good at chess if you love the game,” Fischer said. You need to be endlessly fascinated by it and see its infinite potential. Be willing to embrace the complexity; enjoy the adventure. Every game should be an education and teach us something. Losing doesn’t matter. Garry Kasparov, another former world champion, likes to say you learn far more from your defeats than your victories. Eventually you will start winning, but there will be a lot of losses on the way. Play people who are better than you, and be prepared to lose. Then you will learn. If you are a beginner, don’t feel the need to set out all the pieces at once. Start with the pawns, and then add the pieces. Understand the potential of each piece – the way a pair of bishops can dominate the board, how the rooks can sweep up pawns in an endgame, why the queen and a knight can work together so harmoniously. Find a good teacher – your own Mr Shaibel, but without the communication issues. Once you have established the basics, start using computers and online resources to play and to help you analyse games. lichess.org, chess.com and chess24.com are great sites for playing and learning. chessbomb.com is a brilliant resource for watching top tournaments. chessgames.com is a wonderful database of games. chesspuzzle.net is a great practice program. decodechess.com attempts to explain chess moves in layperson’s language. There are also plenty of sophisticated, all-purpose programs, usually called chess engines, such as Fritz and HIARCs that, for around £50, help you deconstruct your games and take you deeply into positions. But don’t let the computer do all the work. You need to engage your own brain on the analysis. And don’t endlessly play against the computer. Find human opponents, either online or, when the pandemic is over, in person. Bobby Fischer was stripped of his world title in 1975 after he refused to defend the title due to a row over the format. Photograph: RFS/AP Study the games of great masters of the past. Find a player you like and follow their careers. Fischer is a great starting point – his play is clear and comprehensible, and beautifully described in his famous book My 60 Memorable Games. Morphy (Harmon’s favourite), Alekhine, Capablanca, Tal, Korchnoi and Shirov are other legendary figures with whom the aspiring player might identify. They also have fascinating life stories, and chess is about hot human emotions as well as cold calculation. Modern grandmaster chess, which is based heavily on a deep knowledge of opening theory, is more abstruse and may be best avoided until you have acquired deep expertise. The current crop of leading grandmasters are also, if we are brutally honest, a bit lacking in personality compared with the giants of the past. Children will often find their school has a chess club, and that club may even have links with Chess in Schools and Communities, which supplies expert tutors to schools. Provision tends to be much better at primary than secondary level, and after 11 children will probably be left to their own devices if they want to carry on playing. If a player is really serious, she or he should join their local chess club. There is likely to be one meeting nearby, or there will be once the Covid crisis is over. At the moment, clubs are not meeting and there is very little over-the-board chess being played. Players are keeping their brains active online, where you can meet players from all over the world. That is fun, but be aware that some players are likely to be cheating – using chess engines to help them, making it hard for you to assess how good your play is. And you also get some abuse online from players who want to trash-talk. You are also likely to be playing at very fast time controls – so-called blitz chess – and that is no way to learn to really think about chess. If you want to start playing over-the-board tournaments (when they resume), you will need to join the chess federation in your respective country. After you’ve played the requisite number of official games, you will get a rating – a bit like a handicap in golf – and can then start being paired with players of your own strength in matches. But until then, the key is to keep enjoying chess and searching for the elusive “truth” in a position. If you see a good move, look for a better one. You can always dig a little deeper in the pursuit of something remarkable and counterintuitive. Beauty and truth: the essence of chess. Stephen Moss is the author of The Rookie: An Odyssey through Chess (and Life), published by Bloomsbury * YS Tactics: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics “God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” ― Voltaire When does a joke become a ‘dad’ joke? When it becomes apparent. “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?” ― Martin Luther King, Jr. "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." ― Harry S Truman, 33rd President of the United States, and former Colonel in the U.S. Army CAISSA or The Game at Chess; a Poem. (written in the year 1763, by Sir William Jones) (pronounced ky-eé-sah) Of armies on the chequer'd field array'd, And guiltless war in pleasing form display'd; When two bold kings contend with vain alarms, In ivory this, and that in ebon arms; Sing, sportive maids, that haunt the sacred hill Of Pindus, and the fam'd Pierian rill. Thou, joy of all below, and all above, Mild Venus, queen of laughter, queen of love; Leave thy bright island, where on many a rose And many a pink thy blooming train repose: Assist me, goddess! since a lovely pair Command my song, like thee devinely fair. Near yon cool stream, whose living waters play, And rise translucent in the solar ray; Beneath the covert of a fragrant bower, Where spring's nymphs reclin'd in calm retreat, And envying blossoms crouded round their seat; Here Delia was enthron'd, and by her side The sweet Sirena, both in beauty's pride: Thus shine two roses, fresh with early bloom, That from their native stalk dispense perfume; Their leaves unfolding to the dawning day Gems of the glowing mead, and eyes of May. A band of youths and damsels sat around, Their flowing locks with braided myrtle bound; Agatis, in the graceful dance admir'd, And gentle Thyrsis, by the muse inspir'd; With Sylvia, fairest of the mirthful train; And Daphnis, doom'd to love, yet love in vain. Now, whilst a purer blush o'erspreads her cheeks, With soothing accents thus Sirena speaks: "The meads and lawns are ting'd with beamy light, And wakeful larks begin their vocal flight; Whilst on each bank the dewdrops sweetly smile; What sport, my Delia, shall the hours beguile? Whall heavenly notes, prolong'd with various art, Charm the fond ear, and warm the rapturous heart? At distance shall we view the sylvan chace? Or catch with silken lines the finny race?" Then Delia thus: "Or rather, since we meet By chance assembled in this cool retreat, In artful contest let our warlike train Move well-directed o'er the field preside: No prize we need, our ardour to inflame; We fight with pleasure, if we fight for fame." The nymph consents: the maids and youths prepare To view the combat, and the sport to share: But Daphnis most approv'd the bold design, Whom Love instructed, and the tuneful Nine. He rose, and on the cedar table plac'd A polish'd board, with differing colours grac'd; Squares eight times eight in equal order lie; These bright as snow, those dark with sable dye; Like the broad target by the tortoise born, Or like the hide by spotted panthers worn. Then from a chest, with harmless heroes stor'd, O'er the smooth plain two well-wrought hosts he pour'd; The champions burn'd their rivals to assail, Twice eight in black, twice eight in milkwhite mail; In shape and station different, as in name, Their motions various, not their power the same. Say, muse! (for Jove has nought from thee conceal'd) Who form'd the legions on the level field? High in the midst the reverend kings appear, And o'er the rest their pearly scepters rear: One solemn step, majestically slow, They gravely move, and shun the dangerous foe; If e'er they call, the watchful subjects spring, And die with rapture if they save their king; On him the glory of the day depends, He once imprison'd, all the conflict ends. The queens exulting near their consorts stand; Each bears a deadly falchion in her hand; Now here, now there, they bound with furious pride, And thin the trmbling ranks from side to side; Swift as Camilla flying o'er the main, Or lightly skimming o'er the dewy plain: Fierce as they seem, some bold Plebeian spear May pierce their shield, or stop their full career. The valiant guards, their minds on havock bent, Fill the next squares, and watch the royal tent; Tho' weak their spears, tho' dwarfish be their height, Compact they move, the bulwark of the fight, To right and left the martial wings display Their shining arms, and stand in close array. Behold, four archers, eager to advance, Send the light reed, and rush with sidelong glance; Through angles ever they assault the foes, True to the colour, which at first they chose. Then four bold knights for courage-fam'd and speed, Each knight exalted on a prancing steed: Their arching course no vulgar limit knows, Tranverse they leap, and aim insidious blows: Nor friends, nor foes, their rapid force restrain, By on quick bound two changing squares they gain; From varing hues renew the fierce attack, And rush from black to white, from white to black. Four solemn elephants the sides defend; Benearth the load of ponderous towers they bend: In on unalter'd line they tempt the fight; Now crush the left, and now o'erwhelm the right. Bright in the front the dauntless soldiers raise Their polish'd spears; their steely helmets blaze: Prepar'd they stand the daring foe to strike, Direct their progress, but their wounds oblique. Now swell th' embattled troups with hostile rage, And clang their shields, impatient to engage; When Daphnis thus: A varied plain behold, Where fairy kings their mimick tents unfold, As Oberon, and Mab, his wayward queen, Lead forth their armies on the daisied green. No mortal hand the wond'rous sport contriv'd, By gods invents, and from gods deriv'd; From them the British nymphs receiv'd the game, And play ech morn beneath the crystal Thame; Hear then the tale, which they to Colin sung, As idling o'er the lucid wave he hung. A lovely dryad rang'd the Thracian wild, Her air enchanting, and her aspect mild: To chase the bounding hart was all her joy, Averse from Hymen, and the Cyprian boy; O'er hills an valleys was her beauty fam'd, And fair Caissa was the damsel nam'd. Mars saw the maid; with deep surprize he gaz'd, Admir'd her shape, and every gesture prais'd: His golden bow the child of Venus bent, And through his breast a piecing arrow sent. The reed was hope; the feathers, keen desire; The point, her eyes; the barbs, ethereal fire. Soon to the nymph he pour'd his tender strain; The haughtly dryad scorn'd his amorous pain: He told his woes, where'er the maid he found, And still he press'd, yet still Caissa frown'd; But ev'n her frowns (ah, what might smiles have done!) Fir'd all his soul, and all his senses won. He left his car, by raging tigers drawn, And lonely wander'd o'er the dusky lawn; Then lay desponding near a murmuring stream, And fair Caissa was his plaintive theme. A naiad heard him from her mossy bed, And through the crystal rais'd her placid head; Then mildly spake: "O thou, whom love inspires, Thy tears will nourish, not allay thy fires. The smiling blossoms drink the pearly dew; And ripening fruit the feather'd race pursue; The scaly shoals devour the silken weeds; Love on our sighs, and on our sorrow feeds. Then weep no more; but, ere thou canst obtain Balm to thy wounds, and solace to thy pain, With gentle art thy martial look beguile; Be mild, and teach thy rugged brow to smile. Canst thou no play, no soothing game devise; To make thee lovely in the damsel's eyes? So may thy prayers assuage the scornful dame, And ev'n Caissa own a mutual frame." Kind nymph, said Mars, thy counsel I approve; Art, only art, her ruthless breast can move. but when? or how? They dark discourse explain: So may thy stream ne'er swell with gushing rain; So may thy waves in one pure current flow, And flowers eternal on thy border blow!" To whom the maid replied with smiling mien: "Above the palace of the Paphian queen Love's brother dwells, a boy of graceful port, By gods nam'd Euphron, and by mortals Sport: Seek him; to faithful ears unfold thy grief, And hope, ere morn return, a sweet relief. His temple hangs below the azure skies; Seest thou yon argent cloud? 'Tis there it lies." This said, she sunk beneath the liquid plain, And sought the mansion of her blue-hair'd train. Meantime the god, elate with heart-felt joy, Had reach'd the temple of the sportful boy; He told Caissa's charms, his kindled fire, The naiad's counsel, and his warm desire. "Be swift, he added, give my passion aid; A god requests." - He spake, and Sport obey'd. He fram'd a tablet of celestial mold, Inlay'd with squares of silver and of gold; Then of two metals form'd the warlike band, That here compact in show of battle stand; He taught the rules that guide the pensive game, And call'd it Cassa from the dryad's name: (Whence Albion's sons, who most its praise confess, Approv'd the play, and nam'd it thoughtful Chess.) The god delighted thank'd indulgent Sport; Then grasp'd the board, and left his airy court. With radiant feet he pierc'd the clouds; nor stay'd, Till in the woods he saw the beauteous maid: Tir'd with the chase the damsel set reclin'd, Her girdle loose, her bosom unconfin'd. He took the figure of a wanton faun, And stood before her on the flowery lawn; Then show'd his tablet: pleas'd the nymph survey'd The lifeless troops in glittering ranks display'd; She ask'd the wily sylvan to explain The various motions of the splendid train; With eager heart she caught the winning lore, And thought ev'n Mars less hateful than before; "What spell," said she, "deceiv'd my careless mind? The god was fair, and I was most unkind." She spoke, and saw the changing faun assume A milder aspect, and a fairer bloom; His wreathing horns, that from his temples grew, Flow'd down in curls of bright celestial hue; The dappled hairs, that veil'd his loveless face, Blaz'd into beams, and show'd a heavenly grace; The shaggy hide, that mantled o'er his breast, Was soften'd to a smooth transparent vest, That through its folds his vigorous bosom show'd, And nervous limbs, where youthful ardour glow'd: (Had Venus view'd him in those blooming charms, Not Vulcan's net had forc'd her from his arms.) With goatlike feet no more he mark'd the ground, But braided flowers his silken sandals bound. The dryad blush'd; and, as he press'd her, smil'd, Whilst all his cares one tender glance beguil'd. He ends: To arms, the maids and striplings cry; To arms, the groves and sounding vales reply. Sirena led to war the swarthy crew, And Delia those that bore the lily's hue. Who first, O muse, began the bold attack; The white refulgent, or the mournful black? Fair Delia first, as favoring lots ordain, Moves her pale legions tow'rd the sable train: From thought to thought her lively fancy flies, Whilst o'er the board she darts her sparkling eyes. At length the warrior moves with haughty strides; Who from the plain the snowy king divides: With equal haste his swarthy rival bounds; His quiver rattles, and his buckler sounds: Ah! hapless youths, with fatal warmth you burn; Laws, ever fix'd, forbid you to return. then from the wing a short-liv'd spearman flies, Unsafely bold, and see! he dies, he dies: The dark-brow'd hero, with one vengeful blow Of life and place deprives his ivory foe. Now rush both armies o'er the burnish'd field, Hurl the swift dart, and rend the bursting shield. Here furious knights on fiery coursers prance, but see! the white-rob'd Amazon beholds Where the dark host its opening van unfolds: Soon as her eye discerns the hostile maid, By ebon shield, and ebon helm betray'd; Seven squares she passed with majestic mien, And stands triumphant o'er the falling queen. Perplex'd, and sorrowing at his consort's fate, The monarch burn'd with rage, despair, and hate: Swift from his zone th' avenging blade he drew, And, mad with ire, the proud virago slew. Meanwhile sweet smiling Delia's wary king Retir'd from fight behind the circling wing. Long time the war in equal balance hung; Till, unforseen, an ivory courser sprung, And, wildly prancing in an evil hour, Attack'd at once the monarch and the tower: Sirena blush'd; for, as the rules requir'd, Her injur'd sovereign to his tent retir'd; Whilst her lost castle leaves his threatening height, And adds new glory to th' exulting knight. At this, pale fear oppress'd the drooping maid, And on her cheek the rose began to fade: A crystal tear, that stood prepar'd to fall, She wip'd in silence, and conceal'd from all; From all but Daphnis; He remark'd her pain, And saw the weakness of her ebon train; Then gently spoke: "Let me your loss supply, And either nobly win, or nobly dir; Me oft has fortune crown'd with fair success, And led to triumph in the fields of Chess." He said: the willing nymph her place resign'd, And sat at distance on the bank reclin'd. Thus when Minerva call'd her chief to arms, And Troy's high turret shook with dire alarms, The Cyprian goddess wounded left the plain, And Mars engag'd a mightier force in vain. Strait Daphnis leads his squadron to the field; (To Delia's arms 'tis ev'n a joy to yield.) Each guileful snare, and subtle art he tries, But finds his heart less powerful than her eyes: Wisdom and strength superior charms obey; And beauty, beauty, wins the long-fought day. By this a hoary chief, on slaughter bent, Approach'd the gloomy king's unguarded tent; Where, late, his consort spread dismay around, Now her dark corse lies bleeding on the ground. Hail, happy youth! they glories not unsung Shall live eternal on the poet's tongue; For thou shalt soon receive a splendid change, And o'er the plain with nobler fury range. The swarthy leaders saw the storm impend, And strove in vain their sovereign to defend: Th' invader wav'd his silver lance in air, And flew like lightning to the fatal square; His limbs dilated in a moment grew To stately height, and widen'd to the view; More fierce his look, more lion-like his mien, Sublime he mov'd, and seem'd a warrior queen. As when the sage on some unfolding plant Has caught a wandering fly, or frugal ant, His hand the microscopic frame applies, And lo! a bright hair'd monster meets his eyes; He sees new plumes in slender cases roll'd; Here stain'd with azure, there bedropp'd with gold; Thus, on the alter'd chief both armies gaze, And both the kings are fix'd with deep amaze. The sword, which arm'd the snow-white maid before, He noew assumes, and hurls the spear no more; The springs indignant on the dark-rob'd band, And knights and archers feel his deadly hand. Now flies the monarch of the sable shield, His legions vanquish'd, o'er the lonely field: So when the morn, by rosy coursers drawn, With pearls and rubies sows the verdant lawn, Whilst each pale star from heaven's blue vault retires, Still Venus gleams, and last of all expires. He hears, where'er he moves, the dreadful sound; Check the deep vales, and Check the woods rebound. No place remains: he sees the certain fate, And yields his throne to ruin, and Checkmate. A brighter blush o'erspreads the damsel's cheeks, And mildly thus the conquer'd stripling speaks: "A double triumph, Delia, hast thou won, By Mars protected, and by Venus' son; The first with conquest crowns thy matchless art, The second points those eyes at Daphnis' heart." She smil'd; the nymphs and amorous youths arise, And own that beauty gain'd the nobler prize. Low in their chest the mimic troops were lay'd, And peaceful slept the sable hero's shade. Most dinosaurs are known from just a single tooth or bone. Given that dinosaurs were alive 65 million years ago, complete fossils are extremely rare. Instead, archaeologists study traces such as loose teeth, bones, tracks, or dung in order to identify the dinosaurs we read about in books now. / 56 games, 1620-2009 Olden games Gioachino Greco's games are worthy of study, a violent precursor to attacking artists Adolph Anderssen and Paul Morphy. These two giants take part in a King's Gambit section at the bottom of the list. * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * Paul Morphy Miniatures: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... * Many gambits from all openings by ECO code: https://www.jimmyvermeer.com/openin... * Glossary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloss... InkHarted wrote: Checkmate. I started off as an equal I have everything that they do my life was one and the same as my foe childish battles of lesser I won baring cost of a little but as time outgrew my conscience I found that the pieces were moving against me with time my company reduced they left one by one all in time forgetting me my castles collapsed my religion dissuaded my protectors in hiding I could not run anymore I have been cornered to a wall as the queen left silently without saying goodbye I could not live any longer she was most precious to me I could not win without her by my side so the king knelt down and died. * FIDE Laws of Chess (2018): https://www.schachschiri.de/fide_18... * Records: http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/records... * Wikipedia on Computer Chess: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compu... * Susan Polgar Daily: https://chessdailynews.com/ * Prep for Ivan: http://gettingto2000.blogspot.com/ * John's brother Lee: https://hotoffthechess.com/ * Children's Chess: https://chessimprover.com/category/... * Amateur / Pins: http://amateur-chess.blogspot.com/ * Improver: https://chessimprover.com/author/br... * Jimmy's place: http://www.jimmyvermeer.com/ Jimmy is a CGs member. <Chess has six different kinds of pieces, and they all interact in myriad ways. Your opponent’s own pieces can often be used against him. While the Queen is the strongest piece, it is the weakest defender; and while the pawn is the weakest piece, it is the strongest defender. José Raúl Capablanca used the principle "Cutting off pieces from the scene of action."> “Chess first of all teaches you to be objective.” – Alexander Alekhine “To avoid losing a piece, many a person has lost the game.” – Savielly Tartakower “Among a great many other things that chess teaches you is to control the initial excitement you feel when you see something that looks good. It trains you to think before grabbing and to think just as objectively when you’re in trouble.” -- Stanley Kubrick “Chess helps you to concentrate, improve your logic. It teaches you to play by the rules, take responsibility for your actions, how to problem solve in an uncertain environment.” – Garry Kasparov “Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward. They may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe “Confidence is very important – even pretending to be confident. If you make a mistake but do not let your opponent see what you are thinking then he may overlook the mistake.” – Viswanathan Anand Aristotle once asked "What is it about a thing that makes a thing what it is?" "It is only after our basic needs for food and shelter have been met that we can hope to enjoy the luxury of theoretical speculations." -- Aristotle. "To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born, is to remain always a child." -- Cicero “Life is a gameboard. Time is your opponent. If you procrastinate, you will lose the game. Make a move to be victorious.” – Napolean Hill "Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it." -- Sai Baba “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 “If you wish to succeed you must brave the risk of failure.” -- Garry Kasparov “Life is like a game of chess. I cannot undo the moves but I can make the next step better.” -- Edwin Tan "We do not remember days, we remember moments." -- Cesare Pavese “Chess is a matter of delicate judgment, knowing when to punch and how to duck.” – Bobby Fischer “Attack! Always Attack!” – Adolf Anderssen "What we think, we become." -- Buddha "Avoid exposing your king to check." -- Yasser Seirawan, paraphrased "Protect your pieces." "Safety first is fine, but first, last and always is fatal" -- Al Horowitz "Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship." -- Buddha “Pawns are born free, yet they are everywhere in chains.” – Rick Kennedy “The task of the positional player is systematically to accumulate slight advantages and try to convert temporary advantages into permanent ones, otherwise the player with the better position runs the risk of losing it.” – Wilhelm Steinitz "Simple plans are best. Tactics will prevail." -- C.J.S. Purdy "To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear." -- Buddha "Creating little plans. Now, when we think about plans in chess, we think about [grand] grandmaster plans. You have to calculate ten moves deep. You have to know what's going to happen in ten moves, know that strong. What Jonathan Hawkins talks about [IM Hawkins book: Amateur to IM] is you have to create small plans which are doable which you can execute easily. One, two, three move plans which your opponent is not going to be able to prevent, which are easy to visualize and execute." -- @HangingPawns “All things being equal, the player will prevail who first succeeds in uniting the efforts of both rooks in an important direction.” – Eugene Znosko-Borovsky “People who want to improve should take their defeats as lessons, and endeavor to learn what to avoid in the future. You must always have the courage of your convictions. If you think your move is good, make it.” – Jose Raul Capablanca “Life is a chess match. Every decision you make has a consequence to it.” – P.K. Subban "Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill." -- Buddha “Chess is rarely a game of ideal moves. Almost always, a player faces a series of difficult consequences whichever move he makes.” – David Shenk “We should praise, rather, the courage of the player who, relying only on his intuition, plunges into a brilliant combination of which the issue does not appear to him too clear.” – Eugene Znosko-Borovsky "The beauty of a game of chess is usually assessed according to the sacrifices it contains." -- Rudolf Spielmann "I can comprehend Alekhine's combinations well enough; but where he gets his attacking chances from and how he infuses such life into the very opening - that is beyond me." -- Rudolf Spielmann “Self-confidence is very important. If you don’t think you can win, you will take cowardly decisions in the crucial moments, out of sheer respect for your opponent. You see the opportunity but also greater limitations than you should. I have always believed in what I do on the chessboard, even when I had no objective reason to. It is better to overestimate your prospects than underestimate them.” – Magnus Carlsen "Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind." -- Buddha "For God so loved the World that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." -- Jesus Christ "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." -- Confucius “Chess is not only knowledge and logic.” – Alexander Alekhine “Chess is like life. To succeed in either one takes patience, planning, concentration, the willingness to set goals, and an inclination to see deeply into things. You have to go for the thing beyond. Chess is about seeing the underlying reality.” – Maurice Ashley "Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence." -- Buddha “Play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the endgame like a machine.” – Rudolph Spielmann “I don’t believe in psychology. I believe in good moves.” – Bobby Fischer “I used to attack because it was the only thing I knew. Now I attack because I know it works best.” – Garry Kasparov “It is my style to take my opponent and myself on to unknown grounds. A game of chess is not an examination of knowledge; it is a battle of nerves.” – David Bronstein “I’m convinced, the way one plays chess always reflects the player’s personality. If something defines his character, then it will also define his way of playing.” – Vladimir Kramnik "Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace." -- Buddha “Unlike other games in which lucre is the end and aim, [chess] recommends itself to the wise by the fact that its mimic battles are fought for no prize but honor. It’s eminently and emphatically the philosopher’s game.” – Paul Morphy “Chess, it’s the struggle against error.” – Johannes Zukertort “Every chess master was once a beginner.” – Irving Chernev “Chess holds its master in its own hand, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom of the very strongest must suffer.” – Albert Einstein “Nobody ever won a chess game by resigning.” – Savielly Tartakower "However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?" -- Buddha “The blunders are all there on the board, waiting to be made.” – Savielly Tartakower “It’s always better to sacrifice your opponent’s men.” – Savielly Tartakower “One doesn’t have to play well, it’s enough to play better than your opponent.” – Siegbert Tarrasch “Up to this point, White has been following well-known analysis. But now he makes a fatal error: he begins to use his own head.” – Siegbert Tarrasch “Of chess, it has been said that life is not long enough for it, but that is the fault of life, not chess.” – William Napier / Irving Chernev "The greatest of follies is to sacrifice health for any other kind of happiness." -- Arthur Schopenhauer “Chess is beautiful enough to waste your life for.” – Hans Ree "Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule." -- Buddha “A chess game in progress is… a cosmos unto itself, fully insulated from an infant’s cry, an erotic invitation, or war.” – David Shenk “It will be cheering to know that many people are skillful chess players, though in many instances their brains, in a general way, compare unfavorably with the cognitive faculties of a rabbit.” – James Mortimer “The pin is mightier than the sword.” – Fred Reinfeld “The defensive power of a pinned piece is only imaginary.” – Aaron Nimzovich “If you don’t know what to do, find your worst piece and look for a better square.” – Gerald Schwarz “You can’t overestimate the importance of psychology in chess, and as much as some players try to downplay it, I believe that winning requires a constant and strong psychology not just at the board but in every aspect of your life.” – Garry Kasparov "In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves." -- Buddha “There is no remorse like the remorse of chess.” – H. G. Wells “By all means examine the games of the great chess players, but don’t swallow them whole. Their games are valuable not for their separate moves, but for their vision of chess, their way of thinking.” – Anatoly Karpov “The only thing chess players have in common is chess.” – Lodewijk Prins “Those who say they understand chess, understand nothing.” – Robert Hübner “One bad move nullifies forty good ones.” – Bernhard Horwitz “If your opponent offers you a draw, try to work out why he thinks he’s worse off.” – Nigel Short 9. “Chess is the gymnasium of the mind.” – Blaise Pascal "The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve." -- Buddha C.J.S. Purdy (Five times Australian Champion, IM, and the first World Champion of Correspondence Chess) summed up the answer to your question in one simple phrase: "Look for moves that smite!" 10. “Attackers may sometimes regret bad moves, but it’s much worse to forever regret an opportunity you allowed to pass you by.” – Garry Kasparov 11. “The beauty of a move lies not in its appearance but in the thought behind it.” – Aron Nimzowitsch "No legacy is so rich as honesty." -- William Shakespeare 12. “Even the laziest king flees wildly in the face of a double check.” – Aron Nimzowitsch "It is never safe to take the queen knight pawn with the queen – even when it is safe." -- Hungarian proverb “The passed pawn is a criminal, who should be kept under lock and key. Mild measures, such as police surveillance, are not sufficient.” – Aron Nimzowitsch “Modern chess is too much concerned with things like pawn structure. Forget it, checkmate ends the game.” – Nigel Short “Pawn endings are to chess what putting is to golf.” – Cecil Purdy 13. “Chess is a fairy tale of 1,001 blunders.” – Savielly Tartakower "Man's nature is as thin as sheets of tissue paper; the world is like a game of chess, varying at every move." -- Chinese proverb 15. “If you see a good move, look for a better one.” – Emanuel Lasker 16. “The winner of the game is the player who makes the next to last mistake.” –Savielly Tartakower 17. “The hardest game to win is a won game.” – Emanuel Lasker 18. “Many has become chess masters, no one has become the master of chess.” – Siegbert Tarrasch 19. “A sacrifice is best refuted by accepting it.” – Wilhelm Steinitz "A good sacrifice is one that is not necessarily sound but leaves your opponent dazed and confused." -- Rudolf Spielmann "We cannot resist the fascination of sacrifice, since a passion for sacrifices is part of a chess player’s nature." -- Rudolf Spielmann "Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile achievement." -- Henry Ford "No legacy is so rich as honesty." -- William Shakespeare 20. “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 "To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent." -- Buddha 21. “Too many times, people do not try their best. They do not have the keen spirit, the winning spirit. And once you make it you have got to guard your reputation – every day go in like an unknown to prove yourself. That is why I don’t clown around. I do not believe in wasting time. My goal is to win the World Chess Championship; to beat the Russians. I take this very seriously.” – Bobby Fischer 22. The single most important thing in life is to believe in yourself regardless of what everyone else says”. – Hikaru Nakamura "A man of high principles is someone who can watch a chess game without passing comment." -- Chinese Proverb "Chess can be described as the movement of pieces eating one another." -- Marcel Duchamp "The stomach is an essential part of the chessmaster." – Bent Larsen "The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground." -- Buddha "If your opponent cannot do anything active, then don’t rush the position. Instead you should let him sit there, suffer, and beg you for a draw." – Jeremy Silman 23. “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 "One gets to know people well when playing at chess and on journeys." -- Russian Proverb 24. “The ability to work hard for days on end without losing focus is a talent. The ability to keep absorbing new information after many hours of study is a talent.” – Garry Kasparov “You must work and do good, not be lazy and gamble, if you wish to earn happiness. Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction.... I can’t understand people who don’t like work ...” — Anne Frank (1929–1945) 25. “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 "What is the object of playing a gambit opening?… To acquire a reputation of being a dashing player at the cost of losing a game." -- Siegbert Tarrasch "Many Chess players were surprised when after the game, Fischer quietly explained: ‘I had already analyzed this possibility’ in a position which I thought was not possible to foresee from the opening." -- Mikhail Tal "I consider Fischer to be one of the greatest opening experts ever." -- Keith Hayward "Adequate compensation for a sacrifice is having a sound combination leading to a winning position. Adequate compensation for a blunder is having your opponent snatch defeat from the jaws of victory." -- Bruce A. Moon “Chess payers are an impecunious lot.” -- Samuel Reshevsky "It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways." -- Buddha "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." -- Jesus Christ "In chess the important thing is to apply what you know…it is important to understand that during a game of chess we do not learn things...we apply things we know (I keep stressing this)." -- Tartajubow "It doesn’t require much for misfortune to strike in the King’s Gambit – one incautious move, and Black can be on the edge of the abyss." -- Anatoly Karpov "It is no secret that any talented player must in his soul be an artist, and what could be dearer to his heart and soul than the victory of the subtle forces of reason over crude material strength! Probably everyone has his own reason for liking the King`s Gambit, but my love for it can be seen in precisely those terms." -- David Bronstein "It would be as naive to study the song of the nightingale, as it would be ridiculous to try and win a King’s Gambit against a representative of the old chess guard." -- David Bronstein "Why are not more King’s Gambits played nowadays? Well, in the first place, if you offered the King’s Gambit to a master, eight times out of ten he would decline it, either with 2. … d5 or 2. … Bc5." -- Frank Marshall "By what right does White, in an absolutely even position, such as after move one, when both sides have advanced 1. e4, sacrifice a pawn, whose recapture is quite uncertain, and open up his kingside to attack? And then follow up this policy by leaving the check of the black queen open? None whatever!" -- Emanuel Lasker "Theory regards this opening as incorrect, but it is impossible to agree with this. Out of the five tournament games played by me with the King’s Gambit, I have won all five." -- David Bronstein “First-class players lose to second-class players because second-class players sometimes play a first-class game” -- Siegbert Tarrasch “Weak points or holes in the opponent’s position must be occupied by pieces not Pawns” -- Siegbert Tarrasch “It is not enough to be a good player… you must also play well.” – Siegbert Tarrasch “Tactics flow from a superior position.” – Bobby Fischer “In Chess, as it is played by masters, chance is practically eliminated” -- Emanuel Lasker “The passion for playing Chess is one of the most unaccountable in the world” --H.G. Wells "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." -- Jesus Christ “The older I grow, the more I value Pawns” -- Paul Keres The sign of a great Master is his ability to win a won game quickly and painlessly” -- Irving Chernev “One bad move nullifies forty good ones” -- Bernhard Horwitz “Every Pawn is a potential Queen” -- James Mason “Chess is 99 percent tactics” -- Richard Teichmann “Chess is war over the board. The object is to crush the opponents mind” -- Bobby Fischer “Chess demands total concentration” -- Bobby Fischer “Chess is everything: art, science and sport” -- Anatoly Karpov “Chess is the art which expresses the science of logic” -- Mikhail Botvinnik) “I quote another man’s saying; unluckily, that other withdraws himself in the same way, and quotes me.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) 26. “Boxing is like a chess. You encourage your opponent to make mistakes so you can capitalize on it. People think you get in the ring and see the red mist, but it is not about aggression. Avoiding knockout is tactical.” – Nicola Adams 27. “Drawing is rather like playing chess. Your mind races ahead of time that you eventually make.” – David Hockney "No fantasy, however rich, no technique, however masterly, no penetration into the psychology of the opponent, however deep, can make a chess game a work of art, if these qualities do not lead to the main goal – the search for truth." – Vasily Smyslov "When my opponent’s clock is going I discuss general considerations in an internal dialogue with myself. When my own clock is going I analyze concrete variations." – Mikhail Botvinnik 28. “In life, as in chess, one’s own pawns block one’s way. A man’s very wealth, ease, leisure, children, books, which should help him to win, more often checkmate him. – Charles Buxton "Life is like a game of chess. To win you have to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with IN-SIGHT and knowledge, and by learning the lessons that are acculated along the way. We become each and every piece within the game called life!" -- Allan Rufus 29. “Chess is a war over the board. The object is to crush the opponent’s mind.” – Bobby Fischer "Women, by their nature, are not exceptional chess players: they are not great fighters." -- Gary Kasparov "A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing." -- Emo Philips 30. “Chess does not drive people mad, it keeps mad people sane.” – Bill Hartston 31. “Chess is life in miniature. Chess is a struggle, chess battles.” – says Garry Kasparov "In action a great heart is the chief qualification. In work, a great head." -- Arthur Schopenhauer "During a Chess competition a Chessmaster should be a combination of a beast of prey and a monk." – Alekhine 32. “Age brings wisdom to some men, and to others chess.” – Evan Esar 33. The most powerful weapon in Chess is to have the next move.” – David Bronstein 34. “Chess is the art of analysis.” – Mikhail Botvinnik 35. “Chess makes a man wiser & clear-sighted.” – Vladimir Putin 36. “You can only get good at chess if you love the game.”– Bobby Fischer 37. “The essence of chess is thinking about what CHESS is.” – David Bronstein 38. “Chess isn’t for the timid.” – Irving Chernev 39. “Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe.” – Proverb (Indian) "The history of chess is largely a chronicle of self-imposed intimidation and untimely excitement." -- W.E. Napier “If you have made a mistake or committed an inaccuracy there is no need to become annoyed and to think that everything is lost. You have to reorientate yourself quickly and find a new plan in the new situation.” – David Bronstein “You need to have that edge, you need to have that confidence, you need to have that absolute belief you’re the best, and that you’ll win every time.” -- Magnus Carlsen “Without error there can be no brilliancy.” – Emanuel Lasker “Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” – Sun Tzu. “The blunders are all there on the board, waiting to be made.” – Savielly Tartakower “Strategy requires thought, tactics require observation.” – Max Euwe “He who has a slight disadvantage plays more attentively, inventively and more boldly than his antagonist who either takes it easy or aspires after too much. Thus a slight disadvantage is very frequently seen to convert into a good, solid advantage.” – Emanuel Lasker “Things often did not reach the endgame!” – Boris Spassky “After a bad opening, there is hope for the middle game. After a bad middle game, there is hope for the endgame. But once you are in the endgame, the moment of truth has arrived.” – Edmar Mednis “The passed pawn is a criminal, who should be kept under lock and key. Mild measures, such as police surveillance, are not sufficient.” – Aron Nimzowitsch “Sometimes the hardest thing to do in a pressure situation is to allow the tension to persist. The temptation is to make a decision, any decision, even if it is an inferior choice.” -- Garry Kasparov “Chess is a great game. It’s a lot of fun, but sometimes you wonder what else is out there.” – Hikaru Nakamura “There are two classes of men; those who are content to yield to circumstances and who play whist; those who aim to control circumstances, and who play Chess.” – Mortimer Collins “Chess is a game where all different sorts of people can come together, not a game in which people are divided because of their religion or country of origin.” – Hikaru Nakamura 40. “Chess is life and every game is like a new life. “ – Eduard Gufeld 41. “It’s an eminently and emphatically the philosopher’s game.” – Paul Morphy 42. “Chess is as much a mystery as women.” – C.J.S. Purdy 43. “Chess is an infinitely complex game, which one can play in infinitely numerous & varied ways.” – Vladimir Kramnik 44. “Chess is played with the mind and not with the hands.” – Renaud & Kahn 45. “Chess is a terrific way for kids to build self-image and self-esteem.” - Saudin Robovic 46. “In life, unlike chess the game continues after checkmate.” - Isaac Asimov 47. “Chess isn’t always about winning. Sometimes, it is simply about learning and so is life.” – Anonymous "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." --Confucius "There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." -- Nelson Mandela "It is by loving and not by being loved that one can come nearest to the soul of another." -- George MacDonald "Dream big, stay positive, work hard, and enjoy the journey." -- Urijah Faber "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." -- Eleanor Roosevelt "Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can." -- Martha Graham "The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and starting on the first one." -- Mark Twain "Satisfaction consists in freedom from pain, which is the positive element of life." -- Arthur Schopenhauer 48. “When your house is on fire, you cannot be bothered with the neighbors. Or, as we say in chess, if your King is under attack, do not worry about losing a pawn on the queenside.” – Garry Kasparov 49. “Learn to play many roles, to be whatever the moment requires. Adapt your mask to the situation.” – Robert Greene 50. “Tactics is knowing what to do when there’s something to do. Strategy is knowing what to do when there’s nothing what to do.” – Savielly Tartakower “Some part of a mistake is always correct.” -- Savielly Tartakower “It’s always better to sacrifice your opponent’s men.” – Savielly Tartakower “The most important feature of the Chess position is the activity of the pieces. This is absolutely fundamental in all phases of the game: Opening, Middlegame and especially Endgame. The primary constraint on a piece’s activity is the Pawn structure.” – Michael Stean “That’s what chess is all about. One day you give your opponent a lesson, the next day he gives you one.” – Bobby Fischer “Winning is not a secret that belongs to a very few, winning is something that we can learn by studying ourselves, studying the environment, and making ourselves ready for any challenge that is in front of us.” – Garry Kasparov “I see only one move ahead, but always the best move.” -- Charles Jaffe "Your only task in the opening is to reach a playable middlegame." - Lajos Portisch. 51. “The highest part of the chess player lies in not allowing your opponent to show you what he can do.” – Garry Kasparov 52. “If you wish to succeed, you must brave the risk of failure.” – Garry Kasparov 53. “There are more adventures on a chessboard than on all the seas of the world.” – Pierre Mac Orlan “To play for a draw, at any rate with white, is to some degree a crime against chess.” – Mikhail Tal “I go over many games collections and pick up something from the style of each player.” – Mikhail Tal “The shortcoming of hanging pawns is that they present a convenient target for attack. As the exchange of men proceeds, their potential strength lessens and during the endgame they turn out, as a rule, to be weak.” – Boris Spassky 54. “As proved by evidence, it (chess) is more lasting in its being and presence than all books and achievements; the only game that belongs to all people and all ages; of which none knows the divinity that bestowed it on the world, to slay boredom, to sharpen the senses, to exhilarate the spirit.” – Stefan Zweig 55. “Chess is a sport. The main object in the game of chess remains the achievement of victory.” – Max Euwe 57. “Life is like a chess. If you lose your queen, you will probably lose the game.” – Being Caballero “Half the variations which are calculated in a tournament game turn out to be completely superfluous. Unfortunately, no one knows in advance which half.” – Jan Timman 58. “Life is like a game of chess. To win you need to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with insight and knowledge and by learning the lessons that are accumulated along the way. We become each and every piece within the game called LIFE” – Alan Rufus 59. “Sometimes it’s better to lose and do the right thing than to win and do the wrong thing.” – Tony Blair 61. “Life is like a chess game. If you play the right move, at the right time you’ll win the game.” – says Sruti 62. “I prefer to lose a really good game than to win a bad one.” – David Levy 63. “When you’re lonely, when you feel yourself an alien in the world, play Chess. This will raise your spirits and be your counselor in war” – Aristotle 64. “A bad plan is better than none at all.” – Frank Marshal “Even a poor plan is better than no plan at all.” – Mikhail Chigorin "So I say to you, Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you." -- Jesus Christ 65. “Chess is a simple game, but it is that very simplicity that makes the player’s personalities come out.” – Gamou Jirou 66. “Let a man play chess, and tell him that every pawn is his friend; Let him think both bishops are holy. Let him remember happy days in the shadows of his castles. Let him love his queen. Watch him love his queen.” – Mark Lawrence (Prince of Thorn) "Alekhine is a player I’ve never really understood. He always wanted a superior centre; he maneuvered his pieces toward the kingside, and around the 25th move, began to mate his opponent. He disliked exchanges, preferring to play with many pieces on the board. His play was fantastically complicated, more so than any player before or since." – Bobby Fischer “The beauty of chess is it can be whatever you want it to be. It transcends language, age, race, religion, politics, gender, and socioeconomic background. Whatever your circumstances, anyone can enjoy a good fight to the death over the chess board.” – Simon Williams “For in the idea of chess and the development of the chess mind we have a picture of the intellectual struggle of mankind.” – Richard Réti “Chess is rarely a game of ideal moves. Almost always, a player faces a series of difficult consequences whichever move he makes.” – David Shenk “After a bad opening, there is hope for the middle game. After a bad middle game, there is hope for the endgame. But once you are in the endgame, the moment of truth has arrived.” – Edmar Mednis “There is no remorse like the remorse of chess.” – H. G. Wells “You may learn much more from a game you lose than from a game you win. You will have to lose hundreds of games before becoming a good player.” – José Raúl Capablanca "If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants." --- Isaac Newton "My main purpose is to gain recognition for myself by means of a new idea of which no one has conceived, or perhaps has been unable to practice; that is, good play of the pawns; they are the soul of chess: it is they alone that determine the attack and the defense, and the winning or losing of the game depends entirely on their good or bad arrangement." - François-André Danican Philidor “I’ve come to the personal conclusion that while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.” – Marcel Duchamp Kevin Spraggett talks about his thoughts on what it takes to reach the magic 2200 level. "A chess master is a very competent player who has not only achieved the firm UNDERSTANDING that the game of chess is actually a series of 'mini-games' (i.e. opening, middlegame, endgame), each with its own very distinct characteristics, but has also achieved the ABILITY to construct his own chess game from these very same elements." ‘… I have always been an erratic player, even when I was at my best. At that time, when Marshall and myself entered a tournament, the general opinion was that we could as well finish at the top as at the tail of it.’ -- Jacques Mieses, BCM, October 1944, page 232. "There are two types of sacrifices: Correct ones and mine." -- Mikhail Tal "My style is somewhere between that of Tal and Petrosian." -- Samuel Reshevsky "Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom." -- Thomas Jefferson “In life, unlike chess, the game continues after checkmate.” - Isaac Asimov “If you are not big enough to lose, you are not big enough to win.” – Walter Reuther “In chess, just as in life, today’s bliss may be tomorrow’s poison. – Assaic “People who claim they understand chess actually don’t.” — Robert Hübner. “At the end of the game, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.” – Italian proverb “The game of chess is not just an idle amusement. Several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired or strengthened by it… Life is a kind of Chess, in which we have often pointed to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with.” – Benjamin Franklin “Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece.” – Ralph Charell "Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth." -- Henry David Thoreau "Virtue is persecuted more by the wicked than it is loved by the good." -- Buddha "Fact and fable are commonly intermingled, and chess historians have a hard time disentangling them, for the game’s literature is particularly blighted by untrustworthy assertions, rickety anecdotes and dubious quotes. The intention of the Chess Notes series, which began in 1982, is to sort out fact from fable and to present fresh, accurate material." -- Edward Winter "Wisdom comes alone through suffering." -- Aeschylus "And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time." -- Jesus Christ "Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying." -- Martin Luther "There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting." -- Buddha "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." -- Mark Twain "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -- Maya Angelou "Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human." -- Tony Robbins "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." -- Steve Jobs Two people are playing Chess. They play five games. They both win three games. Without any ties, draws, or surrenders, how is this possible? Answer: They are playing with different people. How many squares are in a chessboard? Answer: 204 squares. 64 one-by-one squares, 49 two-by-two, 36 three-by-three, 25 four-by-four, 16 five-by-five, 9 six-by-six, 4 seven-by-seven, and 1 eight-by-eight. Question: What did the chess player say to the waiter? Answer: Check, please. "From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow." -- Aeschylus "Charity bestowed upon those who are worthy of it is like good seed sown on a good soil that yields an abundance of fruits. But alms given to those who are yet under the tyrannical yoke of the passions are like seed deposited in a bad soil. The passions of the receiver of the alms choke, as it were, the growth of merits." -- Buddha "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." -- Jesus Christ "Compassion is the basis of morality." -- Arthur Schopenhauer “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 “I have always a slight feeling of pity for the man who has no knowledge of chess.” – Siegbert Tarrasch "Memory is the mother of all wisdom." -- Aeschylus "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted." -- Jesus Christ "The two enemies of human happiness are pain and boredom." -- Arthur Schopenhauer "Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." -- Buddha “When the chess game is over, the pawn and the king go back to the same box.” – Irish Saying "Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul." -- Democritus "Almost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people." -- Arthur Schopenhauer "Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." -- Buddha "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." -- Winston Churchill "For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?" -- Jesus Christ "I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy." -- Rabindranath Tagore "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." -- Jesus Christ Black resigns. Lay your sleeping head, my love, Human on my faithless arm; Time and fevers burn away Individual beauty from Thoughtful children, and the grave Proves the child ephemeral: But in my arms till break of day Let the living creature lie, Mortal, guilty, but to me The entirely beautiful. "The words of truth are simple." -- Aeschylus "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." -- Arthur Schopenhauer "It is only after our basic needs for food and shelter have been met that we can hope to enjoy the luxury of theoretical speculations." -- Aristotle. "The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows." -- Buddha “A great man quotes bravely, and will not draw on his invention when his memory serves him with a word as good. What he quotes, he fills with his own voice and humour, and the whole cyclopedia of his table-talk is presently believed to be his own.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) “I quote another man’s saying; unluckily, that other withdraws himself in the same way, and quotes me.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) “Young people of high school age can actually feel themselves changing. Progress is almost tangible. It’s exciting. It stimulates more progress. Nevertheless, growth is not constant and smooth. Erik Erikson quotes an aphorism to describe the formless forming of it. “I ain’t what I ought to be. I ain’t what I’m going to be, but I’m not what I was.”” —Stella Chess (20th century) “Lizzie Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks; When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one.” —Anonymous. Late 19th century ballad. “Are sailors, frequenters of fiddlers’ greens, without vices? No; but less often than with landsmen do their vices, so called, partake of crookedness of heart, seeming less to proceed from viciousness than exuberance of vitality after long constraint: frank manifestations in accordance with natural law.” —Herman Melville (1819–1891) “It’s a great huge game of chess that’s being played—all over the world—if this is the world at all, you know. Oh, what fun it is! How I wish I was one of them! I wouldn’t mind being a Pawn, if only I might join—though of course I should like to be a Queen, best.” —Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898) “I do wish you’d stop reading my mind.... It’s so frightfully disconcerting—like being followed up one’s trousers.” —Abraham Polonsky, U.S. screenwriter, Frank Butler, and Helen Deutsch. Mitchell Leisen. Col. Deniston (Ray Milland) The Ill-Married If worth, were not a thing more rare Than beauty in this planet fair, There would be then less need of care About the contracts Hymen closes. But beauty often is the bait To love that only ends in hate; And many hence repent too late Of wedding thorns from wooing roses. My tale makes one of these poor fellows, Who sought relief from marriage vows, Send back again his tedious spouse, Contentious, covetous, and jealous, With nothing pleased or satisfied, This restless, comfort-killing bride Some fault in every one descried. Her good man went to bed too soon, Or lay in bed till almost noon. Too cold, too hot, – too black, too white, – Were on her tongue from morn till night. The servants mad and madder grew; The husband knew not what to do. "Twas, "Dear, you never think or care;" And, "Dear, that price we cannot bear;" And, "Dear, you never stay at home;" And, "Dear, I wish you would just come;" Till, finally, such ceaseless dearing On her husband's patience wearing, Back to her sire's he sent his wife, To taste the sweets of country life, To dance at will the country jigs, And feed the turkeys, geese, and pigs. In course of time, he hoped his bride Might have her temper mollified; Which hope he duly put to test. His wife recalled, said he, "How went with you your rural rest, From vexing cares and fashions free? Its peace and quiet did you gain, – Its innocence without a stain?" "Enough of all," said she; "but then To see those idle, worthless men Neglect the flocks, it gave me pain. I told them, plainly, what I thought, And thus their hatred quickly bought; For which I do not care – not I." "Ah, madam," did her spouse reply, "If still your temper's so morose, And tongue so virulent, that those Who only see you morn and night Are quite grown weary of the sight, What, then, must be your servants' case, Who needs must see you face to face, Throughout the day? And what must be the harder lot Of him, I pray, Whose days and nights With you must be by marriage rights? Return you to your father's cot. If I recall you in my life, Or even wish for such a wife, Let Heaven, in my hereafter, send Two such, to tease me without end!" “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 "Zeitnot" is German for "time pressure." “....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 "God's mercy and grace give me hope - for myself, and for our world.” — Billy Graham “Man has two great spiritual needs. One is for forgiveness. The other is for goodness.” — Billy Graham “Whatever you are doing in the game of life, give it all you've got.” — Norman Vincent Peale “What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” — Ralph Marston * Riddle-stoke-dime: https://www.briddles.com/riddles/ch... “Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” ― Yogi Berra, 10-time World Series champion “He examined the chess problem and set out the pieces. It was a tricky ending, involving a couple of knights. 'White to play and mate in two moves.' Winston looked up at the portrait of Big Brother. White always mates, he thought with a sort of cloudy mysticism. Always, without exception, it is so arranged. In no chess problem since the beginning of the world has black ever won. Did it not symbolize the eternal, unvarying triumph of Good over Evil? The huge face gazed back at him, full of calm power. White always mates.” ― George Orwell, 1984 “Chess is life in miniature. Chess is a struggle, chess battles.” — Garry Kasparov "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. 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. The Boy and the Schoolmaster Wise counsel is not always wise, As this my tale exemplifies. A boy, that frolicked on the banks of Seine, Fell in, and would have found a watery grave, Had not that hand that plants never in vain A willow planted there, his life to save. While hanging by its branches as he might, A certain sage preceptor came in sight; To whom the urchin cried, "Save, or I'm drowned!" The master, turning gravely at the sound, Thought proper for a while to stand aloof, And give the boy some seasonable reproof. "You little wretch! this comes of foolish playing, Commands and precepts disobeying. A naughty rogue, no doubt, you are, Who thus requite your parents" care. Alas! their lot I pity much, Whom fate condemns to watch over such." This having coolly said, and more, He pulled the drowning lad ashore. This story hits more marks than you suppose. All critics, pedants, men of endless prose, – Three sorts, so richly blessed with progeny, The house is blessed that does not lodge any, – May in it see themselves from head to toes. No matter what the task, Their precious tongues must teach; Their help in need you ask, You first must hear them preach. Drive sober or get pulled over. “For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable.” — Assiac “No one has ever won a game of chess by taking only forward moves (what about Scholar's Mate?). Sometimes you have to move backwards in order to be able to take better steps forward. That is life.” – Anonymous Question: What U.S. state’s constitution is the longest in the world? Answer: Alabama – 310,000 words. Question: What country has the most vending machines per capita? Answer: Japan – one for every 23 people. The Man and the Wooden God A pagan kept a god of wood, – A sort that never hears, Though furnished well with ears, – From which he hoped for wondrous good. The idol cost the board of three; So much enriched was he With vows and offerings vain, With bullocks garlanded and slain: No idol ever had, as that, A kitchen quite so full and fat. But all this worship at his shrine Brought not from this same block divine Inheritance, or hidden mine, Or luck at play, or any favour. Nay, more, if any storm whatever Brewed trouble here or there, The man was sure to have his share, And suffer in his purse, Although the god fared none the worse. At last, by sheer impatience bold, The man a crowbar seizes, His idol breaks in pieces, And finds it richly stuffed with gold. "How's this? Have I devoutly treated," Says he, "your godship, to be cheated? Now leave my house, and go your way, And search for altars where you may. You're like those natures, dull and gross, From, which comes nothing but by blows; The more I gave, the less I got; I'll now be rich, and you may rot." Riddle: Two people were playing chess. They both won. How is this possible? Answer: They were playing two different games, against other opponents. My Wage by Jessie Belle Rittenhouse I bargained with Life for a penny, And Life would pay no more, However I begged at evening When I counted my scanty store; For Life is a just employer, He gives you what you ask, But once you have set the wages, Why, you must bear the task. I worked for a menial’s hire, Only to learn, dismayed, That any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have paid. * Online safety: https://www.entrepreneur.com/scienc... * Chess Records: https://timkr.home.xs4all.nl/record... * Top Chessgames by ECO Code: http://schachsinn.de/gamelist.htm * Opening Tree: https://www.shredderchess.com/onlin... * Checkmate Puzzle Patternz: https://www.serverchess.com/mateinN... * Chess Puzzles: https://chesspuzzle.net/ “You can only get good at chess if you love the game.” ― Bobby Fischer "As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight." — The Revenant “I’ve come to the personal conclusion that while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.” – Marcel Duchamp “Chess is an infinitely complex game, which one can play in infinitely numerous & varied ways.” – Vladimir Kramnik roy zev2270 toy stor haz a song pertning t2 stnky fshy wshd ashore instead ova note ina corkd bottl. The Lenape, Manhattan’s original inhabitants, called the island Manahatta, which means “hilly island.” C’est tout 285 games, 1475-1990 P-K4 0-1 Defrosted Black victories in the double king pawn open games prior to 1970. * Fabulous chess brilliancies: https://www.chess.com/article/view/... * Classics of the KGA: Game Collection: Classics of KGA * Chigorin w/Black: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... * 23 pages of King's Gambit (over 2000 games) wins by Black! http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... * Book Reports: Game Collection: Black Repertoire vs. 1.e4 * Russian Ruys: Game Collection: Chess in the USSR 1945 - 72, Part 2 (Leach) * Combat the Spanish: Game Collection: JAENISCH GAMBIT (SCHLIEMANN DEFENSE) Alabama: Mobile Established in: 1702 The city of Mobile is a port city on the Gulf Coast in Alabama that has a lot of French influence (which makes sense, since it was founded by the French). Mardi Gras celebrations originated there, and you can experience the history of the holiday at the Mobile Carnival Museum. This poem is dedicated to all Caissa members who strive to checkmate their opponents. The Aroused Bishop Whispered the pawn to the curious knight You jump one square up and two to the right On the diagonal where our queen lays in wait. I will move up from b-seven to b- eight. On the opposite side, no, no screamed the queen Realizing she should have been heard not seen. Because there, only hidden partially by the walls She saw him standing juggling his little balls. The bishop so aroused by all of this inter-play Could not, no he could not help but howlingly say: Oh, oh sweet queen you are mine for the take While your checkmated king will burn at the stake. My Wage by Jessie Belle Rittenhouse I bargained with Life for a penny, And Life would pay no more, However I begged at evening When I counted my scanty store; For Life is a just employer, He gives you what you ask, But once you have set the wages, Why, you must bear the task. I worked for a menial’s hire, Only to learn, dismayed, That any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have paid. Below is a Morphy acrostic by C.V. Grinfield from page 334 of the Chess Player’s Chronicle, 1861: Mightiest of masters of the chequer’d board, Of early genius high its boasted lord! Rising in youth’s bright morn to loftiest fame, Princeliest of players held with one acclaim; Host in thyself – all-conquering in fight: – Yankees exult! – in your great champion’s might. The Lion and the Gnat "Go, paltry insect, nature's meanest brat!" Thus said the royal lion to the gnat. The gnat declared immediate war. "Think you," said he, "your royal name To me worth caring for? Think you I tremble at your power or fame? The ox is bigger far than you; Yet him I drive, and all his crew." This said, as one that did no fear owe, Himself he blew the battle charge, Himself both trumpeter and hero. At first he played about at large, Then on the lion's neck, at leisure, settled, And there the royal beast full sorely nettled. With foaming mouth, and flashing eye, He roars. All creatures hide or fly, – Such mortal terror at The work of one poor gnat! With constant change of his attack, The snout now stinging, now the back, And now the chambers of the nose; The pigmy fly no mercy shows. The lion's rage was at its height; His viewless foe now laughed outright, When on his battle-ground he saw, That every savage tooth and claw Had got its proper beauty By doing bloody duty; Himself, the hapless lion, tore his hide, And lashed with sounding tail from side to side. Ah! bootless blow, and bite, and curse! He beat the harmless air, and worse; For, though so fierce and stout, By effort wearied out, He fainted, fell, gave up the quarrel. The gnat retires with verdant laurel. Now rings his trumpet clang, As at the charge it rang. But while his triumph note he blows, Straight on our valiant conqueror goes A spider's ambuscade to meet, And make its web his winding-sheet. We often have the most to fear From those we most despise; Again, great risks a man may clear, Who by the smallest dies. Question: You can hold me in your left hand but not your right. What am I? Answer: Your right elbow (or hand)! M.Hassan: <Eggman>: Scarborough Chess Club which is said to be the biggest chess club in Canada, arranges tournaments under the name of "Howard Rideout" tournaments. Is he the same Rideout that you are mentioning?. I only know that this is to commemorate "Rideout" who has been a player and probably in that club because the club is over 40 years old. This tournament is repeated year after year and at the beginning of the season when the club resumes activity after summer recession in September. Zxp PeterB: Eggman and Mr. Hassan - you are right, Howard Ridout was a long time member of the Scarborough Chess Club! He was very active even when I joined in 1969, and was still organizing tournaments at the time of his death in the 1990s. This game is a good memorial to him! Theodorovitch was a Toronto master rated about 2250 back then, perhaps about 2350 nowadays. Question: I go around all the places, cities, towns, and villages, but never come inside. What am I? Answer: A street. < <<Charlotte Chess Center Tuesday Night Action Charlotte Chess Center EVENT OVERVIEW Tuesday Night Action-Weekly Rated Play The CCC conducts a weekly US Chess rated game every Tuesday night. This is a great way for players to get weekly practice without committing a whole weekend to play a tournament. The Top Section also FIDE-rated - offering the only free weekly FIDE-rated game in the country! In addition, there is a free lecture before the games begin. HOW IT WORKS CCC opens Tuesdays at 5:45pm Lecture with FM Peter Giannatos prior to rated games from 6:00pm-6:45pm Players must register weekly and in advance using the online registration system Each Tuesday evening will be limited to the first 62 players to register TNA registration will close at 6:30pm if not already full Once spots are filled, players may email events@charlottechesscenter.org to be placed on the waitlist. ​ REQUIREMENTS Players must be members of the CCC Players must have a US Chess membership Open to all players in grades 9-12 and adults Students in grades K-8 must be rated over 1000 ​K-8 players rated under 1000 - See Wednesday Action Quads and Friday Action Quads ​ START TIME Lecture: 6:00pm Game: 7:00pm GAMES 1 Round Weekly, Rated After 4 Rounds/Weeks ​ SECTIONS TOP (1600+) Under 1600 Under 1200 "Playing up" not permitted in TNA TIME CONTROL Top Section: G/85 mins; inc/5 - FIDE and US Chess Rated U1600 & U1200 Sections: G/60 mins; inc/5 - US Chess Rated ENTRY FEE Free, must be a CCC Member​ - CCC membership only $40/year - join today!​ OTHER NOTES​​ Top Section is FIDE-rated - FIDE rules apply, except for US Chess penalties for cell phone infractions. Tournament Directors will accelerate pairings to pair players close in rating when possible Most recent "live" US Chess regular ratings used for all sections to ensure close matchups Open to high schoolers and adults of any rating, including unrated Students in grades K-8 must be rated 1000 Players in grades K-8 and rated under 1000 - see Wednesday Action Quads and Friday Action Quads For all CCC events, bookmark our events calendar All players must use CCC equipment - wooden sets and digital clocks provided Address: 10700 Kettering Drive Unit E Charlotte, NC 28226 > >> 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. Take care of your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves. ~ Scottish Proverb The Boy and the Schoolmaster Wise counsel is not always wise, As this my tale exemplifies. A boy, that frolicked on the banks of Seine, Fell in, and would have found a watery grave, Had not that hand that plants never in vain A willow planted there, his life to save. While hanging by its branches as he might, A certain sage preceptor came in sight; To whom the urchin cried, "Save, or I'm drowned!" The master, turning gravely at the sound, Thought proper for a while to stand aloof, And give the boy some seasonable reproof. "You little wretch! this comes of foolish playing, Commands and precepts disobeying. A naughty rogue, no doubt, you are, Who thus requite your parents" care. Alas! their lot I pity much, Whom fate condemns to watch over such." This having coolly said, and more, He pulled the drowning lad ashore. This story hits more marks than you suppose. All critics, pedants, men of endless prose, – Three sorts, so richly blessed with progeny, The house is blessed that does not lodge any, – May in it see themselves from head to toes. No matter what the task, Their precious tongues must teach; Their help in need you ask, You first must hear them preach. “The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” ― Theodore Roosevelt French Proverb: “Tout est bien qui finit bien.” ― (All’s well that ends well.) zpoof! 24 tall prejudice felt or cardboard Nazi Paikidze set up Maroczy Bind in Romania after the Winter games until the summer solstice' book on pawn structurez helped engineerz build the statue of Nile Young. Taco Bell Run “Pawns are such fascinating pieces, too...So small, almost insignificant, and yet--they can depose kings." ― Lavie Tidhar, The Bookman "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." — Albert Einstein “To find something, anything, a great truth or a lost pair of glasses, you must first believe there will be some advantage in finding it.” — Jack Burden, All The King’s Men "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." — Jimmy Dean “Chess is above all, a fight!” — Emanuel Lasker “In Chess, at least, the brave inherit the earth” — Edmar Mednis "The harder you fall, the heavier your heart; the heavier your heart, the stronger you climb; the stronger you climb, the higher your pedestal." — Criss Jami "Tal has a terrifying style. Soon even grandmasters will know of this." - Vladimir Saigin (after losing to 17-year-old Tal in a qualifying match for the master title) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5S... * 10 Crazy Gambits: https://www.chess.com/blog/yola6655... * Lekhika Dhariyal Chess Ops: https://www.zupee.com/blog/category... * Black Defends: Game Collection: Opening repertoire black * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * 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: 0 * Pawns are the Soul of Chess: Game Collection: 0 * Brutal Attacking Chess: Game Collection: Brutal Attacking Chess * Yasser's Book: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics * Most Common Openings: http://www.chesskids.org.uk/grownup... Childhood Games Judy Ponceby, Ohio Feb 2011 Hopscotch Girlfriends running, twirling, too. Taking turns out in the sun. Skip and hop across the board. Leap over the marked one. Twister. Red right foot, Bodies blend. Green left hand Twist and bend Blue left foot, Over extend. Yellow right hand In a body pile, again. Chess Pawns in play, Knights abound. King in check, Queens around. Pieces falling one by one Check and Mate is the sound. Tag Tag! You're It. Running wild. Laughing, screaming, Swift little child. Jumprope Rope atwirling overhead. Jump when its under. Singsong chanting Sounds like thunder. Checkers Red men, Black men. Jump on a diagonal. King me, king me Gonna jump a handful Kick the Can Running down the street. Kicking that can. Swarm of kiddies Chasing past the man. Hopscotch. Twister. Chess. Tag. Checkers. Kick the Can. Jumprope. "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 Proverbs of Solomon 4 A Father’s Instruction 1Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. 2For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive. 3When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother, 4he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. 5Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them. 6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you. 7Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, a gain understanding. 8Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. 9She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.” 10Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many. 11I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths. 12When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble. 13Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life. 14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. 15Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by. 16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall. 17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. 19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble. 20My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. 22For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. 23Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. 24Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. 25Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. 26Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. 27Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil. The Bear and the Amateur Gardener A certain mountain bear, unlicked and rude, By fate confined within a lonely wood, A new Bellerophon, whose life, Knew neither comrade, friend, nor wife, – Became insane; for reason, as we term it, Dwells never long with any hermit. It's good to mix in good society, Obeying rules of due propriety; And better yet to be alone; But both are ills when overdone. No animal had business where All grimly dwelt our hermit bear; Hence, bearish as he was, he grew Heart-sick, and longed for something new. While he to sadness was addicted, An aged man, not far from there, Was by the same disease afflicted. A garden was his favourite care, – Sweet Flora's priesthood, light and fair, And eke Pomona's – ripe and red The presents that her fingers shed. These two employments, true, are sweet When made so by some friend discreet. The gardens, gaily as they look, Talk not, (except in this my book;) So, tiring of the deaf and dumb, Our man one morning left his home Some company to seek, That had the power to speak. – The bear, with thoughts the same, Down from his mountain came; And in a solitary place, They met each other, face to face. It would have made the boldest tremble; What did our man? To play the Gascon The safest seemed. He put the mask on, His fear contriving to dissemble. The bear, unused to compliment, Growled bluntly, but with good intent, "Come home with me." The man replied: "Sir Bear, my lodgings, nearer by, In yonder garden you may spy, Where, if you'll honour me the while, We'll break our fast in rural style. I have fruits and milk, – unworthy fare, It may be, for a wealthy bear; But then I offer what I have." The bear accepts, with visage grave, But not unpleased; and on their way, They grow familiar, friendly, gay. Arrived, you see them, side by side, As if their friendship had been tried. To a companion so absurd, Blank solitude were well preferred, Yet, as the bear scarce spoke a word, The man was left quite at his leisure To trim his garden at his pleasure. Sir Bruin hunted – always brought His friend whatever game he caught; But chiefly aimed at driving flies – Those hold and shameless parasites, That vex us with their ceaseless bites – From off our gardener's face and eyes. One day, while, stretched on the ground The old man lay, in sleep profound, A fly that buzz'd around his nose, – And bit it sometimes, I suppose, – Put Bruin sadly to his trumps. At last, determined, up he jumps; "I'll stop your noisy buzzing now," Says he; "I know precisely how." No sooner said than done. He seized a paving-stone; And by his modus operandi Did both the fly and man die. A foolish friend may cause more woe Than could, indeed, the wisest foe. Refried beans are not meant for bears. In 1090, a Chessboard with alternating light and dark squares was introduced in Europe. * Riddle-e-dee: https://chessimprover.com/chess-rid... During World War II, several of the world’s best chess players were code breakers. In India, chess was initially known as the ‘Game of Kings.’ “In life, as in chess, one’s own pawns block one’s way. A man’s very wealth, ease, leisure, children, books, which should help him to win, more often checkmate him.” — Charles Buxton “Play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the endgame like a machine.” — Rudolph Spielmann “A thorough understanding of the typical mating continuations makes the most complicated sacrificial combinations leading up to them not only difficult, but almost a matter of course.” — Savielly Tartakower. “Knowing which pieces you want to be exchanged is a great help in finding the right moves.” — Graham Burgess “Life is like a chess game. Every decision, just like every move, has consequences. Therefore, decide wisely!” ― Susan Polgar “When people insult and disrespect you, the best revenge is to continue to win, and win, and win….” ― Susan Polgar “The mind has no restrictions. The only restriction is what you believe you cannot do. So go ahead and challenge yourself to do one thing every day that scares you.” ― Susan Polgar “I don’t think you can really compare anyone to Fischer and I have high respect for him – he’s one of the greatest chess players who ever lived!” — Wesley so “Fischer…is abnormally sensitive to the slightest noise in the hall…Then there are other players, among them Spassky, [Viktor] Korchnoi, and myself. For us, it is simply boring to play in an empty hall. When we appear on the stage, we are artistes.” — Mikhail Tal “He went out of his way to provoke the opponent to attack, and, reeking of contempt and crusader’s zeal, devoted himself to consolidating some of the most hideously unconsolidated positions ever seen on a chessboard.” — Robert Byrne on Wilhelm Steinitz “The defensive power of a pinned piece is only imaginary.” ― Aaron Nimzowitsch 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.” “He (Jose R. Capablanca) makes the game look easy. Art lies in the concealment of art.” ― Philip W. Sergeant “Beautiful, cold, remorseless chess, almost creepy in its silent implacability.” ― Raymond Chandler (on a Capablanca game) “What others could not see in a month's study, he saw at a glance.” ― Reuben Fine (on Capablanca) “Capablanca invariably chose the right option, no matter how intricate the position.” ― Garry Kasparov. “Capablanca's games generally take the following course: he begins with a series of extremely fine prophylactic maneuvers, which neutralize his opponent's attempts to complicate the game; he then proceeds, slowly but surely, to set up an attacking position. This attacking position, after a series of simplifications, is transformed into a favorable endgame, which he conducts with matchless technique.” ― Aaron Nimzowitsch “The greatest compliment one can pay a master is to compare him with [Jose] Capablanca.” — Irving Chernev “The peculiarity of his style is that only rarely does he make moves which no one else would make.” — Max Euwe on Vassily Smyslov “When his opponent forces him into wild play, his performance is stunning.” — Robert Byrne on Tigran Petrosian “You can never relax. I keep the same amount of energy and concentration during the tournament.” ― 13-year-old FM Brewington Hardaway from New York “Most promises featuring the word 'always' are unkeepable.” ― John Green, The Anthropocene Reviewed “You should never say never. Just like you should never say always; because, always and never are always never true.” ― J. R. Krol “Never and Always Never take advantage of someone whom loves you Never avoid someone whom needs you Never betray anyone whom has trust in you Never forget the people that always remember you Never speak ill of a person who is not present Never support something you know is wrong or unethical Always speak to your parents on their birthday and anniversary Always defend those who cannot defend themselves Always forgive those you love whom have made mistakes Always give something to those less fortunate than you Always remember to look back at those who helped you succeed Always call your parents and siblings on New Year’s Eve.” ― R.J. Intindola Take care of your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves. ~ Scottish Proverb Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER Alaska: Kodiak Established in: 1792 Kodiak is the main city in Kodiak Island and was founded in 1792 by Aleksandr Andreyevich Baranov. It was first called Pavlovsk Gavan, which is Russian for Paul's Harbor, and was the first capital of Russian Alaska. You can still find a large Russian Orthodox church there, as well as plenty of beautiful views. * Chess History: https://www.britannica.com/topic/ch... * Chess Principles: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comm... * Linus: https://zoboko.com/text/o1qn0yy8/ch... * List of gambits: https://detailedpedia.com/wiki-List... * Fried Fox is awful: https://allchessopenings.blogspot.c... * The Gaw-Paw? Game Collection: GA PA Wins Draws by Black * Chicago, 2007: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEp... * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEp... * Defensive Replies to the Queen's Pawn: Game Collection: e6 after 1.d4 * QP Bg2: Queen's Pawn Game (E00) * Game with ...e6: Game Collection: Partidas modelo con temas variados * Sicilians: Game Collection: Sicilian/French/Westerimen and other ...c5,...e6 * Sicilian O'Kelly leaves White all kinds of choices: Opening Explorer * Wikipedia on Computer Chess: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compu... * elmubarak: my fav games: Game Collection: elmubarak: my fav games * assorted Good games Compiled by rbaglini: Game Collection: assorted Good games * Golden Treasury of Chess (Wellmuth/Horowitz): Game Collection: 0 * LAST COLLECTION Compiled by Jaredfchess: Game Collection: LAST COLLECTION * 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 <The Fooles Mate Black Kings Biſhops pawne one houſe. White Kings pawne one houſe. Black kings knights pawne two houſes White Queen gives Mate at the contrary kings Rookes fourth houſe — Beale, The Royall Game of Chesse-Play Beale's example can be paraphrased in modern terms where White always moves first, algebraic notation is used, and Black delivers the fastest possible mate after each player makes two moves: 1.f3 e6 2.g4 Qh4# There are eight distinct ways in which Fool's Mate can be reached in two moves. White may alternate the order of f- and g-pawn moves, Black may play either e6 or e5, and White may move their f-pawn to f3 or f4.> “Chess is life in miniature. Chess is a struggle, chess battles.” — Garry Kasparov “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. “Don’t blow your own trumpet.” — Australian Proverb Old Russian Proverb: "Scythe over a stone." (Нашла коса на камень.) The force came over a stronger force. “Continuing to play the victim is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Blaming others for your station in life will indeed make you a victim but the perpetrator will be your own self, not life or those around you.” — Bobby Darnell Feb-09-12 ray keene: nimzos best endgames v lasker zurich 1934 v spielmann carlsbad 1929 v lundin stockholm 1934 v maroczy bled 1931 v henneberger winterthur 1931 v thomas frankfurt 1930 v sultan khan liege 1930 v marshall berlin 1928 v reti berlin 1928 v alehine ny 1927 v tchigorin carlsbad 1907 and for a joke entry duras v nimzo san sebastian 1912 !! People believe what they want to believe, truth or not. “Search for the grain of truth in other opinions.” ― Richard Carlson “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5). The Bear ~ Author Unknown ~ Here is a cave, (make a fist) Inside is a bear. (put a thumb inside fist) Now he comes out To get some fresh air. (pop out thumb) He stays out all summer In sunshine and heat. He hunts in the forest For berries to eat. (move thumb in circle) When snow starts to fall, He hurries inside His warm little cave, And there he will hide. (put thumb back inside fist) Snow covers the cave Like a fluffy white rug. Inside the bear sleeps All cozy and snug. (cover fist with other hand) Old Russian Proverb: Чему́ быть, того́ не минова́ть Pronunciation: ChiMU BYT’, taVOH ni mihnoVAT’ Translation: You can’t avoid that which is meant to happen Meaning: Whatever shall be, will be. Engineer Ralph Baer is often held to be the "father of video games." His "Brown Box" video game system, designed in 1967, paved the way for all future consoles. “mãos frias, coração quente“. In English, it means “a cold hand, a warm heart” Drive sober or get pulled over. “For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable.” — Assiac Another great collection by Fredthebear. “mais vale um passarinho na mão do que dois a voar“ Contrary to popular belief, the first video game was not Pong. It was preceded by Tennis for Two in 1958 and Spacewar! in 1962. Q: What do you call something that goes up when the rain comes down? A: An umbrella. Q: What do you call a doctor who fixes websites? A: A URL-ologist. Q: What do you call a sleeping dinosaur? A: A dinosnore. Q: What do you call a Christmas tree that knows karate A: Spruce Lee. Q: What does a triangle call a circle? A: Pointless. Q: What do you call a piece of sad cheese? A: Blue cheese. Q: What do you call a cow in an earthquake? A: A milkshake. Q: What do you call an M&M that went to college? A: A smarty. The Man And His Image To M. The Duke De La Rochefoucauld. A man, who had no rivals in the love Which to himself he bore, Esteemed his own dear beauty far above What earth had seen before. More than contented in his error, He lived the foe of every mirror. Officious fate, resolved our loverFrom such an illness should recover, Presented always to his eyes The mute advisers which the ladies prize; – Mirrors in parlours, inns, and shops, – Mirrors the pocket furniture of fops, – Mirrors on every lady's zone,[13] From which his face reflected shone. What could our dear Narcissus do? From haunts of men he now withdrew, On purpose that his precious shape From every mirror might escape. But in his forest glen alone, Apart from human trace, A watercourse, Of purest source, While with unconscious gaze He pierced its waveless face, Reflected back his own. Incensed with mingled rage and fright, He seeks to shun the odious sight; But yet that mirror sheet, so clear and still, He cannot leave, do what he will. Before this, my story's drift you plainly see. From such mistake there is no mortal free. That obstinate self-lover The human soul does cover; The mirrors follies are of others, In which, as all are genuine brothers, Each soul may see to life depicted Itself with just such faults afflicted; And by that charming placid brook, Needless to say, I mean your Maxim Book. This is one of La Fontaine's most admired fables, and is one of the few for which he did not go for the groundwork to some older fabulist. The Duke de la Rochefoucauld, to whom it was dedicated, was the author of the famous "Reflexions et Maximes Morales," which La Fontaine praises in the last lines of his fable. La Rochefoucauld was La Fontaine's friend and patron. The "Maximes" had achieved a second edition just prior to La Fontaine's publication of this first series of his Fables, in 1668. "The Rabbits" (Book 10, Fable 15.), published in the second collection, in 1678-9, is also dedicated to the Duke, who died the following year, 1680. “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 “Many have become chess masters, no one has become the master of chess.” — Siegbert Tarrasch “True power is expressed in quiet confidence; it was the sea's very calmness that epitomized its mighty force.” ― Emile Habiby “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 4$drivz u nokt mee crazy wheelr. 4$fare iz fair evn 4all hairy bearz no shirts no shoez still get servd biden court 2appear b4 congress 2testify on internet caught see lionz zandi drownd outta noiz. So sad. “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” — Calvin Coolidge 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. A TISKET A TASKET A tisket, a tasket A green and yellow basket. I wrote a letter to my love And on the way I dropped it. I dropped it, I dropped it And on the way I dropped it. A little boy he picked it up And put it in his pocket. 16 yellow #2 pencilz “When you’re lonely, when you feel yourself an alien in the world, play Chess. This will raise your spirits and be your counselor in war.” ― Aristotle “The habit of holding a Man in the hand, and moving it first to one square and then to another, in order to engage the assistance of the eye in deciding where it shall actually be placed, is not only annoying to the adversary but a practical infraction of the touch-and-move principle.” ― Howard Staunton “A bad plan is better than none at all.” ― Frank Marshall <Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" Bombardment of Fort Fisher, near Wilmington, New York, 1865 The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in the middle of the Civil War, wrote this poem which has more recently been adapted as a modern Christmas classic. Longfellow wrote this on Christmas Day in 1863, after his son had enlisted in the Union's cause and had returned home, seriously wounded. The verses which he included and are still generally included, speak of the despair of hearing the promise of "peace on earth, goodwill to men" when the evidence of the world is clearly that war still exists. And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men." The original also included several verses referring specifically to the Civil War. Before that cry of despair and answering cry of hope, and after verses describing the long years of hearing of "peace on earth, goodwill to men" (a phrase from the Jesus birth narratives in the Christian scriptures), Longfellow's poem includes, describing the black cannons of the war: Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South, And with the sound The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men! It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men!> *At some time or other tournament player learns a few opening lines, some tactical ideas, the most basic mating patterns, and a few elementary endgames. As he gets better and more experienced, he significantly adds to this knowledge. However, the one thing that just everybody has problem is planning. From Z to class E (under 1200) D to Master, I get blank stares when asking what plan they had in mind in a particular position. Usually the choice of a plan (if they had any plan at all) is based on emotional rather than chess-specific considerations. By emotional, I mean that the typical player does what he feels like doing rather than the board "telling him what to do. This is somewhat cryptic sentence leads us to the following extremely important concept: if you want to be successful, you have to base your moves and plans on the specific imbalance-oriented criteria that exist in that given position, not your mood, taste and/or feared. Literally every non-master's games are filled with examples of "imbalance avoidance". Beginners, of course, simply don't know what imbalances are. Most experienced players have heard of the term and perhaps even tried to make use of them from time to time, however once the rush of battle takes over, isolated moves and raw aggression (or terror, if you find yourself defending) push any and all thoughts of imbalances out the door. In this case, chess becomes empty move-by-move, threat-by-threat (either making them or responding to them) affair. What is this mysterious allusion of the chessboard's desires (i.e., doing what the chess board wants you to do)? What is this "imbalance-oriented criteria? ― How To Reassess Your Chess by Jeremy Silman “To a good listener, half a word is enough” – Portuguese Proverb The Old Man And His Sons All power is feeble with dissension: For this I quote the Phrygian slave. If anything I add to his invention, It is our manners to engrave, And not from any envious wishes; – I'm not so foolishly ambitious. Phaedrus enriches often his story, In quest – I doubt it not – of glory: Such thoughts were idle in my breast. An aged man, near going to his rest, His gathered sons thus solemnly addressed: "To break this bunch of arrows you may try; And, first, the string that binds them I untie." The eldest, having tried with might and main, Exclaimed, "This bundle I resign To muscles sturdier than mine." The second tried, and bowed himself in vain. The youngest took them with the like success. All were obliged their weakness to confess. Unharmed the arrows passed from son to son; Of all they did not break a single one. "Weak fellows!" said their sire, "I now must show What in the case my feeble strength can do." They laughed, and thought their father but in joke, Till, one by one, they saw the arrows broke. "See, concord's power!" replied the sire; "as long As you in love agree, you will be strong. I go, my sons, to join our fathers good; Now promise me to live as brothers should, And soothe by this your dying father's fears." Each strictly promised with a flood of tears. Their father took them by the hand, and died; And soon the virtue of their vows was tried. Their sire had left a large estate Involved in lawsuits intricate; Here seized a creditor, and there A neighbour levied for a share. At first the trio nobly bore The brunt of all this legal war. But short their friendship as It was rare. Whom blood had joined – and small the wonder! – The force of interest drove asunder; And, as is wont in such affairs, Ambition, envy, were co-heirs. In parcelling their sire's estate, They quarrel, quibble, litigate, Each aiming to supplant the other. The judge, by turns, condemns each brother. Their creditors make new assault, Some pleading error, some default. The sundered brothers disagree; For counsel one, have counsels three. All lose their wealth; and now their sorrows Bring fresh to mind those broken arrows. from the simpleton poet: Roses are red. Violets are blue. Chess is creative. And a journey too. Good in the morning. Or just before bed. Play cheater_1, with engine. Or OTB, all in your head. “Only those who want everything done for them are bored.” — Billy Graham “My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world.” — Billy Graham “Whatever you are doing in the game of life, give it all you've got.” — Norman Vincent Peale “What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” — Ralph Marston * Riddle-z-dee: https://www.briddles.com/riddles/ch... “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. “Never reply to an anonymous letter.” ― Yogi Berra, MLB Hall of Fame catcher “Even Napoleon had his Watergate.” ― Yogi Berra, 10-time World Series champion How many chess openings are there? Well, White has 20 possible 1st moves. Black can respond with 20 of its own. That’s 400, and we’re ready for move 2. I don’t know them, but I would not be at all surprised if there was a name for each of them. People are like that. You really, really don’t need to know them all. If you follow the rules of thumb for good opening play, I promise you that you’ll be playing a named opening. Just put the 1st 3 moves in google, and you’ll get the opening’s name. With that information you can find other games that started the way your game started, likely by some very good players. Also, with the name you can read about it on Wikipedia, and find out what people think of it, who plays it, and its particular traps and idiosyncrasies. Once again, The Rules of Thumb for Good Opening Play: - Develop your pieces quickly with an eye towards controlling the center. Not necessarily occupying the center but controlling it certainly. - Castle your king just as soon as it’s practical to do so. - Really try not to move a piece more than once during the opening, it’s a waste of valuable time. - Connect your rooks. This marks the end of the opening. Connected rooks means that only your rooks and your castled king are on the back rank. - Respond to threats appropriately, even if you have to break the rules. They’re rules of thumb, not scripture, or physical laws. If you and your opponent follow these rules of thumb, you’ll reach the middle game ready to fight. If only you follow these rules of thumb, you’re already winning! Good Hunting. -- Eric H. * Opening Tree: https://www.shredderchess.com/onlin... <Chess has six different kinds of pieces, and they all interact in myriad ways. Your opponent’s own pieces can often be used against him. While the Queen is the strongest piece, it is the weakest defender; and while the pawn is the weakest piece, it is the strongest defender. José Raúl Capablanca used the principle "Cutting off pieces from the scene of action."> [Site "Kiev RUE"] [Event "Simul, 30b"] [Date "1914.03.02"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "?"] [Result "1-0"] [White "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [Black "Masyutin"] [ECO "A83"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "37"] 1.d4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c6 5.f3 exf3 6.Nxf3 e6 7.Bd3 d5 8.O-O Nbd7 9.Ne5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Qh5+ Ke7 12.Bxh7 Nf8 13.Qf7+ Kd6 14.Nc4+ dxc4 15.Ne4+ Kd5 16.Rf5+ Kxe4 17.Re1+ Kxd4 18.c3+ Kd3 19.Rd5# 1-0 Discovered Double Checkmate!! “As an adult, Capablanca lost only 34 serious games.[88] He was undefeated from 10 February 1916, when he lost to Oscar Chajes in the New York 1916 tournament, to 21 March 1924, when he lost to Richard Réti in the New York International tournament. During this streak, which included his 1921 World Championship match against Lasker, Capablanca played 63 games, winning 40 and drawing 23.[49][94] In fact, only Marshall, Lasker, Alekhine and Rudolf Spielmann won two or more serious games from the mature Capablanca, though in each case, their overall lifetime scores were minus (Capablanca beat Marshall +20−2=28, Lasker +6−2=16, Alekhine +9−7=33), except for Spielmann who was level (+2−2=8).[95] Of top players, only Keres had a narrow plus score against him (+1−0=5).[96] Keres's win was at the AVRO 1938 chess tournament, during which tournament Capablanca turned 50, while Keres was 22.[97]” ― Wikipedia The Chess Machine: https://chessville.com/jose-raul-ca... Learn from the World Champions: https://www.chessable.com/blog/famo... According to Chessmetrics, 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. Q: What’s the best thing about Switzerland? A: I don’t know, but the flag is a big plus. The City Rat and the Country Rat A city rat, one night, Did, with a civil stoop, A country rat invite To end a turtle soup. On a Turkey carpet They found the table spread, And sure I need not harp it How well the fellows fed. The entertainment was A truly noble one; But some unlucky cause Disturbed it when begun. It was a slight rat-tat, That put their joys to rout; Out ran the city rat; His guest, too, scampered out. Our rats but fairly quit, The fearful knocking ceased. "Return we," cried the cit, To finish there our feast. "No," said the rustic rat; "Tomorrow dine with me. I'm not offended at Your feast so grand and free, – "For I have no fare resembling; But then I eat at leisure, And would not swap, for pleasure So mixed with fear and trembling." French Proverb: “Il ne faut rien laisser au hasard.” ― (Nothing should be left to chance.) “There are more adventures on a chessboard than on all the seas of the world.” ― Pierre Mac Orlan “You can only get good at chess if you love the game.” ― Bobby Fischer “As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight.” — The Revenant Weord Maze: 3z Darby's samichz haz da bst pigz eyez, no birdz eyez annie pig snoutz. Shout, shout, let it all out. Theez rtha things Ivan do without. C'mon Mikhail Talkin youtube. A pencil maker told the pencil 5 important lessons just before putting it in the box: 1. Everything you do you will always leave a mark. 2. You can always correct the mistakes you make. 3. What is important is what is inside of you. 4. In life, you will undergo painful sharpening which will only make you better. 5. To be the best pencil, you must allow yourself to be held and guided by the hand that holds you. Lead Pb 82 207.2 1.8 The 20-40-40 rule in chess is a rule for players rated below 2000 that states 20% of your study should be dedicated to openings, 40% to the middlegame, and 40% to the endgame. Drive sober or get pulled over. “Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.” -- The Wondrous Tale of Alroy by Benjamin Disraeli, published in 1833 Galatians 6:7 in the Bible “Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” “those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones” is often cited as originating in Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde written in 1385. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson “If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.” – Ancient Chinese Proverb “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” — Mahatma Gandhi “Thirty Days Hath September” Lyrics Thirty days hath September, April, June and November; All the rest have thirty-one, Excepting February alone. Which only has but twenty-eight days clear And twenty-nine in each leap year. “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 “Many have become Chess Masters, no one has become the master of chess.” — Siegbert Tarrasch Drive sober or get pulled over. “For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable.” — Assiac Mar-12-23 FSR: <jnpope: Is <Jegar Sahadutha> related to <chrisowen> or is this just a <chrisowen> parody account?> Apparently the latter. <Jegar Sahadutha>'s user profile shows that his account was only opened on February 10, 2023. His first comment, on March 9, 2023, was: <I never thought I would live to see the day a GOTD was named in honor of chrisowen.> Jegar's comment was made to A Braun vs S Siebrecht, 2005, after it became GOTD using the pun <Braun Over Brain>. The genesis of the pun was evidently an uncharacteristically lucid comment <chrisowen> had made on December 27, 2009 that began <Sad case of Braun over brain.> This episode, it seems, inspired <Jegar Sahadutha>. His aforementioned comment <I never thought I would live to see the day a GOTD was named in honor of chrisowen.> was the first and last "normal" one he has made. Mar-12-23 Jegar Sahadutha: True — we shall not return to the heartland, for the heartland hath forsaken us. Rise! Rise, vaunted shipmen; your time is come, and with it sacral vestments. Slay the serpent, moor the ship; repast on all gifts divine. But in your exultation, may your heart hold fast; forsake not the heartland whence you came. The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - 1807-1882 The tide rises, the tide falls, The twilight darkens, the curlew calls; Along the sea-sands damp and brown The traveller hastens toward the town, And the tide rises, the tide falls. Darkness settles on roofs and walls, But the sea, the sea in darkness calls; The little waves, with their soft, white hands, Efface the footprints in the sands, And the tide rises, the tide falls. The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls; The day returns, but nevermore Returns the traveller to the shore, And the tide rises, the tide falls. “There are good ships, and there are wood ships, ships that sail the sea, but the best ships are friendships, and may they always be.” – Anonymous “It's not how you start that matters, it's how you finish.” “Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.” — Francis Bacon The cat’s play is the mouse’s death. ~ German Proverb “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” ― Theodore Roosevelt Ah, St. Marher, 1225: "And te tide and te time þat tu iboren were, schal beon iblescet." 2pry Zeitnot Zshaa-Tichondrius - 601 Disc Priest 226 Ilvl - 27750 RBG zek247 dint undrstnd Ziyatdinov's planto ignore the LSB on deck of the carrier. “Debt is dumb. Cash is king.” — Dave Ramsey A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and town markets, and the discipline continues into the modern day, where jesters perform at historical-themed events. During the Middle Ages, jesters are often thought to have worn brightly colored clothes and eccentric hats in a motley pattern. Their modern counterparts usually mimic this costume. Jesters entertained with a wide variety of skills: principal among them were song, music, and storytelling, but many also employed acrobatics, juggling, telling jokes (such as puns, stereotypes, and imitation), and performing magic tricks. Much of the entertainment was performed in a comic style. Many jesters made contemporary jokes in word or song about people or events well known to their audiences. If hard work pays, show me a rich donkey. ― Joker Life has no remote. You have to get up and change it yourself. ― Joker 500 games, 1620-2020 Pins, All About Pins D Pins are immobilizing difference makers that inflict chess pain. Some of these are ordinary pins while others determine the outcome of the game. “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 prepares for next generation!” ― Susan Polgar “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” ― Lao Tzu “God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.” ― William Shakespeare “I started chess around the age of seven. I was inspired by the game, but soon legends like Kasparov, Karpov, Fischer, Anand and many other world champions captivated me.” ― Anish Giri “Chess is a game where all different sorts of people can come together, not a game in which people are divided because of their religion or country of origin.” ― Hikaru Nakamura “In chess, you have to bring all the pieces into the game. It is about development. In writing, you have to develop the story.” ― Gza “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” ― Albert Einstein “Chess is a lot of fun for me. Football is a physical game, and in chess you can just beat someone mentally - you outwit somebody, outmaneuver them, think ahead of them.” ― Larry Fitzgerald “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” ― Archimedes “The most powerful weapon in chess is to have the next move.” ― David Bronstein “Young men preen. Old men scheme.” ― Mason Cooley “Chess and me, it's hard to take them apart. It's like my alter ego.” ― Bobby Fischer “It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.” ― Henry David Thoreau “Chess is the art of analysis.” ― Mikhail Botvinnik “Patience is the companion of wisdom.” ― Saint Augustine “Chess is a sport. The main object in the game of chess remains the achievement of victory.” ― Max Euwe “There are no adequate substitutes for father, mother, and children bound together in a loving commitment to nurture and protect. No government, no matter how well-intentioned, can take the place of the family in the scheme of things.” ― Gerald R. Ford “My biggest competitor was my mum. I used to try to beat her at Chinese chequers, chess, carrom, volleyball, badminton, football, wrestling.” ― Sunil Chhetri “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 “In chess, you should be as cool as a cucumber.” ― Yuliya Snigir “O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!” ― Walter Scott “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 “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” ― Steve Prefontaine “I love to play chess. The last time I was playing, I started to really see the board. I don't mean just seeing a few moves ahead - something else. My game started getting better. It's the patterns. The patterns are universal.” ― Forest Whitaker “God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'thank you?' ” ― William Arthur Ward “It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” ― Epictetus “I think a gentleman is someone who holds the comfort of other people above their own. The instinct to do that is inside every good man, I believe. The rules about opening doors and buying dinner and all of that other 'gentleman' stuff is a chess game, especially these days.” ― Anna Kendrick Never judge a book by its cover. “You cannot say, 'Go! Go! Rah! Rah! Good move!' People want some emotion. Chess is an art and not a spectator sport.” ― Garry Kasparov “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 “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ― Winston Churchill “I spend hours playing chess because I find it so much fun. The day it stops being fun is the day I give up.” ― Magnus Carlsen “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.” ― Mark Twain “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt “I may not be where I want to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be.” ― Joyce Meyer “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” ― Jim Rohn “I have a scheme for stopping war. It's this - no nation is allowed to enter a war till they have paid for the last one.” ― Will Rogers * Fabulous brilliancies: https://www.chess.com/article/view/... * French According to... Game Collection: The French According to ... * Starting Out 1d4: Game Collection: Starting Out: 1 d4! * Online safety: https://www.entrepreneur.com/scienc... * Bearly Thinking: https://www.etsy.com/listing/972054... * Checkmate patterns: Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns * Sports Clichés: http://www.sportscliche.com/ * Alpha Glossary: https://www.chess-poster.com/englis... * Best Games of 2018: Game Collection: Best Games of 2018 * GK: Game Collection: Kasparov - The Sicilian Sheveningen * Extinguish the Dragon: Game Collection: 1.e4 explorations * RL Minis: Game Collection: Ruy Lopez Miniatures * Sacs on f7/f2: Game Collection: Demolition of Pawn Structure: Sac on f7 (f2) * 21st Century: Game Collection: 0 * Can you whip Taimanov's Sicilian? http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... * Bg2 vs Sicilian: Game Collection: Grand Prix Attack without early Bc4 * Wall's APCT Miniatures: http://billwall.phpwebhosting.com/c... * Six Ways: https://takelessons.com/blog/6-tips... * Mr. Harvey's Puzzle Challenge: https://wtharvey.com/ Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Кто не рискует, тот не пьет шампанского Pronunciation: KTOH ni risKUyet, tot ni pyot shamPANSkava) Translation: He who doesn’t take risks doesn’t drink champagne Meaning: Fortune favours the brave "Tal has a terrifying style. Soon even grandmasters will know of this." - Vladimir Saigin (after losing to 17-year-old Tal in a qualifying match for the master title) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5S... “I like to grasp the initiative and not give my opponent peace of mind.” — Mikhail Tal Alabama: Mobile Established in: 1702 The city of Mobile is a port city on the Gulf Coast in Alabama that has a lot of French influence (which makes sense, since it was founded by the French). Mardi Gras celebrations originated there, and you can experience the history of the holiday at the Mobile Carnival Museum. * Chess History: https://www.britannica.com/topic/ch... * Chess Aps: https://www.wired.com/story/best-ch... Here's a poem a dad wrote: <ODE TO CHESS Ten times I charged the grim, foreboding walls and was pitched into the pit of defeat. But, heedless of humiliating falls, I clambered bravely back onto my feet and charged again, again to be down thrust onto the scrap heap of people who lose onto the mound of mortifying dust whilst my opponent sat without a bruise upon his pedestal. We changed sides and fought again, but I was defeated whilst he with arrogant and haughty strides took the throne upon which I had been seated. Ha! Win or lose, it's how you play the game. But I would like to beat him just the same.> “Chess can be described as the movement of pieces eating one another.” — Marcel Duchamp “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 “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” — Ernest Hemingway “You win some, you lose some, you wreck some.” — Dale Earnhardt “In life, unlike chess the game continues after checkmate.” ― Isaac Asimov “Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.” ― Albert Einstein * Short history: Game Collection: A history of chess * A07, B23-B25: Game Collection: Sicilian Closed / Grand Prix Attack * Ataman's Minis: Game Collection: Instructive Chess Miniatures (Ataman) * 107 battles: Game Collection: 107 Great Chess Battles: 1939-45 Alekhine * Opening Ideas/Novelties: Game Collection: Great opening ideas * C53s: Game Collection: rajat21's italian game * RL Minis: Game Collection: Ruy Lopez Miniatures * Del's: Game Collection: Del's hidden gems * The Donner Party of Misery: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... * Don't Steal: https://www.openbible.info/topics/s... * C-K Examples: Game Collection: Caro Kann Lines * GK: Game Collection: Kasparov - The Sicilian Sheveningen * Common Gambits Video: https://saintlouischessclub.org/blo... ‘May your Departures equal your Landfalls!’ * Notable Games: Game Collection: List of Notable Games (wiki) * Fried Fox is awful: https://allchessopenings.blogspot.c... * She's a Stonewaller: Eneida Astolfi Perez * VP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncH... * Post-Beginners Book: Game Collection: Chess training for post-beginners “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 “In life, unlike chess the game continues after checkmate.” ― Isaac Asimov “When in doubt, don't.” ― Benjamin Franklin Riddle Question: If you drop a yellow hat in the Red Sea, what does it become? The Persian epic Explanation of Chatrang and the Invention of Nard tells the story of chess being introduced to the royal court by an envoy from India. Riddle Answer: Wet, duh! * Diagrammed Checkmate Patterns: Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns * Secrets of Combination from naku1964: Game Collection: Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters Volume II * Great Attacks: Game Collection: great attack games * Black Storms: Game Collection: Tal - The Modern Benoni “A passed pawn increase in strength as the number of pieces on the board diminishes.” ― Jose Raul Capablanca * Read The Planet Greenpawn - https://www.redhotpawn.com/ * 10 Best to Watch: https://www.chessjournal.com/best-c... * 23 Opening Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-5... * CFN: https://www.youtube.com/@CFNChannel In Melitopol, terrible terror has been reigning for over a year. It's quiet, you can't see it on the streets - reported CNN. Anyone who has rejected a Russian passport may become a victim of repression. They can't access the hospital, can't function normally. The "incredible" occupant also takes away the land. Arrests and torture, unfortunately, are common practices. Partisans are engaged in attacking Russian logistics and eliminating collaborators and Russian officers. They actively cooperate with Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) and are ready for sabotage activities in case the front arrives. Before the war, Melitopol had a population of 154,000. The city, located in the southeastern part of Ukraine in the Zaporizhzhia region, was occupied by the Russians on March 1, 2022 Eastern Time. Since then, it has been waiting for liberation, but that does not mean that the inhabitants are idle. From the beginning of the war, there has been a partisan movement in and around the city. “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. Luck never gives; it only lends. ~ Scottish Proverb 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. Feb-09-12 ray keene: nimzos best endgames v lasker zurich 1934 v spielmann carlsbad 1929 v lundin stockholm 1934 v maroczy bled 1931 v henneberger winterthur 1931 v thomas frankfurt 1930 v sultan khan liege 1930 v marshall berlin 1928 v reti berlin 1928 v alehine ny 1927 v tchigorin carlsbad 1907 and for a joke entry duras v nimzo san sebastian 1912 !! 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. The first chess legend, called the wheat and chessboard problem, illustrates the power of exponential growth. The first chess movie, called Chess Fever, was a silent comedy released in 1925 in the Soviet Union. The word checkmate comes from the Persian phrase shah mat, meaning "the king is helpless". High Flight BY JOHN GILLESPIE MAGEE JR. Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air .... Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark nor ever eagle flew— And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. “The harder you fall, the heavier your heart; the heavier your heart, the stronger you climb; the stronger you climb, the higher your pedestal.” — Criss Jami 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. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, or the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Psalm 31:24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? “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 Matthew 17:20 Our faith can move mountains. 'Finders keepers, losers weepers' No, turn it over to Lost and Found. Feb-23-23 FSR: Thanks, Susan. I never saw Albert after my freshman year of high school (he and his family moved to the Chicago suburbs, where he went to a different school and played for a different chess team). Super nice guy. I was very surprised many years later to learn that he and your son had started this site. A toast for friendship: ‘Here’s to Tall Ships, Here’s to Small Ships, Here’s to all the Ships at Sea. But the best Ships are Friendships, Here’s to You and Me!’ In September, 1927 Capablanca faced Alexander Alekhine for the world championship match in Buenos Aires. The stake money was $10,000 in gold. When it was over in November, Capablanca lost, winning 3 games, drawing 25 games, and losing 6 games. The entire match took place behind closed doors and lasted 73 days. There were no spectators or photographs. The opening of 32 of the 34 games were Queen's Gambit Declined. The Lion Beaten By The Man A picture once was shown, In which one man, alone, On the ground had thrown A lion fully grown. Much gloried at the sight the rabble. A lion thus rebuked their babble: "That you have got the victory there, There is no contradiction. But, gentles, possibly you are The dupes of easy fiction: Had we the art of making pictures, Perhaps our champion had beat yours!" “....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! “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 “Many have become chess masters, no one has become the master of chess.” — Siegbert Tarrasch Ah, St. Marher, 1225: "And te tide and te time þat tu iboren were, schal beon iblescet." 478 games, 1820-2023 QB5 Attack * QP: Game Collection: Q peón Check out these additional comedic paraprosdokian examples, and notice how they often use puns: I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it. –Groucho Marx He taught me housekeeping; when I divorce I keep the house. –Zsa Zsa Gabor I haven’t slept for 10 days, because that would be too long. –Mitch Hedberg Standing in the park today, I was wondering why a frisbee looks larger the closer it gets...then it hit me. –Stewart Francis When I was a kid my parents moved a lot, but I always found them. –Rodney Dangerfield My husband can't stand to see trash and garbage lying around the house – he can't stand the competition. –Phyllis Diller Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time. –George Carlin There are three kinds of people in the world – those who can count, and those who can’t. –Unknown I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world because they'd never expect it. –Jack Handey The company accountant is shy and retiring. He's shy a quarter of a million dollars. That's why he's retiring. –Milton Berle I’m a very tolerant man, except when it comes to holding a grudge. –Robin Williams I saw a bank that said “24 Hour Banking,'”but I don't have that much time. –Stephen Wright Always remember my grandfather’s last words: “A truck!” –Emo Phillips Half of all marriages end in divorce—and then there are the really unhappy ones. –Joan Rivers Paraprosdokians From Movies and Television Shows Sitcoms and movies often use paraprosdokians as one-liners for their characters. Shows like Arrested Development and Seinfeld use so many one-liners that they’re regularly quoted long after coming off the air! Check out these funny paraprosdokians from movies and television: If I could say a few words, I would be a better public speaker. –The Simpsons (1989) You know what they say: you can lead a herring to water, but you have to walk really fast or he’ll die. –Golden Girls If you want to receive emails about my upcoming shows, please give me money so I can buy a computer. –Friends “That’s the true spirit of Christmas: people being helped by people other than me.” –Seinfeld When you first entered the restaurant, I thought you were handsome. And then you spoke. –As Good as It Gets (1997) I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious. –The Office Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the War Room! –Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb I hope that someday you'll know the indescribable joy of having children and of paying someone else to raise them. –The Addams Family Her lips said “No," but her eyes said “read my lips.” –Frasier She thinks I’m too critical. That’s another fault of hers. –Arrested Development Paraprosdokians From Writers Writers love using wordplay to keep their readers guessing. Clever writers sprinkle paraprosdokians into their descriptions, narration, and dialogue to establish a humorous tone. Here are some examples of paraprosdokians from authors: Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times. –Mark Twain Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be. –Peter De Vries I have the heart of a small boy – in a glass jar on my desk. –Stephen King People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day. –A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likable. In three days no one could stand him. –Joseph Heller, Catch 22 The freelance writer is a man who is paid per piece or per word or perhaps. –Robert Benchley Gravity is a contributing factor in 73 percent of all accidents involving falling objects. –Dave Barry When I was young I used to think that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old, I know it is. – Oscar Wilde He’s a writer for the ages…for the ages of four to eight. –Dorothy Parker Paraprosdokians From Historical Figures Popular politicians are known for their wit and clever sayings. No matter which political party you vote for, you’ll enjoy these hilarious paraprosdokians from history: Thomas Jefferson once said, “We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.” And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying. –Ronald Reagan You know nothing for sure...except the fact that you know nothing for sure. –John F. Kennedy We can always count on the Americans to do the right thing, after they have exhausted all the other possibilities. –Winston Churchill Blessed are the young, for they shall inherit the national debt. –Herbert Hoover People say I'm indecisive, but I don't know about that. –George H.W. Bush Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. –Benjamin Franklin Funny Animal Puns Puns involving animals are a-moose-ing! Take a look at these pun examples from the animal world. Aquatic Animal Puns The shallowest ponds and the deepest oceans are full of aquatic life — and they're also full of puns! Swim through these funny puns about animals that live in the water. Biologists have recently produced immortal frogs by removing their vocal cords. They can't croak. The best way to communicate with a fish is to drop them a line. On the surface of things, whales are always blowing it. The marine biology seminars weren't created for entertainment, but for educational porpoises. The fish are getting annoying with their octopus neighbor. He tentacles late at night. The tuna married the swordfish because he was such a catch. Marine mammals are simply otter this world. Crustaceans only think of themselves. They're so shellfish. This reef is the strongest part of the ocean because it has so many mussels. I can't tell if this fish is lying; she's being so koi. Farm Animal Puns Don't feel sheepish if you don't know many puns yet. Catch up with these udderly great farm animal puns. A horse is a very stable animal. If you hear it from the horse's mouth, you're listening to a neigh-sayer. After the horse ate all of his hay, he had a baleful look about him. One horse said to another, “Your pace is familiar, but I don't remember the mane.” The farmer bought a donkey because he thought he might get a kick out of it. The best way to stop a charging bull is to take away his credit card. It's no fun telling jokes to cattle; they've herd it all. Why was the goose jealous of the sheep? Her husband kept saying "I love ewe." The pig got out again, but don't worry — I tractor down. Why did the calf need to go to bed? Her mother told her it was pasture bedtime. Puns About Cats and Dogs The only thing people love more than cats and dogs are funny puns about them. You won't be kitten around when you tell these jokes to your pets! What do you get if you cross a setter and a pointer at Christmas time? You get a pointsetter. A cat ate some cheese and waited for a mouse with baited breath. If you throw a cat out a car window, does it become kitty litter? Don't trust a Great Dane to tell you the truth — all they have are tall tails. It's raining cats and dogs, so don't step in a poodle! Cats have a great sense of humor. They're a-mew-sed by hiss-terical jokes! My dog's not misbehaving on his walk; he's just renegotiating the terms of his leash. Losing your feline friend can be a cat-astrophe. Cats are wonderful friends because they have great purr-sonalities. Dogs are such good companions because they're so paw-sitive. Puns About Insects Bugs aren't just creepy and crawly — they're funny too. These funny puns about insects are super fly! Scientists have created a flea from scratch. Insects that make honey are always on their best beehive-iour. When a new hive is done, bees have a house-swarming party. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie. It's hard to know which bug to vote for, but I'm choosing the lesser of two weevils. Spiders are great Internet consultants. They're always finding bugs in the web. What do you get when you cross a centipede with a parrot? A walkie-talkie. Why are people who carry bees considered good-looking? Because beauty is in the eye of the bee-holder. Why do male ants float while female ants sink? They're buoy-ant. Bird Puns Ready to quack up? Tell these punny jokes about birds to your friends, family and neighborhood fowl. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion. The flock of doves decided to stage a coo. Peacocks are meticulous because they show attention to de-tail. The duck said to the bartender, “Put it on my bill.” It's amazing how eagles catch their prey; they must be really talon-ted. Birds are grouchy in the morning because their bills are over-dew. When a vulture flies, he takes carrion luggage. An angry bird landed on a doorknob. Then it flew off the handle. The chicken crossed the playground to get to the other slide. Nature reserves are an eagle-opportunity employer. Puns About Other Animals The whole zoo's here! See if your favorite animal is the source of a great pun. It's OK to watch an elephant bathe, as they usually have their trunks on. Don't get into business with a cheetah — cheetahs never prosper. A skunk fell in the river and stank to the bottom. An elephant's opinion carries a lot of weight. Don't trust that big cat; he's lion. Deer couples always spend time apart. It makes the heart grow fawn-der. Squirrels always remember where they hide their nuts because they use acorn-nyms. Giraffes aren't great comedians; their jokes always go over our heads. My pet bird fell in love with a light brown rodent. Her love is in-tan-gerbil. Marsupials always get the job because they have the best koala-ifications. Funny Food Puns There is always room for a good food pun. They’re likely to get a little cheesy, but you’ll definitely enjoy them. You ain’t got muffin on me. Just dill with it! He’s nacho poppa! Let’s taco ‘bout it! Do you want to ketchup? I donut know how I would live without you. I bet the butcher the other day that he couldn't reach the meat that was on the top shelf. He refused, saying that the steaks were too high. We love high-quality produce that's not too thick, so we won't settle for meaty-okra vegetables. Why was the clumsy farmer a great DJ? Because he was always dropping beets. The mushroom is always the hit of the party — he's a real fungi. Funny Coffee Puns If you aren’t laughing yet, then it’s about to get hot in here. Because there are a latte punny coffee jokes! I love you a latte. I want to espresso my love. Where you have bean all my life? What did the coffee tell his date? You're brew-tiful. Coffee beans have successful marriages because they keep each other grounded. You mocha me crazy. Hipsters always burn their tongues because they drink their coffee before it's cool. Coffee beans are always late; they're chronic pro-caffeinators. Why did the tea break up with her older coffee boyfriend? He was so cold and bitter. I wanted to order a new drink, but affogato what it's called. Pizza Puns Pizza puns are knead-to-know puns. How many ways can you think of using pizza in your punny jokes? You always have a pizza my heart! Enjoy your pizza while it lasts. It's here today, gone tomato. How do you avoid burning Hawaiian pizza? Cook it at aloha temperature. I don't like this pizza very much. There's mushroom for improvement. What is pizza's favorite play? The Slice-Man Cometh. Give pizza chance. I never sausage a beautiful pizza. I fall to pizzas when I'm without you. Pizza chefs work extra hard because they knead the dough. With pizza jokes, it's all in the delivery. Medical Puns Medicine is not a joking matter, but it is a little humerus. Enjoy a few other medical puns that might tickle your funny bone. What did the muscle say to the blood vessel? "You’re being a little vein.” What did the phlebotomist say to cheer up the patient? “B positive.” What did the leg say to the foot? “It’s going tibia k!” I was worried about my transplant surgery, but the surgeon really de-livered. What happens when you have a bladder infection? Urine trouble. Why can’t you lie to the x-ray tech? They can see right through you. I used to disapprove of organ transplants, but now I've had a change of heart. Why are legs hereditary? Because they run in your jeans. Why did the appendix get dressed up? Because she heard the doctor was taking her out tonight. Don't annoy a pediatrician. They have little patients. Funny Puns for Music Music can be a bit punny too, but it’s definitely an orchestrated effort. See how many music puns you know! You’re in treble now! To fix a large horn, you just need a tuba glue. You're a natural beauty. Thanks, you look sharp yourself. If you don't C sharp before crossing the street, you'll B flat. I’m here for you! Uke can do it! We play more than classical music in this orchestra. We think outside the Bachs. Why did the balloons run away from the concert? They were playing pop music! Orchestral music is inappropriate for children because it has so much sax and violins. Why can't guitars relax? Because they're so fretful. Why do pirates want to sing soprano? So they can live in the high C's. Playing With Sound and Spelling There aren't really any stand-alone, one-word puns, as they all need some kind of context to create the wordplay. However, in many cases, the pun is formed within the context by one simple word that sounds like a different word or has another meaning. Homophonic puns substitute one word for a similar-sounding word. (For example: A good pun is its own reword.) Homographic puns use a word that has two different meanings or substitutes a word with the same spelling but different meaning as the word for which it was substituted. (For example: Did you hear about the optometrist who fell into a lens grinder and made a spectacle of himself?) Compound puns use a string of two or more words that sound similar to a string of different words. (For example: Where do you find giant snails? On the ends of giants' fingers.) Compound puns can also indicate a pun that uses two instances of wordplay (For example: What should you say to a melon couple? I know you canteloupe, but oh, honeydew!) Acronyms and Initialisms: Worksheet Printouts Click Here for K-3 Themes An acronym is a pronounceable word that is formed using the first letters of the words in a phrase (sometimes, other parts of the words are also used). Some common acronyms include NASA (which stands for "National Aeronautical and Space Administration"), scuba ("Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus") and laser ("Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation"). An initialism is a word that is formed using the first letters of the words in a phrase -- it is pronounced like a series of letters, not like a word. Some common initialisms include UFO (which stands for "Unidentified Flying Object") and LOL (which stands for "Laughing Out Loud"). Note: Some people consider both of these to be acronyms. Some common acronyms (and initialisms) include: AC - Air Conditioning AD - Anno Domini ("In the Year of Our Lord") AKA - Also Known As AM - Ante Meridiem (before noon) AM - Amplitude Modification (radio) ASAP - As Soon As Possible ATM - Automated Teller Machine B&B - Bed and Breakfast BC - Before Christ or Because BCE - Before the Common Era BLT - Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato BTW - By The Way CC - Credit Card CIA - Central Intelligence Agency CO - Commanding Officer CST - Central Standard Time DOA - Dead on Arrival DOT - Department of Transportation DST - Daylight Saving Time EST - Eastern Standard Time ET - Extra-Terrestrial FAQ - Frequently-Asked Questions FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation FDR - Franklin Delano Roosevelt FM - Frequency Modification (radio) FYI - For Your Information GI - Government Issue GMO - Genetically Modified IM - Instant Message IMO - In My Opinion IMHO - In My Humble Opinion HAZ-MAT - Hazardous Material HMO - Health Maintenence Organization ID - Identification IQ - Intelligence Quotient ISBN - International Standard Book Number JFK - John Fitzgerald Kennedy JV - Junior Varsity KO - Knockout laser - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation LCD - Liquid Crystal Display LED - Light Emitting Diode LOL - Laughing Out Loud MC - Master of Ceremonies MLK - Martin Luther King, Jr. MO - Modus Operandi MRE - Meals Ready to Eat MS - Manuscript MST - Mountain Standard Time MTG - Magic: The Gathering MTD - Month To Date NIB - New In the Box NAFTA - North American Free Trade Agreement NASA - National Aeronautical and Space Administration NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization NBA - National Basketball Association NIB - New In the Box NIMBY - Not In My Backyard OJ - Orange Juice OPEC - Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries PBJ - Peanut Butter and Jelly PC - Politically Correct PI - Private Investigator PIN - Personal Identification Number PM - Post Meridiem (after noon) POTUS - President of the United States POW - Prisoner of War PPS - Post-Postscript PS - Postscript PR - Public Relations PSI - Pounds Per Square Inch PST - Pacific Standard Time Q&A - Question and Answer R&R - Rest and Relaxation RAM - Random Access Memory RGB - Red, Green, Blue RIP - Rest in Peace (from the Latin, "Requiescat In Pace") ROM - Read Only Memory ROTC - Reserve Officers Training Corps ROYGBIV - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet RPG - Role Playing Game RSVP - Répondez S'il Vous Plaît (in French, this means "Please respond") RV - Recreational Vehicle scuba - Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus SNAFU - Systems Normal, All Fouled Up SOP - Standard Operating Procedure SOS - Save Our Souls (decided after the fact - SOS was chosen because it was short in Morse code) SPF - Sun Protection Factor (how sunscreen lotion is rated) TBA - To Be Announced TEOTWAWKI - The End Of The World As We Know It TGIF - Thank God It's Friday TLC - Tender Loving Care TV - Television UFO - Unidentified Flying Object UN - United Nations UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund UPC - Universal Product Code VIP - Very Important Person VP - Vice President WASP - White Anglo Saxon Protestant WHO - World Health Organization WOM - Word of Mouth WoW - World of Warcraft WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get YTD - Year To Date ZIP (code) - Zone Improvement Plan Common Acronyms in Pop Culture You may not even realize that your favorite TV show, movie character or musician is using an acronym as their name! ABBA (musical group) - Agnetha, Björn, Benny, Anni-Frid (first names of the band’s members) BUMP (slang) - Bring Up My Post HER (musician) - Having Everything Revealed NERD (musical group) - No one Ever Really Dies SHIELD (TV show) - Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division WALL-E (animated character) - Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class YAHOO (search engine) - Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle Common Acronyms in Chat Whether you’re DMing, texting or chatting in your favorite video game, acronyms are the key to keeping these messages quick and concise. These are the acronyms you probably use or read on the daily. ASAP - As Soon As Possible BAE - Before Anyone Else BOLO - Be On the LookOut FISH - First In, Still Here FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out GIF - Graphics Interchange Format (but is it “jif” or “gif”?) LOL - Laughing Out Loud (some people pronounce this as “lahl”) YOLO - You Only Live Once Common Initialisms in Chat There is a bit of debate about whether initialisms are acronyms or if acronyms and initialisms are both just types of abbreviations. An initialism is an abbreviation that uses the first letter of each word in the phrase it’s describing (like an acronym), but you still say each letter of the initialism individually (unlike an acronym). For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigations is shortened to FBI, but you say it as “eff-bee-eye,” not “fbi.” If you’re on the team that considers initialisms as a type of acronym, these are some common initialism examples: AFK - Away From Keyboard BBL - Be Back Later BBS - Be Back Soon BEG - Big Evil Grin BRB - Be Right Back BTW - By The Way EG - Evil Grin IDK - I Don't Know IMO - In My Opinion IRL - In Real Life LMK - Let Me Know NOYB - None of Your Business OMG - Oh My God POS - Parents Over Shoulder ROFL - Rolling On the Floor Laughing SMH - Shaking My Head TTYL - Talk To You Later WTH - What The Heck (or Hell) Common Acronyms in the Military and Government Listening to conversations in a government or official settings can be a bit like hearing a new language for the first time. Get in-the-know with common acronyms used in government and military settings. AWOL - Absent WithOut Leave FUBAR - F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration NAFTA - North American Free Trade Agreement NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Navy SEALs - Navy Sea Air Land forces POTUS - President of the United States SCOTUS - Supreme Court of the United States SWAT - Special Weapons And Tactics Common Initialisms in the Military and Government You won’t often hear these initialisms spoken as new words, even if some appear to spell out a new word. CIA - Central Intelligence Agency CPS - Child Protective Services CSI - Crime Scene Investigation DMV - Division of Motor Vehicles DNC - Democratic National Committee DOD - Department of Defense DON - Department of the Navy DZ - Drop Zone FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation GIB - GI Bill MIA - Missing In Action POW - Prisoner Of War RNC - Republican National Committee REAP - Reserve Education Assistance Program UN - United Nations USAF - United States Air Force Common Informative Acronyms Acronyms are a useful way to convey essential information quickly, but only if you know what they mean. Informative acronyms are commonly used in the medical field but have also crossed over from industries into daily life. AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome DARE - Drug Abuse Resistance Education PEMDAS - Parentheses, Exponent, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction (math order of operations) RADAR - Radio Detection And Ranging SONAR - Sound Navigation And Ranging ZIP code - Zone Improvement Plan code Common Informative Initialisms These abbreviations help quickly describe useful groups, items and actions. ABS - Anti-lock Braking System ADD - Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder AMA - Against Medical Advice CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention DOA - Dead On Arrival DOB - Date Of Birth DIY - Do It Yourself ESL - English As A Second Language FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus IQ - Intelligence Quotient MD - Medical Doctor OTC - Over The Counter PPV - Pay Per View PS - Post Script SUV - Sports Utility Vehicle UFO - Unidentified Flying Object Common Acronyms in Business Acronyms are often used in the business world to identify a business or to create shorthand communication between co-workers. CAPTCHA - Completely Automated Public Turing Test (to tell Computers and Humans Apart) DAEMON - Disk And Execution Monitor KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid NASDAQ - National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats SMART Goals - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound Goals TED - Tell me, Explain to me, Describe to me Common Initialisms in Business Business people often speak in initialisms once they’re comfortable with the industry lingo. ADP - Automated Data Processing AKA - Also Known As CDT - Central Daylight Time CST - Central Standard Time DBA - Doing Business As DND - Do Not Disturb EDS - Electronic Data Systems EOD - End of Day EOW - End of Week EDT - Eastern Daylight Time EST - Eastern Standard Time ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival FYI - For Your Information HR - Human Resources MBA - Masters of Business Administration MDT - Mountain Daylight Time MST - Mountain Standard Time POS - Point Of Service PR - Public Relations PDT - Pacific Daylight Time PST - Pacific Standard Time TBA - To Be Announced TBD - To Be Determined Common Acronyms as Identifiers Some acronyms identify an organization or person by shortening a long name into a pronounced acronym. Explore these common identifiers for organizations and dating. FLAG – Foreign Language Association of Georgia MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Driving PAWS – Progressive Animal Welfare Society PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Common Initialisms and Identifiers Although it’s not unheard of for people to pronounce AARP as “arp” these days, these initialisms aren’t true acronyms — yet. AA – Alcoholics Anonymous AARP – American Association of Retired Persons ADA – American Dental Association AFL – American Football League AMA – American Medical Association APA – American Psychological Association ESPN – Entertainment and Sports Programming Network LDR - Long Distance Relationship MLA – Modern Language Association MOTOS - Member Of The Opposite Sex MOTSS - Member Of The Same Sex NBA – National Basketball Association NFL – National Football League NHL – National Hockey League PGA – Professional Golfer’s Association SPCA – Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals SO - Significant Other SWF – Single White Female SWM – Single White Male WWE – World Wrestling Entertainment Funny Acronyms About Cars Everyone has their favorite car, and everyone has that car they’d never own again. For the latter, consider these acronyms when convincing others to join your side. BUICK - Big Ugly Import Car Killer CHEVY - Can Hear Every Valve Yell (or Cannot Have Expensive Vehicle Yet) DODGE - Drains Or Drops Grease Everywhere (or Dead On Day Guarantee Expires) FORD - Fix Or Repair Daily (or Found On Road Dead) HOLDEN - Hope Our Luck Doesn't End Now HONDA - Hang On, Not Done Accelerating JEEP - Just Expect Every Problem MAZDA - Most Always Zipping Dangerously Along (or My! Another Zany Detroit Assassin!) PORSCHE - Proof Of Rich Spoiled Children Having Everything TOYOTA - Too Often Yankees Overprice This Auto VOLVO - Very Odd-Looking Vehicular Object Funny Acronyms About School You may have learned your ABCs in school — but did you ever use them like this? BOOK - Brainy Object Of Knowledge CLASS - Come Late And Start Sleeping DESK - Doubtful Effort School Keeps MATH - Mental Abuse To Humans PENCIL - Perfect Effort, Never Caring If Learning SCHOOL - Sucks Children's Happiness Out Of Life STUDENT - Someone Told Us “Don’t Ever Notice Teachers” Funny Acronyms About People Need a funny way to insult someone (or make a jab about yourself)? Try out: BADD - Bikers Against Dumb Drivers BOSS - Barking Orders So Snidely DIET - Do I Eat Today? FAIL - Forget About It, Loser HATERS - Having Anger Towards Everyone Reaching Success HUSBAND - Heartthrob Usefully Serving Bond And Never Deserting LOVE - Loss Of Valuable Energy MAID - Mother Actually In Disguise NAKED - No Attire; Keep Eyes Averted STRESS - Stuff To Remember Every Single Second WIFE - Worries Invited For Ever (or Wise Investment Flourishing Eternally) Funny Acronyms About Places Keep these silly acronyms in mind when planning your next worldwide adventure. FOREST - Finding Outdoors Rather Eerie, Scary and Tiresome BEACH - Best Escape Anyone Can Have PRAIRIE - Pretty Rural Area; It’s Radiant, It’s Empty HOME - House Of My Errands WORK - Whiny, Overwhelming Recreation-Killer OFFICE - On Fourteenth Floor Is Corporate Evil PARK - Peaceful (Amid Rowdy Kids) MALL - Money Accepted, Long Lines Funny Medical Acronyms Check out a few funny medical acronyms (and initialisms) that you may find scribbled on hospital notes. ABITHAD - Another Blithering Idiot Thinks He's A Doctor COPS - Chronic Old Person's Disease FABIAN - Felt Awful, But I’m All Right Now GOMER - Get Out of My Emergency Room HIBGIA - Had It Before, Got It Again SALT - Same As Last Time TEETH - Tried Everything Else, Try Homeopathy TEON - Two Eyes One Nose TMB - Too Many Birthdays TTGA - Told To Go Away Acronyms for ‘Acronym’ For a twist, here are some acronyms for the word acronym itself: Alphabetical Code for Remembering Odd Names You Make up A Coded Rendition Of Names Yielding Meaning A Contrived Reduction Of Nouns, Yielding Mnemonics Another Cryptic Rendition Of Nomenclature You Memorize A Clever Re-Organization Nudges Your Memory Puns That Start With a Question Perhaps the oldest joke formula of all time is where you pose a rhetorical question and the answer is a clever pun. Here are some great pun examples for kids. How do turtles talk to each other? By using shell phones! Why are teddy bears never hungry? They are always stuffed! What was the reporter doing at the ice cream shop? Getting the scoop! What do baseball players eat on? Home plates! What did the judge say when the skunk walked into the courtroom? Odor in the court! Why did the lion spit out the clown? Because he tasted funny! What's purple and 5,000 miles long? The Grape Wall of China! What do you call a knight who is afraid to fight? Sir Render. Where does a boat go when it's not feeling well? To the dock. What did the rocket say to the astronaut? Have a blast! What kind of cake do ghosts like? Eye-scream cake! How do you compliment a gardener? Your veggies are a-maize-ing! Puns About Animals Funny animal puns always go over well with children. Short puns like these are particularly great for kiddos. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion. A skunk fell in the river and stank to the bottom. The Energizer Bunny was arrested and charged with battery. Why did the chicken cross the playground? To get to the other slide. Why did the spider go to the computer? To check his web-site. What do you get from a pampered cow? Spoiled milk. Where does a rat go with a toothache? A rodent-ist. What do you call a hard-working ant? A vigil-ant student. Why can't dogs get a driver's license? They can't parallel bark. Why did the turkey cross the road? To prove he wasn't chicken! Where do polar bears vote? The North Poll. What do you get when you cross a snake and a pie? A pie-thon! What do you call a sleeping bull? A bull-dozer. What do you call a bear without any teeth? A gummy bear. What's a cow's favorite hymn? A-maize-ing Grace. What do butterflies sleep on? Cater-pillows. Puns About Aquatic Critters Fish, shellfish and other creatures that live in the sea area also great fodder for kid-friendly puns. Why are fish so smart? Because they live in schools. What would you call a crocodile who steals? A crook-odile. Where would a shrimp go to get a loan? The prawn shop. Who would loan money to a fish? A loan shark! Where does a whale go to get its teeth straightened? An orca-dontist. Where does a fish keep its money? The river bank. Why is it so hard to find a pearl in an oyster? Because oysters are shellfish. Why do shrimp make good secret agents? If I told you, I'd have to krill you. Where'd you get those shells? I squid-napped them from the beach. Why did the kids go fishing with their friends? Pier pressure. Which fish is the biggest influencer? The star fish, of course. What kind of whale is the saddest? A blue whale. Nature Puns Puns about the joys of nature can be easy for kids to understand. Not only are these puns entertaining, but they can also help get kids interested in learning about nature. What did one wetland say to the other? Show me your mussels! We're going to the beach for the holidays. It'll be a family shell-ebration. Don't take hiking for granite. Do you like backpacking? Yes, it's in-tents! Is the forest beautiful? It's unbe-leaf-able. How would you describe rock climbing? Climb and punishment. What did the tree wear to the pool? Swimming trunks. How do you know the sun will be back tomorrow? It'll dawn on you. Why is the beach wet? Because the sea weed. What kind of waves will you see on a tiny beach? Micro-waves. How does the ocean say farewell? It waves. Kid-Friendly Food Puns Some of the funniest puns out there are about things to eat. Kids are sure to find these funny food puns hilarious. What's grandma's favorite fruit? Elder-berry. How do you fix a broken tomato? With tomato paste. When does a banana need to see a doctor? When it is peeling poorly. What should you say at a salad bar restaurant? Lettuce eat! What would a cat order in a Mexican restaurant? A purr-rito. Can I have some of that cheese? No, that is nacho cheese. Where does ground beef go to party? A meat-ball. What soup do Santa's helpers love the most? Elf-abet soup! What did baby corn ask mommy corn? Where's my pop corn? What fruit do twins like best? Pears! What does bread say when it gets too warm? It sure is toast-y in here! This spaghetti squash is an impasta! Good Puns for School Kids are familiar with all things school-related. They're likely to find puns about what they're familiar with to be hilarious punny jokes. Of course I ate my homework! The teacher said it's a piece of cake. The Easter play is a great eggs-tra curricular activity. The school festival is canceled? That's no fair! Ready for back to school? It's fall in a day's work. What's wrong with your math book? It has too many problems. Who is the boss of the classroom? The ruler. Why did the kid climb the tree to study? To get a higher education. The marine biology seminar is for educational porpoises. Don't be afraid of using a computer. It won't byte! What are you studying in math? Everything under the sum. Where did the ice cream man go to school? Sundae school. . 80 games, 1883-2016 QGD Baltic (Grau, Keres) defense Thanks Bourd, Brown, and ISeth for your contributions! 1 d4 d5 2 c4 Bf5 3 cxd5 A. 3...Bxb1 4 Qa4+ A1. 4...c6 5 dxc6 Nxc6 6 Rxb1 A 1a. 6...e5 7 Bb2 A 1b. 6...Qxd4 7 Qxd4 A 2. 4...Qd7 5 Qxd7+ Nxd7 6 Rxb1 Ngf6 7 g3 B.3...Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 Nf3 e6 6 Bd2 Bb4 7 e4 38 games, 1889-2016 QGD Cambridge Springs Variation This game an Indian Brahmin did invent, The force of Eastern wisdom to express; From thence the same to busy Europe sent; The modern Lombards stil'd it pensive Chess. — Sir John Denham You don’t have to be a polymath like Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit to improve your game Stephen Moss Sat 14 Nov 2020 01.56 EST The first thing to say about chess is that we are not all natural geniuses like Beth Harmon, the star of The Queen’s Gambit, who is taught the game by grumpy but lovable janitor Mr Shaibel at the age of nine and is very soon beating him. The daughter of a maths PhD, she sees the patterns and movement in chess immediately, can visualise effortlessly – being able to memorise moves and play without a board is the sign of chess mastery – and sees whole games on the ceiling of her orphanage dormitory. She is a prodigy, just like world champion Bobby Fischer, on whom Walter Tevis based the novel from which the TV series is drawn. We are mere mortals. So how do we get good? First, by loving chess. “You can only get good at chess if you love the game,” Fischer said. You need to be endlessly fascinated by it and see its infinite potential. Be willing to embrace the complexity; enjoy the adventure. Every game should be an education and teach us something. Losing doesn’t matter. Garry Kasparov, another former world champion, likes to say you learn far more from your defeats than your victories. Eventually you will start winning, but there will be a lot of losses on the way. Play people who are better than you, and be prepared to lose. Then you will learn. If you are a beginner, don’t feel the need to set out all the pieces at once. Start with the pawns, and then add the pieces. Understand the potential of each piece – the way a pair of bishops can dominate the board, how the rooks can sweep up pawns in an endgame, why the queen and a knight can work together so harmoniously. Find a good teacher – your own Mr Shaibel, but without the communication issues. Once you have established the basics, start using computers and online resources to play and to help you analyse games. lichess.org, chess.com and chess24.com are great sites for playing and learning. chessbomb.com is a brilliant resource for watching top tournaments. chessgames.com is a wonderful database of games. chesspuzzle.net is a great practice program. decodechess.com attempts to explain chess moves in layperson’s language. There are also plenty of sophisticated, all-purpose programs, usually called chess engines, such as Fritz and HIARCs that, for around £50, help you deconstruct your games and take you deeply into positions. But don’t let the computer do all the work. You need to engage your own brain on the analysis. And don’t endlessly play against the computer. Find human opponents, either online or, when the pandemic is over, in person. Bobby Fischer was stripped of his world title in 1975 after he refused to defend the title due to a row over the format. Photograph: RFS/AP Study the games of great masters of the past. Find a player you like and follow their careers. Fischer is a great starting point – his play is clear and comprehensible, and beautifully described in his famous book My 60 Memorable Games. Morphy (Harmon’s favourite), Alekhine, Capablanca, Tal, Korchnoi and Shirov are other legendary figures with whom the aspiring player might identify. They also have fascinating life stories, and chess is about hot human emotions as well as cold calculation. Modern grandmaster chess, which is based heavily on a deep knowledge of opening theory, is more abstruse and may be best avoided until you have acquired deep expertise. The current crop of leading grandmasters are also, if we are brutally honest, a bit lacking in personality compared with the giants of the past. Children will often find their school has a chess club, and that club may even have links with Chess in Schools and Communities, which supplies expert tutors to schools. Provision tends to be much better at primary than secondary level, and after 11 children will probably be left to their own devices if they want to carry on playing. If a player is really serious, she or he should join their local chess club. There is likely to be one meeting nearby, or there will be once the Covid crisis is over. At the moment, clubs are not meeting and there is very little over-the-board chess being played. Players are keeping their brains active online, where you can meet players from all over the world. That is fun, but be aware that some players are likely to be cheating – using chess engines to help them, making it hard for you to assess how good your play is. And you also get some abuse online from players who want to trash-talk. You are also likely to be playing at very fast time controls – so-called blitz chess – and that is no way to learn to really think about chess. If you want to start playing over-the-board tournaments (when they resume), you will need to join the chess federation in your respective country. After you’ve played the requisite number of official games, you will get a rating – a bit like a handicap in golf – and can then start being paired with players of your own strength in matches. But until then, the key is to keep enjoying chess and searching for the elusive “truth” in a position. If you see a good move, look for a better one. You can always dig a little deeper in the pursuit of something remarkable and counterintuitive. Beauty and truth: the essence of chess. Stephen Moss is the author of The Rookie: An Odyssey through Chess (and Life), published by Bloomsbury * YS Tactics: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics “God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” ― Voltaire When does a joke become a ‘dad’ joke? When it becomes apparent. “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?” ― Martin Luther King, Jr. "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." ― Harry S Truman, 33rd President of the United States, and former Colonel in the U.S. Army 409 zspray: move 35. zooter Frit z drip drip drip Kh4? Vermontoad ah wideload down down down theroad w/all sorts of yella flagz warn warning us. Don't Quit Poet: Edgar A. Guest When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit - Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns. As everyone of us sometimes learns. And many a fellow turns about when he Might have won had he stuck it out. Don't give up though the pace seems slow - You may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than it seems To a faint and faltering man; Often the struggler has given up when he Might have captured the victor's cup; And he learned too late when the night came down, How close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out - The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, And when you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems afar; So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - It's when things seem worst, You must not quit. “Rest if you must but don’t you quit!” — Anonymous “Courage doesn’t always roar, sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering ‘I will try again tomorrow’.” — Mary Anne Radmacher “The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.” — Barack Obama I saw Usain Bolt sprinting around the track shouting, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" It was a running joke. $ $ $ “Elon Musk, the world's richest person, recently revealed his strategy for investing alongside record inflation. According to the WSJ, since February 2020, the Fed increased the nation’s money supply by a staggering 40%. To some experts, it explains why the U.S. is experiencing its highest inflation rate since 1981. The Tesla and SpaceX founder told investors, in his experience, it’s “better to own physical things than dollars when inflation is high.” That’s especially shocking from Musk, who has historically passionately supported cryptocurrencies and other digital goods. The “physical goods” he mentioned could include oil, metals, and grains, which have all soared in prices…” — Nigel Glenday, Chief Financial Officer “If you do what you need, you’re surviving. If you do what you want, you’re living.” — Unknown "Stick to the prepared plan, man. Don't let others down who expect you to do your part. Do no harm. Fools rush in. Be calm, composed, wise; obey boundaries. Control your impulses, urges, your emotions, your words and actions. Respectfully play by the rules, or willful recklessness will burn you soon enough. All God's ambular creatures must stay back off thin ice. Mother Nature and Father Time always have their say. Be safe and sound as you explore." — Anonymous Bear <Luke 8:16-18 New King James Version The Parable of the Revealed Light Jesus said: 16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”> CAISSA or The Game at Chess; a Poem. (written in the year 1763, by Sir William Jones) (pronounced ky-eé-sah) Of armies on the chequer'd field array'd, And guiltless war in pleasing form display'd; When two bold kings contend with vain alarms, In ivory this, and that in ebon arms; Sing, sportive maids, that haunt the sacred hill Of Pindus, and the fam'd Pierian rill. Thou, joy of all below, and all above, Mild Venus, queen of laughter, queen of love; Leave thy bright island, where on many a rose And many a pink thy blooming train repose: Assist me, goddess! since a lovely pair Command my song, like thee devinely fair. Near yon cool stream, whose living waters play, And rise translucent in the solar ray; Beneath the covert of a fragrant bower, Where spring's nymphs reclin'd in calm retreat, And envying blossoms crouded round their seat; Here Delia was enthron'd, and by her side The sweet Sirena, both in beauty's pride: Thus shine two roses, fresh with early bloom, That from their native stalk dispense perfume; Their leaves unfolding to the dawning day Gems of the glowing mead, and eyes of May. A band of youths and damsels sat around, Their flowing locks with braided myrtle bound; Agatis, in the graceful dance admir'd, And gentle Thyrsis, by the muse inspir'd; With Sylvia, fairest of the mirthful train; And Daphnis, doom'd to love, yet love in vain. Now, whilst a purer blush o'erspreads her cheeks, With soothing accents thus Sirena speaks: "The meads and lawns are ting'd with beamy light, And wakeful larks begin their vocal flight; Whilst on each bank the dewdrops sweetly smile; What sport, my Delia, shall the hours beguile? Whall heavenly notes, prolong'd with various art, Charm the fond ear, and warm the rapturous heart? At distance shall we view the sylvan chace? Or catch with silken lines the finny race?" Then Delia thus: "Or rather, since we meet By chance assembled in this cool retreat, In artful contest let our warlike train Move well-directed o'er the field preside: No prize we need, our ardour to inflame; We fight with pleasure, if we fight for fame." The nymph consents: the maids and youths prepare To view the combat, and the sport to share: But Daphnis most approv'd the bold design, Whom Love instructed, and the tuneful Nine. He rose, and on the cedar table plac'd A polish'd board, with differing colours grac'd; Squares eight times eight in equal order lie; These bright as snow, those dark with sable dye; Like the broad target by the tortoise born, Or like the hide by spotted panthers worn. Then from a chest, with harmless heroes stor'd, O'er the smooth plain two well-wrought hosts he pour'd; The champions burn'd their rivals to assail, Twice eight in black, twice eight in milkwhite mail; In shape and station different, as in name, Their motions various, not their power the same. Say, muse! (for Jove has nought from thee conceal'd) Who form'd the legions on the level field? High in the midst the reverend kings appear, And o'er the rest their pearly scepters rear: One solemn step, majestically slow, They gravely move, and shun the dangerous foe; If e'er they call, the watchful subjects spring, And die with rapture if they save their king; On him the glory of the day depends, He once imprison'd, all the conflict ends. The queens exulting near their consorts stand; Each bears a deadly falchion in her hand; Now here, now there, they bound with furious pride, And thin the trmbling ranks from side to side; Swift as Camilla flying o'er the main, Or lightly skimming o'er the dewy plain: Fierce as they seem, some bold Plebeian spear May pierce their shield, or stop their full career. The valiant guards, their minds on havock bent, Fill the next squares, and watch the royal tent; Tho' weak their spears, tho' dwarfish be their height, Compact they move, the bulwark of the fight, To right and left the martial wings display Their shining arms, and stand in close array. Behold, four archers, eager to advance, Send the light reed, and rush with sidelong glance; Through angles ever they assault the foes, True to the colour, which at first they chose. Then four bold knights for courage-fam'd and speed, Each knight exalted on a prancing steed: Their arching course no vulgar limit knows, Tranverse they leap, and aim insidious blows: Nor friends, nor foes, their rapid force restrain, By on quick bound two changing squares they gain; From varing hues renew the fierce attack, And rush from black to white, from white to black. Four solemn elephants the sides defend; Benearth the load of ponderous towers they bend: In on unalter'd line they tempt the fight; Now crush the left, and now o'erwhelm the right. Bright in the front the dauntless soldiers raise Their polish'd spears; their steely helmets blaze: Prepar'd they stand the daring foe to strike, Direct their progress, but their wounds oblique. Now swell th' embattled troups with hostile rage, And clang their shields, impatient to engage; When Daphnis thus: A varied plain behold, Where fairy kings their mimick tents unfold, As Oberon, and Mab, his wayward queen, Lead forth their armies on the daisied green. No mortal hand the wond'rous sport contriv'd, By gods invents, and from gods deriv'd; From them the British nymphs receiv'd the game, And play ech morn beneath the crystal Thame; Hear then the tale, which they to Colin sung, As idling o'er the lucid wave he hung. A lovely dryad rang'd the Thracian wild, Her air enchanting, and her aspect mild: To chase the bounding hart was all her joy, Averse from Hymen, and the Cyprian boy; O'er hills an valleys was her beauty fam'd, And fair Caissa was the damsel nam'd. Mars saw the maid; with deep surprize he gaz'd, Admir'd her shape, and every gesture prais'd: His golden bow the child of Venus bent, And through his breast a piecing arrow sent. The reed was hope; the feathers, keen desire; The point, her eyes; the barbs, ethereal fire. Soon to the nymph he pour'd his tender strain; The haughtly dryad scorn'd his amorous pain: He told his woes, where'er the maid he found, And still he press'd, yet still Caissa frown'd; But ev'n her frowns (ah, what might smiles have done!) Fir'd all his soul, and all his senses won. He left his car, by raging tigers drawn, And lonely wander'd o'er the dusky lawn; Then lay desponding near a murmuring stream, And fair Caissa was his plaintive theme. A naiad heard him from her mossy bed, And through the crystal rais'd her placid head; Then mildly spake: "O thou, whom love inspires, Thy tears will nourish, not allay thy fires. The smiling blossoms drink the pearly dew; And ripening fruit the feather'd race pursue; The scaly shoals devour the silken weeds; Love on our sighs, and on our sorrow feeds. Then weep no more; but, ere thou canst obtain Balm to thy wounds, and solace to thy pain, With gentle art thy martial look beguile; Be mild, and teach thy rugged brow to smile. Canst thou no play, no soothing game devise; To make thee lovely in the damsel's eyes? So may thy prayers assuage the scornful dame, And ev'n Caissa own a mutual frame." Kind nymph, said Mars, thy counsel I approve; Art, only art, her ruthless breast can move. but when? or how? They dark discourse explain: So may thy stream ne'er swell with gushing rain; So may thy waves in one pure current flow, And flowers eternal on thy border blow!" To whom the maid replied with smiling mien: "Above the palace of the Paphian queen Love's brother dwells, a boy of graceful port, By gods nam'd Euphron, and by mortals Sport: Seek him; to faithful ears unfold thy grief, And hope, ere morn return, a sweet relief. His temple hangs below the azure skies; Seest thou yon argent cloud? 'Tis there it lies." This said, she sunk beneath the liquid plain, And sought the mansion of her blue-hair'd train. Meantime the god, elate with heart-felt joy, Had reach'd the temple of the sportful boy; He told Caissa's charms, his kindled fire, The naiad's counsel, and his warm desire. "Be swift, he added, give my passion aid; A god requests." - He spake, and Sport obey'd. He fram'd a tablet of celestial mold, Inlay'd with squares of silver and of gold; Then of two metals form'd the warlike band, That here compact in show of battle stand; He taught the rules that guide the pensive game, And call'd it Cassa from the dryad's name: (Whence Albion's sons, who most its praise confess, Approv'd the play, and nam'd it thoughtful Chess.) The god delighted thank'd indulgent Sport; Then grasp'd the board, and left his airy court. With radiant feet he pierc'd the clouds; nor stay'd, Till in the woods he saw the beauteous maid: Tir'd with the chase the damsel set reclin'd, Her girdle loose, her bosom unconfin'd. He took the figure of a wanton faun, And stood before her on the flowery lawn; Then show'd his tablet: pleas'd the nymph survey'd The lifeless troops in glittering ranks display'd; She ask'd the wily sylvan to explain The various motions of the splendid train; With eager heart she caught the winning lore, And thought ev'n Mars less hateful than before; "What spell," said she, "deceiv'd my careless mind? The god was fair, and I was most unkind." She spoke, and saw the changing faun assume A milder aspect, and a fairer bloom; His wreathing horns, that from his temples grew, Flow'd down in curls of bright celestial hue; The dappled hairs, that veil'd his loveless face, Blaz'd into beams, and show'd a heavenly grace; The shaggy hide, that mantled o'er his breast, Was soften'd to a smooth transparent vest, That through its folds his vigorous bosom show'd, And nervous limbs, where youthful ardour glow'd: (Had Venus view'd him in those blooming charms, Not Vulcan's net had forc'd her from his arms.) With goatlike feet no more he mark'd the ground, But braided flowers his silken sandals bound. The dryad blush'd; and, as he press'd her, smil'd, Whilst all his cares one tender glance beguil'd. He ends: To arms, the maids and striplings cry; To arms, the groves and sounding vales reply. Sirena led to war the swarthy crew, And Delia those that bore the lily's hue. Who first, O muse, began the bold attack; The white refulgent, or the mournful black? Fair Delia first, as favoring lots ordain, Moves her pale legions tow'rd the sable train: From thought to thought her lively fancy flies, Whilst o'er the board she darts her sparkling eyes. At length the warrior moves with haughty strides; Who from the plain the snowy king divides: With equal haste his swarthy rival bounds; His quiver rattles, and his buckler sounds: Ah! hapless youths, with fatal warmth you burn; Laws, ever fix'd, forbid you to return. then from the wing a short-liv'd spearman flies, Unsafely bold, and see! he dies, he dies: The dark-brow'd hero, with one vengeful blow Of life and place deprives his ivory foe. Now rush both armies o'er the burnish'd field, Hurl the swift dart, and rend the bursting shield. Here furious knights on fiery coursers prance, but see! the white-rob'd Amazon beholds Where the dark host its opening van unfolds: Soon as her eye discerns the hostile maid, By ebon shield, and ebon helm betray'd; Seven squares she passed with majestic mien, And stands triumphant o'er the falling queen. Perplex'd, and sorrowing at his consort's fate, The monarch burn'd with rage, despair, and hate: Swift from his zone th' avenging blade he drew, And, mad with ire, the proud virago slew. Meanwhile sweet smiling Delia's wary king Retir'd from fight behind the circling wing. Long time the war in equal balance hung; Till, unforseen, an ivory courser sprung, And, wildly prancing in an evil hour, Attack'd at once the monarch and the tower: Sirena blush'd; for, as the rules requir'd, Her injur'd sovereign to his tent retir'd; Whilst her lost castle leaves his threatening height, And adds new glory to th' exulting knight. At this, pale fear oppress'd the drooping maid, And on her cheek the rose began to fade: A crystal tear, that stood prepar'd to fall, She wip'd in silence, and conceal'd from all; From all but Daphnis; He remark'd her pain, And saw the weakness of her ebon train; Then gently spoke: "Let me your loss supply, And either nobly win, or nobly dir; Me oft has fortune crown'd with fair success, And led to triumph in the fields of Chess." He said: the willing nymph her place resign'd, And sat at distance on the bank reclin'd. Thus when Minerva call'd her chief to arms, And Troy's high turret shook with dire alarms, The Cyprian goddess wounded left the plain, And Mars engag'd a mightier force in vain. Strait Daphnis leads his squadron to the field; (To Delia's arms 'tis ev'n a joy to yield.) Each guileful snare, and subtle art he tries, But finds his heart less powerful than her eyes: Wisdom and strength superior charms obey; And beauty, beauty, wins the long-fought day. By this a hoary chief, on slaughter bent, Approach'd the gloomy king's unguarded tent; Where, late, his consort spread dismay around, Now her dark corse lies bleeding on the ground. Hail, happy youth! they glories not unsung Shall live eternal on the poet's tongue; For thou shalt soon receive a splendid change, And o'er the plain with nobler fury range. The swarthy leaders saw the storm impend, And strove in vain their sovereign to defend: Th' invader wav'd his silver lance in air, And flew like lightning to the fatal square; His limbs dilated in a moment grew To stately height, and widen'd to the view; More fierce his look, more lion-like his mien, Sublime he mov'd, and seem'd a warrior queen. As when the sage on some unfolding plant Has caught a wandering fly, or frugal ant, His hand the microscopic frame applies, And lo! a bright hair'd monster meets his eyes; He sees new plumes in slender cases roll'd; Here stain'd with azure, there bedropp'd with gold; Thus, on the alter'd chief both armies gaze, And both the kings are fix'd with deep amaze. The sword, which arm'd the snow-white maid before, He noew assumes, and hurls the spear no more; The springs indignant on the dark-rob'd band, And knights and archers feel his deadly hand. Now flies the monarch of the sable shield, His legions vanquish'd, o'er the lonely field: So when the morn, by rosy coursers drawn, With pearls and rubies sows the verdant lawn, Whilst each pale star from heaven's blue vault retires, Still Venus gleams, and last of all expires. He hears, where'er he moves, the dreadful sound; Check the deep vales, and Check the woods rebound. No place remains: he sees the certain fate, And yields his throne to ruin, and Checkmate. A brighter blush o'erspreads the damsel's cheeks, And mildly thus the conquer'd stripling speaks: "A double triumph, Delia, hast thou won, By Mars protected, and by Venus' son; The first with conquest crowns thy matchless art, The second points those eyes at Daphnis' heart." She smil'd; the nymphs and amorous youths arise, And own that beauty gain'd the nobler prize. Low in their chest the mimic troops were lay'd, And peaceful slept the sable hero's shade. / 31 games, 1848-2007 QGD Ride Relish & Mustard 101 Best Riddles Riddle Question: What has to be broken before you can use it? Riddle Answer: An egg Riddle Question: I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I? Riddle Answer: A candle Riddle Question: What month of the year has 28 days? Riddle Answer: All of them Riddle Question: What is full of holes but still holds water? Riddle Answer: A sponge Riddle Question: What question can you never answer yes to? Riddle Answer: Are you asleep yet? Riddle Question: What is always in front of you but can’t be seen? Riddle Answer: The future Riddle Question: There’s a one-story house in which everything is yellow. Yellow walls, yellow doors, yellow furniture. What color are the stairs? Riddle Answer: There aren’t any—it’s a one-story house. Riddle Question. What can you break, even if you never pick it up or touch it? Riddle Answer: A promise Riddle Question: What goes up but never comes down? Riddle Answer: Your age Riddle Question: A man who was outside in the rain without an umbrella or hat didn’t get a single hair on his head wet. Why? Riddle Answer: He was bald. Riddle Question: What gets wet while drying? Riddle Answer: A towel Riddle Question: What can you keep after giving to someone? Riddle Answer: Your word 13. Riddle: I shave every day, but my beard stays the same. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A barber 14. Riddle: You see a boat filled with people, yet there isn’t a single person on board. How is that possible? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: All the people on the boat are married. 15. Riddle: You walk into a room that contains a match, a kerosene lamp, a candle and a fireplace. What would you light first? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: The match 16. Riddle: A man dies of old age on his 25 birthday. How is this possible? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: He was born on February 29. 17. Riddle: I have branches, but no fruit, trunk or leaves. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A bank 18. Riddle: What can’t talk but will reply when spoken to? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: An echo 19. Riddle: The more of this there is, the less you see. What is it? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Darkness Riddles for Kids 20. Riddle: David’s parents have three sons: Snap, Crackle, and what’s the name of the third son? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: David 21. Riddle: I follow you all the time and copy your every move, but you can’t touch me or catch me. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Your shadow 22. Riddle: What has many keys but can’t open a single lock? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A piano 23. Riddle: What can you hold in your left hand but not in your right? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Your right elbow 24. Riddle: What is black when it’s clean and white when it’s dirty? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A chalkboard 25. Riddle: What gets bigger when more is taken away? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A hole 26. Riddle: I’m light as a feather, yet the strongest person can’t hold me for five minutes. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Your breath 27. Riddle: I’m found in socks, scarves and mittens; and often in the paws of playful kittens. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Yarn 28. Riddle: Where does today come before yesterday? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: The dictionary 29. Riddle: What invention lets you look right through a wall? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A window 30. Riddle: If you’ve got me, you want to share me; if you share me, you haven’t kept me. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A secret 31. Riddle: What can’t be put in a saucepan? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: It’s lid 32. Riddle: What goes up and down but doesn’t move? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A staircase 33. Riddle: If you’re running in a race and you pass the person in second place, what place are you in? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Second place 34. Riddle: It belongs to you, but other people use it more than you do. What is it? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Your name Funny Riddles 35. Riddle: What has lots of eyes, but can’t see? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A potato 36. Riddle: What has one eye, but can’t see? Riddle Answer: A needle 37. Riddle: What has many needles, but doesn’t sew? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A Christmas tree 38. Riddle: What has hands, but can’t clap? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A clock 39. Riddle: What has legs, but doesn’t walk? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A table 40. Riddle: What has one head, one foot and four legs? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A bed 41. Riddle: What can you catch, but not throw? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A cold 42. Riddle: What kind of band never plays music? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A rubber band 43. Riddle: What has many teeth, but can’t bite? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A comb 44. Riddle: What is cut on a table, but is never eaten? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A deck of cards 45. Riddle: What has words, but never speaks? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A book 46. Riddle: What runs all around a backyard, yet never moves? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A fence 47. Riddle: What can travel all around the world without leaving its corner? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A stamp 48. Riddle: What has a thumb and four fingers, but is not a hand? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A glove 49. Riddle: What has a head and a tail but no body? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A coin 50. Riddle: Where does one wall meet the other wall? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: On the corner 51. Riddle: What building has the most stories? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: The library 52. Riddle: What tastes better than it smells? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Your tongue 53. Riddle: What has 13 hearts, but no other organs? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A deck of cards 54. Riddle: It stalks the countryside with ears that can’t hear. What is it? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Corn 55. Riddle: What kind of coat is best put on wet? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A coat of paint 56. Riddle: What has a bottom at the top? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Your legs 57. Riddle: What has four wheels and flies? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A garbage truck Math Riddles 58. Riddle: I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Seven 59. Riddle: If two’s company, and three’s a crowd, what are four and five? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Nine 60. Riddle: What three numbers, none of which is zero, give the same result whether they’re added or multiplied? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: One, two and three 61. Riddle: Mary has four daughters, and each of her daughters has a brother. How many children does Mary have? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Five—each daughter has the same brother. 62. Riddle: Which is heavier: a ton of bricks or a ton of feathers? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Neither—they both weigh a ton. 63. Riddle: Three doctors said that Bill was their brother. Bill says he has no brothers. How many brothers does Bill actually have? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: None. He has three sisters. 64. Riddle: Two fathers and two sons are in a car, yet there are only three people in the car. How? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: They are a grandfather, father and son. 65. Riddle: The day before yesterday I was 21, and next year I will be 24. When is my birthday? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: December 31; today is January 1. 66. Riddle: A little girl goes to the store and buys one dozen eggs. As she is going home, all but three break. How many eggs are left unbroken? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Three 67. Riddle: A man describes his daughters, saying, “They are all blonde, but two; all brunette but two; and all redheaded but two.” How many daughters does he have? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Three: A blonde, a brunette and a redhead 68. Riddle: If there are three apples and you take away two, how many apples do you have? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: You have two apples. 69. Riddle: A girl has as many brothers as sisters, but each brother has only half as many brothers as sisters. How many brothers and sisters are there in the family? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Four sisters and three brothers Related: 101 Fun Facts Word Riddles 70. Riddle: What five-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Short 71. Riddle: What begins with an "e" and only contains one letter? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: An envelope 72. Riddle: A word I know, six letters it contains, remove one letter and 12 remains. What is it? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Dozens 73. Riddle: What would you find in the middle of Toronto? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: The letter “o” 74. Riddle: You see me once in June, twice in November and not at all in May. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: The letter “e” 75. Riddle: Two in a corner, one in a room, zero in a house, but one in a shelter. What is it? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: The letter “r” Related: Would You Rather Questions 76. Riddle: I am the beginning of everything, the end of everywhere. I'm the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Also the letter “e” 77. Riddle: What 4-letter word can be written forward, backward or upside down, and can still be read from left to right? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: NOON 78. Riddle: Forward I am heavy, but backward I am not. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: The word “not” 79. Riddle: What is 3/7 chicken, 2/3 cat and 2/4 goat? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Chicago 80. Riddle: I am a word of letters three; add two and fewer there will be. What word am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Few 81. Riddle: What word of five letters has one left when two are removed? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Stone 82. Riddle: What is the end of everything? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: The letter “g” 83. Riddle: What word is pronounced the same if you take away four of its five letters? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Queue 84. Riddle: I am a word that begins with the letter “i.” If you add the letter “a” to me, I become a new word with a different meaning, but that sounds exactly the same. What word am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Isle (add “a” to make “aisle”) 85. Riddle: What word in the English language does the following: The first two letters signify a male, the first three letters signify a female, the first four letters signify a great, while the entire world signifies a great woman. What is the word? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Heroine Related: 101 Funny Puns Really Hard Riddles for Adults 86. Riddle: What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Silence. 87. Riddle: What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A river 88. Riddle: Speaking of rivers, a man calls his dog from the opposite side of the river. The dog crosses the river without getting wet, and without using a bridge or boat. How? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: The river was frozen. 89. Riddle: What can fill a room but takes up no space? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Light 90. Riddle: If you drop me I’m sure to crack, but give me a smile and I’ll always smile back. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A mirror 91. Riddle: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Footsteps 92. Riddle: I turn once, what is out will not get in. I turn again, what is in will not get out. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A key 93. Riddle: People make me, save me, change me, raise me. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Money 94. Riddle: What breaks yet never falls, and what falls yet never breaks? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Day, and night 95. Riddle: What goes through cities and fields, but never moves? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A road 96. Riddle: I am always hungry and will die if not fed, but whatever I touch will soon turn red. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Fire 97. Riddle: The person who makes it has no need of it; the person who buys it has no use for it. The person who uses it can neither see nor feel it. What is it? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A coffin 98. Riddle: A man looks at a painting in a museum and says, “Brothers and sisters I have none, but that man’s father is my father’s son.” Who is in the painting? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: The man’s son 99. Riddle: With pointed fangs I sit and wait; with piercing force I crunch out fate; grabbing victims, proclaiming might; physically joining with a single bite. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A stapler 100. Riddle: I have lakes with no water, mountains with no stone and cities with no buildings. What am I? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: A map 101. Riddle: What does man love more than life, hate more than death or mortal strife; that which contented men desire; the poor have, the rich require; the miser spends, the spendthrift saves, and all men carry to their graves? Scroll down for Riddle Answer... Riddle Answer: Nothing I entered ten puns in our contest to see which would win. No pun in ten did. “Above the clouds I lift my wing To hear the bells of Heaven ring; Some of their music, though my fights be wild, To Earth I bring; Then let me soar and sing!” ― Edmund Clarence Stedman Feb-13-11 keypusher: <scutigera: They give this as one of Myagmarsuren's notable games with 162 others in the database?> notable games are selected based on how many games collections they are in. Dec-12-16 DrGridlock: Q: When is a pin not a pin? A: When the piece is: (i) not pinned to the king and (ii) in moving the piece threatens either mate or greater material gain than what it was pinned to. (iii) in moving the piece now defends the unit it was pinned to, such as Nf3xd4 and protects the Be2 that was behind the knight. The Deserted Village BY OLIVER GOLDSMITH (1730-1774) Sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain, Where health and plenty cheared the labouring swain, Where smiling spring its earliest visit paid, And parting summer's lingering blooms delayed, Dear lovely bowers of innocence and ease, Seats of my youth, when every sport could please, How often have I loitered o'er thy green, Where humble happiness endeared each scene! How often have I paused on every charm, The sheltered cot, the cultivated farm, The never-failing brook, the busy mill, The decent church that topt the neighbouring hill, The hawthorn bush, with seats beneath the shade, For talking age and whispering lovers made! How often have I blest the coming day, When toil remitting lent its turn to play, And all the village train, from labour free, Led up their sports beneath the spreading tree, While many a pastime circled in the shade, The young contending as the old surveyed; And many a gambol frolicked o'er the ground, And slights of art and feats of strength went round; And still as each repeated pleasure tired, Succeeding sports the mirthful band inspired; The dancing pair that simply sought renown By holding out to tire each other down; The swain mistrustless of his smutted face, While secret laughter tittered round the place; The bashful virgin's side-long looks of love, The matron's glance that would those looks reprove! These were thy charms, sweet village; sports like these, With sweet succession, taught even toil to please; These round thy bowers their chearful influence shed, These were thy charms—But all these charms are fled. Sweet smiling village, loveliest of the lawn, Thy sports are fled, and all thy charms withdrawn; Amidst thy bowers the tyrant's hand is seen, And desolation saddens all thy green: One only master grasps the whole domain, And half a tillage stints thy smiling plain; No more thy glassy brook reflects the day, But, choaked with sedges, works its weedy way; Along thy glades, a solitary guest, The hollow-sounding bittern guards its nest; Amidst thy desert walks the lapwing flies, And tires their echoes with unvaried cries. Sunk are thy bowers, in shapeless ruin all, And the long grass o'ertops the mouldering wall; And, trembling, shrinking from the spoiler's hand, Far, far away, thy children leave the land. Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates, and men decay: Princes and lords may flourish, or may fade; A breath can make them, as a breath has made; But a bold peasantry, their country's pride, When once destroyed, can never be supplied. A time there was, ere England's griefs began, When every rood of ground maintained its man; For him light labour spread her wholesome store, Just gave what life required, but gave no more: His best companions, innocence and health; And his best riches, ignorance of wealth. But times are altered; trade's unfeeling train Usurp the land and dispossess the swain; Along the lawn, where scattered hamlets rose, Unwieldy wealth and cumbrous pomp repose; And every want to oppulence allied, And every pang that folly pays to pride. Those gentle hours that plenty bade to bloom, Those calm desires that asked but little room, Those healthful sports that graced the peaceful scene, Lived in each look, and brightened all the green; These, far departing seek a kinder shore, And rural mirth and manners are no more. Sweet Auburn! parent of the blissful hour, Thy glades forlorn confess the tyrant's power. Here as I take my solitary rounds, Amidst thy tangling walks, and ruined grounds, And, many a year elapsed, return to view Where once the cottage stood, the hawthorn grew, Remembrance wakes with all her busy train, Swells at my breast, and turns the past to pain. In all my wanderings round this world of care, In all my griefs—and God has given my share— I still had hopes, my latest hours to crown, Amidst these humble bowers to lay me down; To husband out life's taper at the close, And keep the flame from wasting by repose. I still had hopes, for pride attends us still, Amidst the swains to shew my book-learned skill, Around my fire an evening groupe to draw, And tell of all I felt, and all I saw; And, as an hare whom hounds and horns pursue, Pants to the place from whence at first she flew, I still had hopes, my long vexations past, Here to return—and die at home at last. O blest retirement, friend to life's decline, Retreats from care that never must be mine, How happy he who crowns, in shades like these A youth of labour with an age of ease; Who quits a world where strong temptations try, And, since 'tis hard to combat, learns to fly! For him no wretches, born to work and weep, Explore the mine, or tempt the dangerous deep; No surly porter stands in guilty state To spurn imploring famine from the gate, But on he moves to meet his latter end, Angels around befriending virtue's friend; Bends to the grave with unperceived decay, While resignation gently slopes the way; And, all his prospects brightening to the last, His Heaven commences ere the world be past! Sweet was the sound, when oft at evening's close, Up yonder hill the village murmur rose; There, as I past with careless steps and slow, The mingling notes came soften'd from below; The swain responsive as the milk-maid sung, The sober herd that lowed to meet their young, The noisy geese that gabbled o'er the pool, The playful children just let loose from school, The watch-dog's voice that bayed the whispering wind, And the loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind, These all in sweet confusion sought the shade, And filled each pause the nightingale had made. But now the sounds of population fail, No cheerful murmurs fluctuate in the gale, No busy steps the grass-grown foot-way tread, For all the bloomy flush of life is fled. All but yon widowed, solitary thing That feebly bends beside the plashy spring; She, wretched matron, forced in age, for bread, To strip the brook with mantling cresses spread, To pick her wintry faggot from the thorn, To seek her nightly shed, and weep till morn; She only left of all the harmless train, The sad historian of the pensive plain. Near yonder copse, where once the garden smiled, And still where many a garden-flower grows wild; There, where a few torn shrubs the place disclose, The village preacher's modest mansion rose. A man he was, to all the country dear, And passing rich with forty pounds a year; Remote from towns he ran his godly race, Nor e'er had changed, nor wished to change his place; Unpractised he to fawn, or seek for power, By doctrines fashioned to the varying hour; Far other aims his heart had learned to prize, More skilled to raise the wretched than to rise. His house was known to all the vagrant train, He chid their wanderings but relieved their pain; The long-remembered beggar was his guest, Whose beard descending swept his aged breast; The ruined spendthrift, now no longer proud, Claim'd kindred there, and had his claims allowed; The broken soldier, kindly bade to stay, Sate by his fire, and talked the night away; Wept o'er his wounds, or, tales of sorrow done, Shouldered his crutch, and shewed how fields were won. Pleased with his guests, the good man learned to glow, And quite forgot their vices in their woe; Careless their merits, or their faults to scan, His pity gave ere charity began. Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride, And even his failings leaned to Virtue's side; But in his duty prompt at every call, He watched and wept, he prayed and felt, for all. And, as a bird each fond endearment tries, To tempt its new-fledged offspring to the skies; He tried each art, reproved each dull delay, Allured to brighter worlds, and led the way. Beside the bed where parting life was layed, And sorrow, guilt, and pain, by turns, dismayed The reverend champion stood. At his control Despair and anguish fled the struggling soul; Comfort came down the trembling wretch to raise, And his last faltering accents whispered praise. At church, with meek and unaffected grace, His looks adorned the venerable place; Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway, And fools, who came to scoff, remained to pray. The service past, around the pious man, With steady zeal, each honest rustic ran; Even children followed, with endearing wile, And plucked his gown, to share the good man's smile. His ready smile a parent's warmth exprest, Their welfare pleased him, and their cares distrest: To them his heart, his love, his griefs were given, But all his serious thoughts had rest in Heaven. As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form, Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm, Tho' round its breast the rolling clouds are spread, Eternal sunshine settles on its head. Beside yon straggling fence that skirts the way, With blossomed furze unprofitably gay, There, in his noisy mansion, skill'd to rule, The village master taught his little school; A man severe he was, and stern to view, I knew him well, and every truant knew; Well had the boding tremblers learned to trace The day's disasters in his morning face; Full well they laughed, with counterfeited glee, At all his jokes, for many a joke had he: Full well the busy whisper circling round, Conveyed the dismal tidings when he frowned; Yet he was kind, or if severe in aught, The love he bore to learning was in fault; The village all declared how much he knew; 'Twas certain he could write, and cypher too; Lands he could measure, terms and tides presage, And ev'n the story ran that he could gauge. In arguing too, the parson owned his skill, For even tho' vanquished, he could argue still; While words of learned length and thundering sound, Amazed the gazing rustics ranged around; And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew, That one small head could carry all he knew. But past is all his fame. The very spot Where many a time he triumphed, is forgot. Near yonder thorn, that lifts its head on high, Where once the sign-post caught the passing eye, Low lies that house where nut-brown draughts inspired, Where grey-beard mirth and smiling toil retired, Where village statesmen talked with looks profound, And news much older than their ale went round. Imagination fondly stoops to trace The parlour splendours of that festive place; The white-washed wall, the nicely sanded floor, The varnished clock that clicked behind the door; The chest contrived a double debt to pay, A bed by night, a chest of drawers by day; The pictures placed for ornament and use, The twelve good rules, the royal game of goose; The hearth, except when winter chill'd the day, With aspen boughs, and flowers, and fennel gay; While broken tea-cups, wisely kept for shew, Ranged o'er the chimney, glistened in a row. Vain transitory splendours! Could not all Reprieve the tottering mansion from its fall! Obscure it sinks, nor shall it more impart An hour's importance to the poor man's heart; Thither no more the peasant shall repair To sweet oblivion of his daily care; No more the farmer's news, the barber's tale, No more the woodman's ballad shall prevail; No more the smith his dusky brow shall clear, Relax his ponderous strength, and lean to hear; The host himself no longer shall be found Careful to see the mantling bliss go round; Nor the coy maid, half willing to be prest, Shall kiss the cup to pass it to the rest. Yes! let the rich deride, the proud disdain, These simple blessings of the lowly train; To me more dear, congenial to my heart, One native charm, than all the gloss of art; Spontaneous joys, where Nature has its play, The soul adopts, and owns their first-born sway; Lightly they frolic o'er the vacant mind, Unenvied, unmolested, unconfined. But the long pomp, the midnight masquerade, With all the freaks of wanton wealth arrayed, In these, ere triflers half their wish obtain, The toiling pleasure sickens into pain; And, even while fashion's brightest arts decoy, The heart distrusting asks, if this be joy. Ye friends to truth, ye statesmen who survey The rich man's joys encrease, the poor's decay, 'Tis yours to judge, how wide the limits stand Between a splendid and a happy land. Proud swells the tide with loads of freighted ore, And shouting Folly hails them from her shore; Hoards even beyond the miser's wish abound, And rich men flock from all the world around. Yet count our gains. This wealth is but a name That leaves our useful products still the same. Not so the loss. The man of wealth and pride Takes up a space that many poor supplied; Space for his lake, his park's extended bounds, Space for his horses, equipage, and hounds: The robe that wraps his limbs in silken sloth, Has robbed the neighbouring fields of half their growth; His seat, where solitary sports are seen, Indignant spurns the cottage from the green: Around the world each needful product flies, For all the luxuries the world supplies. While thus the land adorned for pleasure, all In barren splendour feebly waits the fall. As some fair female unadorned and plain, Secure to please while youth confirms her reign, Slights every borrowed charm that dress supplies, Nor shares with art the triumph of her eyes. But when those charms are past, for charms are frail, When time advances, and when lovers fail, She then shines forth, solicitous to bless, In all the glaring impotence of dress. Thus fares the land, by luxury betrayed: In nature's simplest charms at first arrayed; But verging to decline, its splendours rise, Its vistas strike, its palaces surprize; While, scourged by famine from the smiling land, The mournful peasant leads his humble band; And while he sinks, without one arm to save, The country blooms—a garden, and a grave. Where then, ah where, shall poverty reside, To scape the pressure of contiguous pride? If to some common's fenceless limits strayed, He drives his flock to pick the scanty blade, Those fenceless fields the sons of wealth divide, And ev'n the bare-worn common is denied. If to the city sped—What waits him there? To see profusion that he must not share; To see ten thousand baneful arts combined To pamper luxury, and thin mankind; To see those joys the sons of pleasure know, Extorted from his fellow-creature's woe. Here while the courtier glitters in brocade, There the pale artist plies the sickly trade; Here while the proud their long-drawn pomps display, There the black gibbet glooms beside the way. The dome where Pleasure holds her midnight reign, Here, richly deckt, admits the gorgeous train; Tumultuous grandeur crowds the blazing square, The rattling chariots clash, the torches glare. Sure scenes like these no troubles e'er annoy! Sure these denote one universal joy! Are these thy serious thoughts?—Ah, turn thine eyes Where the poor houseless shivering female lies. She once, perhaps, in village plenty blest, Has wept at tales of innocence distrest; Her modest looks the cottage might adorn Sweet as the primrose peeps beneath the thorn: Now lost to all; her friends, her virtue fled, Near her betrayer's door she lays her head, And, pinch'd with cold, and shrinking from the shower, With heavy heart deplores that luckless hour When idly first, ambitious of the town, She left her wheel and robes of country brown. Do thine, sweet Auburn, thine, the loveliest train, Do thy fair tribes participate her pain? Even now, perhaps, by cold and hunger led, At proud men's doors they ask a little bread! Ah, no. To distant climes, a dreary scene, Where half the convex world intrudes between, Through torrid tracts with fainting steps they go, Where wild Altama murmurs to their woe. Far different there from all that charm'd before, The various terrors of that horrid shore; Those blazing suns that dart a downward ray, And fiercely shed intolerable day; Those matted woods where birds forget to sing, But silent bats in drowsy clusters cling; Those poisonous fields with rank luxuriance crowned, Where the dark scorpion gathers death around; Where at each step the stranger fears to wake The rattling terrors of the vengeful snake; Where crouching tigers wait their hapless prey, And savage men, more murderous still than they; While oft in whirls the mad tornado flies, Mingling the ravaged landscape with the skies. Far different these from every former scene, The cooling brook, the grassy vested green, The breezy covert of the warbling grove, That only shelter'd thefts of harmless love. Good Heaven! what sorrows gloom'd that parting day, That called them from their native walks away; When the poor exiles, every pleasure past, Hung round their bowers, and fondly looked their last, And took a long farewell, and wished in vain For seats like these beyond the western main; And shuddering still to face the distant deep, Returned and wept, and still returned to weep. The good old sire the first prepared to go To new found worlds, and wept for others woe. But for himself, in conscious virtue brave, He only wished for worlds beyond the grave. His lovely daughter, lovelier in her tears, The fond companion of his helpless years, Silent went next, neglectful of her charms, And left a lover's for a father's arms. With louder plaints the mother spoke her woes, And blessed the cot where every pleasure rose; And kist her thoughtless babes with many a tear, And claspt them close, in sorrow doubly dear; Whilst her fond husband strove to lend relief In all the silent manliness of grief. O luxury! thou curst by Heaven's decree, How ill exchanged are things like these for thee! How do thy potions, with insidious joy, Diffuse their pleasures only to destroy! Kingdoms, by thee, to sickly greatness grown, Boast of a florid vigour not their own; At every draught more large and large they grow, A bloated mass of rank unwieldy woe; Till sapped their strength, and every part unsound, Down, down they sink, and spread a ruin round. Even now the devastation is begun, And half the business of destruction done; Even now, methinks, as pondering here I stand, I see the rural virtues leave the land: Down where yon anchoring vessel spreads the sail, That idly waiting flaps with every gale, Downward they move, a melancholy band, Pass from the shore, and darken all the strand. Contented toil, and hospitable care, And kind connubial tenderness, are there; And piety with wishes placed above, And steady loyalty, and faithful love. And thou, sweet Poetry, thou loveliest maid, Still first to fly where sensual joys invade; Unfit in these degenerate times of shame, To catch the heart, or strike for honest fame; Dear charming nymph, neglected and decried, My shame in crowds, my solitary pride; Thou source of all my bliss, and all my woe, That found'st me poor at first, and keep'st me so; Thou guide by which the nobler arts excell, Thou nurse of every virtue, fare thee well! Farewell, and O where'er thy voice be tried, On Torno's cliffs, or Pambamarca's side, Whether were equinoctial fervours glow, Or winter wraps the polar world in snow, Still let thy voice, prevailing over time, Redress the rigours of the inclement clime; Aid slighted truth with thy persuasive strain, Teach erring man to spurn the rage of gain; Teach him, that states of native strength possest, Tho' very poor, may still be very blest; That trade's proud empire hastes to swift decay, As ocean sweeps the labour'd mole away; While self-dependent power can time defy, As rocks resist the billows and the sky. Banana peels have almost no friction. Banana peels have felled many cartoon characters, Mario Kart players, and average people alike. However, what makes it so slippery in the first place? To answer this, four Japanese scientists measured the amount of friction between a shoe, a banana skin, and the floor. Turns out, the friction coefficient was at an almost nonexistent 0.07 – walking with the banana peel was 6 times slippier than normal friction between a shoe and the floor. 104 games, 1921-2018 QGD Semi-Slav 46 games, 1913-2008 Queen's Gambit Accepted TRENDS (Martin) Andrew Martin: TRENDS Queen's Gambit Accepted, Trends Publication 1991 click for larger view Cloned “No kingdom on Earth can surpass the great outdoors.” ― Tamanend “Custa muito caro fosse não saber o valor da natureza, da sua rica essência e beleza das pessoas e da natureza em si. O olhar refinado naquilo que aprendeu. Uma vez que caia em si mesmo... Poderá já ser tarde buscar a esmo voltar no tempo e valorizar o que perdeu.” ― Ana Claudia Antunes, Amor de Pierrot “It is better to be lowly among men and exalted in the sight of God than to be honored by men and small in the kingdom of God.” ― Brother Pedro “For everything there is a season, and a time for very purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to break down, and a time to build up, a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” — King Solomon “En ocasiones, la sola voluntad no es suficiente para cambiar las cosas; son imprescindibles el trabajo, la constancia y, no pocas veces, el valor.” ― Brenna Watson, Tierra de nieve y fuego “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” — Leo Tolstoy “Don't punch at all if you can help it, he heard his father's voice, clear as if he were standing next to him, but if you must, punch first and punch hardest.” ― John Gwynne, Valor “Tu valor no está en lo que consigas o no, tu valor está en quién eres.” ― Emma Winter, Prohibido besar a Dexter Royal “We should always allow some time to elapse, for time discloses the truth.” — Seneca “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent.” — Carl Sandburg “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” ― George R.R. Martin “En los días que corren la gente sabe el precio de todo y el valor de nada.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray “Chess, it’s the struggle against error.” — Johannes Zukertort “La frustración es el inicio del fin. Entre más aguda es la pesadilla más cercanos estamos a despertar. Entre más intensas son nuestras tormentas, mejores serán nuestros cielos. Me hubiera gustado saberlo antes. En los peores momentos, en los rincones más obscuros, hubiera reído históricamente al verla llegar: la frustración fue la fuerza silenciosa que provocó mis grietas más luminosas.” ― Ahtziri Lagarde, Las Cenizas de Ícaro “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” — Lao Tzu “Nadie sabe en qué parte del camino se encuentra, cuando lo transita por primera vez, hasta que alcanza el destino. ¡Es normal dudar y tener miedo durante el trayecto!” ― Miguel Fresno, Lo que sabré de Ariadne “He that can’t endure the bad, will not live to see the good.” — Jewish Proverb “One gets to know people well when playing at chess and on journeys.” — Russian Proverb “Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.” ― Anna Quindlen “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” — Plato “Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.” — William Shakespeare “Never leave ’till tomorrow which you can do today.” — Benjamin Franklin “Avoid exposing your king to check.” — Yasser Seirawan, paraphrased “El peso, la necesidad y el valor son tres conceptos internamente unidos: solo aquello que es necesario, tiene peso; solo aquello que tiene peso, vale” ― Milan Kundera “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” — William Shakespeare “El miedo no debe gobernar ni a los gobernantes ni a los gobernados.” ― Martín Balarezo García “A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in.” – Frederick the Great “Creo que con el tiempo, tú serás o bien mi mayor error o la mayor de mis victorias.” ― Virginia Boecker, The King Slayer “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” — William Penn “Pero sobre todo les pedía a sus alumnos que fueran valerosos. Sin valor, les enseñaba, nunca serían capaces de desarrollar sus habilidades al máximo. Sin valor no llegarían a conocer el mundo con la profundidad con que este ansía ser conocido. Sin valor sus vidas seguirían siendo pequeñas, mucho más pequeñas probablemente de lo que querían.” ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Libera tu magia “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” — Albert Einstein “The empires of the future are the empires of the mind.” ― Winston Churchill “He is a better man than you are. […] His ‘human fictions,’ as you choose to call them, make for nobility and manhood. You have no fictions, no dreams, no ideals. You are a pauper.” ― Jack London, The Sea Wolf “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling “As you teach, you learn.” — Jewish Proverb “Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.” — Nelson Mandela “Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel.” — King Solomon “Vengeance clouded my mind. It would have consumed me, had it not been for the wisdom of a few strangers, who taught me to look beyond my instincts. They never preached answers, but guided me to learn from myself.” ― Oliver Bowden, Renaissance “We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.” — Khalil Gibran “The power to question is the basis of all human progress.” — Indira Gandhi “Life is like chess. If you lose your queen, you will probably lose the game.” — Being Caballero “La vida no es más que un momento. Todo lo que importa es para que usas ese momento. - La Sombra de Ender” ― Orson Scott Card “Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind.” — William Shakespeare “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” — Ephesians 4:29 "Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it." — Sai Baba “Vê o que criaste E quem ajudaste Pensa nos que amas, No quanto lhes dás Não tens de ir longe Nem mudar o mundo Podes fazer muito No muro onde estás” ― Débora Henriques, O musgo Tobias “Love is as strong as death; its jealousy as unyielding as the grave. It burns like a blazing fire; like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love, rivers cannot wash it away.” — King Solomon “The real secret of success is enthusiasm.” — Walter Chrysler “He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.” — Socrates How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" — Isaiah 52:7 “When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.” — Thomas Paine “When a man's mind rides faster than his horse can gallop they quickly both tire.” — John Webster “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.” — Nelson Mandela “It is only after our basic needs for food and shelter have been met that we can hope to enjoy the luxury of theoretical speculations." — Aristotle “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” — King Solomon “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 “I've run into more discrimination as a woman than as an Indian.” — Wilma Mankiller “Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time.” — Arnold H. Glasow “When valor preys on reason, it eats the sword it fights with.” ― William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra “Valor consists in the power of self-recovery.” ― Peter Rock, My Abandonment “God gave man two ears and one mouth, so listen more and talk less.” — Jewish Proverb “Learn to play many roles, to be whatever the moment requires. Adapt your mask to the situation.” — Robert Greene “Reading can take you places you have never been before.” — Dr. Seuss “During a chess competition a chessmaster should be a combination of a beast of prey and a monk." — Alexander Alekhine “It is easy to speak of bravery, but it is difficult to live the words.” ― Craig D. Lounsbrough “No man is free who is not master of himself.” — Epictetus “Todo necio confunde valor y precio” ― Antonio Machado “Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.” — Gustave Flaubert “Chess isn’t for the timid.” — Irving Chernev “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” — King Solomon “What you don’t see with your eyes, don’t invent with your mouth.” — Jewish Proverb “Fishes live in the sea, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones.” — William Shakespeare “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” — Charles R. Swindoll “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” — Ernest Hemingway “We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more from imagination than from reality.” — Lucius Annaeus Seneca “Chess is a sport. The main object in the game of chess remains the achievement of victory.” — Max Euwe “Success is dependent on effort.” — Sophocles “No fantasy, however rich, no technique, however masterly, no penetration into the psychology of the opponent, however deep, can make a chess game a work of art, if these qualities do not lead to the main goal – the search for truth." — Vasily Smyslov “Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” — Madam C. J. Walker “When my opponent’s clock is going I discuss general considerations in an internal dialogue with myself. When my own clock is going I analyze concrete variations." — Mikhail Botvinnik “Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning.” — Winston Churchill “Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.” — Jewish Proverb “Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” — George Orwell “Attack! Always Attack!” — Adolf Anderssen “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” — William Shakespeare “Chess is 99 percent tactics” — Richard Teichmann “What we think, we become." — Buddha “There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.” — Alexander Hamilton “Dream big, stay positive, work hard, and enjoy the journey." — Urijah Faber “There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself.” — Louis XIV “The time is always right to do what is right.” — Martin Luther King, Jr. “A true king is neither tyrant nor pawn. He is more than the sum of his ambitions.” — Mark Lawrence “Lose with truth and right rather than gain with falsehood and wrong.” — Jewish Proverb “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” — Arthur Ashe “After we have paid our dutiful respects to such frigid virtues as calculation, foresight, self-control and the like, we always come back to the thought that speculative attack is the lifeblood of chess.” — Fred Reinfeld “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” — Eleanor Roosevelt “Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can.” — Martha Graham “The single most important thing in life is to believe in yourself regardless of what everyone else says.” — Hikaru Nakamura “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” — William Shakespeare “A man of high principles is someone who can watch a chess game without passing comment.” — Chinese Proverb “Wise men store up learning, but the foolish will be destroyed with their mouths.” — King Solomon “Do not be wise in words – be wise in deeds.” — Jewish Proverb “The beauty of a game of chess is usually assessed according to the sacrifices it contains.” — Rudolf Spielmann “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." — Jesus Christ “They do not love that do not show their love.” — William Shakespeare “Some part of a mistake is always correct.” — Savielly Tartakower “The most important feature of the chess position is the activity of the pieces. This is absolutely fundamental in all phases of the game: Opening, Middlegame and especially Endgame. The primary constraint on a piece’s activity is the Pawn structure.” — Michael Stean “Pawns are born free, yet they are everywhere in chains.” — Rick Kennedy “Every Pawn is a potential Queen.” — James Mason “The passed pawn is a criminal, who should be kept under lock and key. Mild measures, such as police surveillance, are not sufficient.” — Aron Nimzowitsch “The task of the positional player is systematically to accumulate slight advantages and try to convert temporary advantages into permanent ones, otherwise the player with the better position runs the risk of losing it.” — Wilhelm Steinitz “It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.” — Samuel Adams “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” — Booker T. Washington “Simple plans are best. Tactics will prevail.” — C.J.S. Purdy “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” — Abraham Lincoln “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” — Dwight D. Eisenhower “One bad move nullifies forty good ones.” — Bernhard Horwitz “The defensive power of a pinned piece is only imaginary." — Aaron Nimzovich “All things being equal, the player will prevail who first succeeds in uniting the efforts of both rooks in an important direction.” — Eugene Znosko-Borovsky “He who has a slight disadvantage plays more attentively, inventively and more boldly than his antagonist who either takes it easy or aspires after too much. Thus a slight disadvantage is very frequently seen to convert into a good, solid advantage.” — Emanuel Lasker “If you don't know what to do, find your worst piece and look for a better square.” — Gerald Schwarz “If I see something dirty or untidy, I have to clean it up.” — Indira Gandhi “Up to this point, White has been following well-known analysis. But now he makes a fatal error: he begins to use his own head.” — Siegbert Tarrasch “After a bad opening, there is hope for the middle game. After a bad middle game, there is hope for the endgame. But once you are in the endgame, the moment of truth has arrived.” — Edmar Mednis “Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.” — King Solomon “If you have made a mistake or committed an inaccuracy there is no need to become annoyed and to think that everything is lost. You have to reorientate yourself quickly and find a new plan in the new situation.” — David Bronstein “Things often did not reach the endgame!” — Boris Spassky “Never trust the man who tells you all his troubles but keeps from you all his joys.” — Jewish Proverb “Winning is not a secret that belongs to a very few, winning is something that we can learn by studying ourselves, studying the environment, and making ourselves ready for any challenge that is in front of us.” — Garry Kasparov “To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” — Buddha “I see only one move ahead, but always the best move.” — Charles Jaffe “Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the Lord detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.” — Jewish Proverb “Chess is a matter of delicate judgment, knowing when to punch and how to duck.” — Bobby Fischer “As every divided kingdom falls, so every mind divided between many studies confounds and saps itself.” ― Leonardo da Vinci “It is never safe to take the queen knight pawn with the queen – even when it is safe.” — Hungarian proverb “What one has, one doesn’t want, and what one wants, one doesn’t have.” — Jewish Proverb “Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.” —Harvey Mackay “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” ― Frederick Douglass “Train up a child in the way that he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” — King Solomon “Creating little plans. Now, when we think about plans in chess, we think about [grand] grandmaster plans. You have to calculate ten moves deep. You have to know what's going to happen in ten moves, know that strong. What Jonathan Hawkins talks about [IM Hawkins book: Amateur to IM] is you have to create small plans which are doable which you can execute easily. One, two, three move plans which your opponent is not going to be able to prevent, which are easy to visualize and execute.” — @HangingPawns “Chess is rarely a game of ideal moves. Almost always, a player faces a series of difficult consequences whichever move he makes.” — David Shenk “First-class players lose to second-class players because second-class players sometimes play a first-class game.” — Siegbert Tarrasch “Consistency is the x to every y.” ― Monaristw “The lesser of two evils is still evil.” — King Solomon “Masterpieces are not single and solitary births; they are the outcome of many years of thinking in common, of thinking by the body of the people, so that the experience of the mass is behind the single voice.” — Virginia Woolf “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” — Lucius Annaeus Seneca “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” — Buddha "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." — Proverbs 16:24 “Success is the achievement of a desired goal, such as for obtaining name and fame or wealth or a higher degree, for which a person has tried his level best. It is the positive consequence of one's achievement.” — John Wooden “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” — Albert Schweitzer “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” — Dale Carnegie “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” — John Wooden “For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” — Nelson Mandela “People who want to improve should take their defeats as lessons, and endeavor to learn what to avoid in the future. You must always have the courage of your convictions. If you think your move is good, make it.” — Jose Raul Capablanca “It is not what we do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through us. God doesn't want our success; He wants us. He doesn't demand our achievements; He demands our obedience. The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of paradox, where through the ugly defeat of a cross, a holy God is utterly glorified. Victory comes through defeat; healing through brokenness; finding self through losing self.” — Charles Colson “Growth is a painful process.” — Wilma Mankiller “But O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man's eyes.” — William Shakespeare “I go over many games collections and pick up something from the style of each player.” — Mikhail Tal “Whatever your life's work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.” — Martin Luther King, Jr. “Self-confidence is very important. If you don’t think you can win, you will take cowardly decisions in the crucial moments, out of sheer respect for your opponent. You see the opportunity but also greater limitations than you should. I have always believed in what I do on the chessboard, even when I had no objective reason to. It is better to overestimate your prospects than underestimate them.” — Magnus Carlsen “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring.” — King Solomon “Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.” — Buddha "For God so loved the World that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." — Jesus Christ “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” — Confucius “Chess is like life. To succeed in either one takes patience, planning, concentration, the willingness to set goals, and an inclination to see deeply into things. You have to go for the thing beyond. Chess is about seeing the underlying reality.” — Maurice Ashley “Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.” — Buddha “If you are not a better person tomorrow than you are today, what need have you for a tomorrow?” — Rebbe Nachman of Breslov Proverbs 8:32-33 "Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it." “Build a worthy family, stay on the path of virtue, and you shall be rewarded.” —Elana Roth “The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.” — Jonas Salk “Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement.” — Nelson Mandela * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * FIDE Laws of Chess (2018): https://www.schachschiri.de/fide_18... * Records: http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/records... * “Good Life’ By One Republic (2009): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZh... * Wikipedia on Computer Chess: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compu... * Susan Polgar Daily: https://chessdailynews.com/ * Prep for Ivan: http://gettingto2000.blogspot.com/ * John's brother Lee: https://hotoffthechess.com/ * Children's Chess: https://chessimprover.com/category/... * Amateur / Pins: http://amateur-chess.blogspot.com/ * Improver: https://chessimprover.com/author/br... * Jimmy's place: http://www.jimmyvermeer.com/ * Evolution: Game Collection: # Chess Evolution Volumes 51-100 * GPA: https://chesstier.com/grand-prix-at... * “I Gotta Feeling” By The Black Eyed Peas (2009): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwd... InkHarted wrote: Checkmate. I started off as an equal I have everything that they do my life was one and the same as my foe childish battles of lesser I won baring cost of a little but as time outgrew my conscience I found that the pieces were moving against me with time my company reduced they left one by one all in time forgetting me my castles collapsed my religion dissuaded my protectors in hiding I could not run anymore I have been cornered to a wall as the queen left silently without saying goodbye I could not live any longer she was most precious to me I could not win without her by my side so the king knelt down and died. “Death may be the greatest of all human blessings.” — Socrates “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.” — William Shakespeare “I wonder is it because men are cowards in heart that they admire bravery so much, and place military valour so far beyond every other quality for reward and worship?” ― William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair “As proved by evidence, it (chess) is more lasting in its being and presence than all books and achievements; the only game that belongs to all people and all ages; of which none knows the divinity that bestowed it on the world, to slay boredom, to sharpen the senses, to exhilarate the spirit.” — Stefan Zweig “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and starting on the first one.” — Mark Twain “Success is the sum of small efforts - repeated day in and day out.” — Robert Collier “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” — Benjamin Franklin “Satisfaction consists in freedom from pain, which is the positive element of life.” — Arthur Schopenhauer My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. … Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. — Proverbs 4:20, 23 NLT “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.” — Dalai Lama “Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.” — Martin Luther King, Jr. “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” — Ronald Reagan “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” — Soren Kierkegaard “The ideas which now pass for brilliant innovations and advances are in fact mere revivals of ancient errors, and a further proof of the dictum that those who are ignorant of the past are condemned to repeat it.” ― Henry Hazlitt “Better to be king of your silence than slave of your words.” ― William Shakespeare “Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination; Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” — Lord Chesterfield Q: What do you call a can opener that doesn’t work? A: A can’t opener! Spooky music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIv... A man is walking in a graveyard when he hears the Third Symphony played backward. When it’s over, the Second Symphony starts playing, also backward, and then the First. “What’s going on?” he asks a cemetery worker. “It’s Beethoven,” says the worker. “He’s decomposing.” — Submitted by Jeremy Hone Spooky music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIv... A man is walking in a graveyard when he hears the Third Symphony played backward. When it’s over, the Second Symphony starts playing, also backward, and then the First. “What’s going on?” he asks a cemetery worker. “It’s Beethoven,” says the worker. “He’s decomposing.” — Submitted by Jeremy Hone Three Dutch Girls, One Piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHI... “Walking On Sunshine” By Katrina And The Waves (1983): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPU... New Best Game of 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Q... NIÑO GENIO nos da UNO de los MEJORES MOMENTOS de la HISTORIA del AJEDREZ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ps... "Havana" by Camila Cabello https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3v... New Best Game of 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Q... “Bloody Mary”: https://www.historyhit.com/facts-ab... <Principles of Chess 01. Develop your pieces quickly. 02. Control the center. 03. Try to put your pieces on squares that give them maximum space. 04. Try to develop your knights towards the center. 05. A knight on the rim is dim. 06. Don't take unnecessary chances. 07. Play aggressive. 08. Calculate forced moves first. 09. Always ask yourself, "Can he put me in check or win a piece?" 10. Have a plan. Every move should have a purpose. 11. Assume your opponent's move is his best move. 12. Ask yourself, "why did he move there?" after each opponent move. 13. Play for the initiative and controlling the board. 14. If you must lose a piece, get something for it if you can. 15. When behind, exchange pawns. When ahead, exchange pieces. 16. If you are losing, don't give up fighting. Look for counterplay. 17. Don't play unsound moves unless you are losing badly. 18. Don't sacrifice a piece without good reason. 19. If you are in doubt of an opponent's sacrifice, accept it. 20. Attack with more that just one or two pieces. 21. Do not make careless pawn moves. They cannot move back. 22. Do not block in your bishops. 23. Bishops of opposite colors have the greatest chance of drawing. 24. Try not to move the same piece twice or more times in a row. 25. Exchange pieces if it helps your development. 26. Don't bring your queen out early. 27. Castle soon to protect your king and develop your rook. 28. Develop rooks to open files. 29. Put rooks behind passed pawns. 30. Study rook endgames. They are the most common and most complicated. 31. Don't let your king get caught in the center. 32. Don't castle if it brings your king into greater danger from attack. 33. After castling, keep a good pawn formation around your king. 34. If you only have one bishop, put your pawns on its opposite color. 35. Trade pawns pieces when ahead in material or when under attack. 36. If cramped, free your game by exchanging material. 37. If your opponent is cramped, don't let him get any freeing exchanges. 38. Study openings you are comfortable with. 39. Play over entire games, not just the opening. 40. Blitz chess is helpful in recognizing chess patterns. Play often. 41. Study annotated games and try to guess each move. 42. Stick with just a few openings with White, and a few openings with Black. 43. Record your games and go over them, especially the games you lost. 44. Show your games to higher rated opponents and get feedback from them. 45. Use chess computers and databases to help you study and play more. 46. Everyone blunders. The champions just blunder less often. 47. When it is not your move, look for tactics and combinations. 48. Try to double rooks or double rook and queen on open files. 49. Always ask yourself, "Does my next move overlook something simple?" 50. Don't make your own plans without the exclusion of the opponent's threats. 51. Watch out for captures by retreat of an opponent's piece. 52. Do not focus on one sector of the board. View thw whole board. 53. Write down your move first before making that move if it helps. 54. Try to solve chess puzzles with diagrams from books and magazines. 55. It is less likely that an opponent is prepared for off-beat openings. 56. Recognize transposition of moves from main-line play. 57. Watch your time and avoid time trouble. 58. Bishops are worth more than knights except when they are pinned in. 59. A knight works better with a bishop than another knight. 60. It is usually a good idea to trade down into a pawn up endgame. 61. Have confidence in your game. 62. Play in as many rated events as you can. 63. Try not to look at your opponent's rating until after the game. 64. Always play for a win. (If a win is no longer possible, then play for a draw.)> “Humans Are Defined (The Sonnet) Vegetables are defined, By the comfort they crave, Humans are defined, By the obstacles they brave. Absence of obstacles, Is not a sign of achievement. Absence of obstacles, Indicates a lack of movement. Even the mountains bow, But not for self-absorbed snobs. Oceans part making way, Only for those not afraid of storms. Awake, arise o soldier of valiance and valor. Sleep not, slacken not, the world is in your care.” ― Abhijit Naskar, Mücadele Muhabbet: Gospel of An Unarmed Soldier Oct-27-23 TimmyDurty: Hi, I am new here. I paid for the premium subscription but am still receiving ads and pop ups every time I do something. Is there something I need to do to stop these ads??? Thank you! Best, Tim Oct-27-23 MissScarlett: Click on Prefs in the top left banner, select <Do not display 3rd party ads> and see what happens. “A game played by men of equal strength, if played accurately, will end in a draw, and it is apt to be dull.” — Emanuel Lasker “Casi el único valor de las grandes obras maestras del ingenio humano consiste en haber provocado un libro de crítica o de comentario.” ― Miguel de Unamuno, Niebla “Teach your tongue to say “I don’t know” instead of to make up something.” — Jewish Proverb “Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.” — Sun Tzu “Protect your pieces.” — John Herron “Safety first is fine, but first, last and always is fatal" — Al Horowitz “It is stupidity rather than courage to refuse to recognize danger when it is close upon you.” ― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes “Life is a chess match. Every decision you make has a consequence to it.” — P.K. Subban “A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.” — Mark Twain “Under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor wealth to the intelligent, nor success to the skillful, but time and chance govern all. For man does not know his time.” — King Solomon “People often complain about lack of time when lack of direction is the real problem.” — Zig Ziglar “Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike.” — Alexander Hamilton “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” — Theodore Roosevelt “Nothing will work unless you do.” — Maya Angelou “Talking isn't doing. It is a kind of good deed to say well; and yet words are not deeds.” — William Shakespeare “A game played by men of equal strength, if played accurately, will end in a draw, and it is apt to be dull.” — Emanuel Lasker “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” — Vince Lombardi “But you don't get the wolf by the tongue without reaching through its teeth.” ― Pierce Brown, Dark Age “The secret of our success is that we never, never give up.” — Wilma Mankiller “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” — Lyndon B. Johnson “¡Asumid vuestro destino con valor!” ― Ricarda Jordan, La canción de los caballos “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” — Samuel Goldwyn “The level of our success is limited only by our imagination and no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” — Aesop “Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.” — Gloria Steinem “It is the man or woman of wisdom who will recognize that to embrace the consequences of our choices, and to own the outcome of our behaviors is the single path to freedom, and that any other path will always, always, lead to enslavement.” ― Craig D. Lounsbrough “True happiness is... to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.” — Lucius Annaeus Seneca “Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.” — Buddha “Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave." Patrick Henry, St. John's Church, Richmond, VA, 1775” ― Patrick Henry, American Patriot “Language is wine upon the lips.” — Virginia Woolf “A bird that you set free may be caught again, but a word that escapes your lips will not return.” — Jewish Proverb “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” — George Washington “A lion sleeps in the heart of every brave man.” — Turkish Proverb “El miedo es solo una emoción, un artificio de tu mente.” ― Rut Nieves, Cree en ti “Valor consists in the power of self-recovery, so that a man cannot have his flank turned, cannot be out-generaled, but put him where you will, he stands. This can only be by his preferring truth to his past apprehension of truth; and his alert acceptance of it, from whatever quarter; the intrepid conviction that his laws, his relations to society, his Christianity, his world may at any time be superseded and decease.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson “Discretion is the better part of valor.” ― William Shakespeare “You men that be known from these others by your Christian profession. Take heed, you bear in mind the piety you owe unto your country and unto your fellow countrymen, whose slaughter by the treachery of the Payneham shall be unto your disgrace everlasting. Unless you press hardily forward to defend them. Fight therefore for your country, and if it be that death overtake you, suffer it willingly for your country’s sake. For death itself is victory, and a healing unto the soul. In as much as he that shall have died for his brethren offers himself as a living sacrifice unto God, nor is it doubtful that herein he follows in the footsteps of Christ, who distained not to lay down his own soul for his breatharian. Who therefore amongst you shall be slain in this battle, unto him shall that death be as full penance and absolution of all his sins, if so be he receive it willingly on this way.” ― Geoffrey of Monmouth, The History of the Kings of Britain “Comprendan el valor del tiempo usándolo bien. Así la juventud será encantadora, la vejez traerá pocas lamentaciones y la vida será dichosa y hermosa” ― Louisa May Alcott, Mujercitas 100 games, 1989-1990 Quueen Sacrifice ~ Miniatures Copied from Art2000F Bishop Blougrams Apology by Robert Browning NO more wine? then we'll push back chairs and talk. A final glass for me, though: cool, i' faith! We ought to have our Abbey back, you see. It's different, preaching in basilicas, And doing duty in some masterpiece Like this of brother Pugin's, bless his heart! I doubt if they're half baked, those chalk rosettes, Ciphers and stucco-twiddlings everywhere; It's just like breathing in a lime-kiln: eh? These hot long ceremonies of our church Cost us a little--oh, they pay the price, You take me--amply pay it! Now, we'll talk. So, you despise me, Mr. Gigadibs. No deprecation,--nay, I beg you, sir! Beside 't is our engagement: don't you know, I promised, if you'd watch a dinner out, We'd see truth dawn together?--truth that peeps Over the glasses' edge when dinner's done, And body gets its sop and holds its noise And leaves soul free a little. Now's the time: 'T is break of day! You do despise me then. And if I say, "despise me,"--never fear! I know you do not in a certain sense-- Not in my arm-chair, for example: here, I well imagine you respect my place ( Status, entourage , worldly circumstance) Quite to its value--very much indeed: --Are up to the protesting eyes of you In pride at being seated here for once-- You'll turn it to such capital account! When somebody, through years and years to come, Hints of the bishop,--names me--that's enough: "Blougram? I knew him"--(into it you slide) "Dined with him once, a Corpus Christi Day, "All alone, we two; he's a clever man: "And after dinner,--why, the wine you know,-- "Oh, there was wine, and good!--what with the wine . . "'Faith, we began upon all sorts of talk! "He's no bad fellow, Blougram; he had seen "Something of mine he relished, some review: "He's quite above their humbug in his heart, "Half-said as much, indeed--the thing's his trade. "I warrant, Blougram's sceptical at times: "How otherwise? I liked him, I confess!" Che che , my dear sir, as we say at Rome, Don't you protest now! It's fair give and take; You have had your turn and spoken your home-truths: The hand's mine now, and here you follow suit. Thus much conceded, still the first fact stays-- You do despise me; your ideal of life Is not the bishop's: you would not be I. You would like better to be Goethe, now, Or Buonaparte, or, bless me, lower still, Count D'Orsay,--so you did what you preferred, Spoke as you thought, and, as you cannot help, Believed or disbelieved, no matter what, So long as on that point, whate'er it was, You loosed your mind, were whole and sole yourself. --That, my ideal never can include, Upon that element of truth and worth Never be based! for say they make me Pope-- (They can't--suppose it for our argument!) Why, there I'm at my tether's end, I've reached My height, and not a height which pleases you: An unbelieving Pope won't do, you say. It's like those eerie stories nurses tell, Of how some actor on a stage played Death, With pasteboard crown, sham orb and tinselled dart, And called himself the monarch of the world; Then, going in the tire-room afterward, Because the play was done, to shift himself, Got touched upon the sleeve familiarly, The moment he had shut the closet door, By Death himself. Thus God might touch a Pope At unawares, ask what his baubles mean, And whose part he presumed to play just now? Best be yourself, imperial, plain and true! So, drawing comfortable breath again, You weigh and find, whatever more or less I boast of my ideal realized, Is nothing in the balance when opposed To your ideal, your grand simple life, Of which you will not realize one jot. I am much, you are nothing; you would be all, I would be merely much: you beat me there. No, friend, you do not beat me: hearken why! The common problem, yours, mine, every one's, Is--not to fancy what were fair in life Provided it could be,--but, finding first What may be, then find how to make it fair Up to our means: a very different thing! No abstract intellectual plan of life Quite irrespective of life's plainest laws, But one, a man, who is man and nothing more, May lead within a world which (by your leave) Is Rome or London, not Fool's-paradise. Embellish Rome, idealize away, Make paradise of London if you can, You're welcome, nay, you're wise. A simile! We mortals cross the ocean of this world Each in his average cabin of a life; The best's not big, the worst yields elbow-room. Now for our six months' voyage--how prepare? You come on shipboard with a landsman's list Of things he calls convenient: so they are! An India screen is pretty furniture, A piano-forte is a fine resource, All Balzac's novels occupy one shelf, The new edition fifty volumes long; And little Greek books, with the funny type They get up well at Leipsic, fill the next: Go on! slabbed marble, what a bath it makes! And Parma's pride, the Jerome, let us add! 'T were pleasant could Correggio's fleeting glow Hang full in face of one where'er one roams, Since he more than the others brings with him Italy's self,--the marvellous Modenese!-- Yet was not on your list before, perhaps. --Alas, friend, here's the agent . . . is't the name? The captain, or whoever's master here-- You see him screw his face up; what's his cry Ere you set foot on shipboard? "Six feet square!" If you won't understand what six feet mean, Compute and purchase stores accordingly-- And if, in pique because he overhauls Your Jerome, piano, bath, you come on board Bare--why, you cut a figure at the first While sympathetic landsmen see you off; Not afterward, when long ere half seas over, You peep up from your utterly naked boards Into some snug and well-appointed berth, Like mine for instance (try the cooler jug-- Put back the other, but don't jog the ice!) And mortified you mutter "Well and good; "He sits enjoying his sea-furniture; "'T is stout and proper, and there's store of it: "Though I've the better notion, all agree, "Of fitting rooms up. Hang the carpenter, "Neat ship-shape fixings and contrivances-- "I would have brought my Jerome, frame and all!" And meantime you bring nothing: never mind-- You've proved your artist-nature: what you don't You might bring, so despise me, as I say. Now come, let's backward to the starting-place. See my way: we're two college friends, suppose. Prepare together for our voyage, then; Each note and check the other in his work,-- Here's mine, a bishop's outfit; criticize! What's wrong? why won't you be a bishop too? Why first, you don't believe, you don't and can't, (Not statedly, that is, and fixedly And absolutely and exclusively) In any revelation called divine. No dogmas nail your faith; and what remains But say so, like the honest man you are? First, therefore, overhaul theology! Nay, I too, not a fool, you please to think, Must find believing every whit as hard: And if I do not frankly say as much, The ugly consequence is clear enough. Now wait, my friend: well, I do not believe-- If you'll accept no faith that is not fixed, Absolute and exclusive, as you say. You're wrong--I mean to prove it in due time. Meanwhile, I know where difficulties lie I could not, cannot solve, nor ever shall, So give up hope accordingly to solve-- (To you, and over the wine). Our dogmas then With both of us, though in unlike degree, Missing full credence--overboard with them! I mean to meet you on your own premise: Good, there go mine in company with yours! And now what are we? unbelievers both, Calm and complete, determinately fixed To-day, to-morrow and for ever, pray? You'll guarantee me that? Not so, I think! In no wise! all we've gained is, that belief, As unbelief before, shakes us by fits, Confounds us like its predecessor. Where's The gain? how can we guard our unbelief, Make it bear fruit to us?--the problem here. Just when we are safest, there's a sunset-touch, A fancy from a flower-bell, some one's death, A chorus-ending from Euripides,-- And that's enough for fifty hopes and fears As old and new at once as nature's self, To rap and knock and enter in our soul, Take hands and dance there, a fantastic ring, Round the ancient idol, on his base again,-- The grand Perhaps! We look on helplessly. There the old misgivings, crooked questions are-- This good God,--what he could do, if he would, Would, if he could--then must have done long since: If so, when, where and how? some way must be,-- Once feel about, and soon or late you hit Some sense, in which it might be, after all. Why not, "The Way, the Truth, the Life?" --That way Over the mountain, which who stands upon Is apt to doubt if it be meant for a road; While, if he views it from the waste itself, Up goes the line there, plain from base to brow, Not vague, mistakeable! what's a break or two Seen from the unbroken desert either side? And then (to bring in fresh philosophy) What if the breaks themselves should prove at last The most consummate of contrivances To train a man's eye, teach him what is faith? And so we stumble at truth's very test! All we have gained then by our unbelief Is a life of doubt diversified by faith, For one of faith diversified by doubt: We called the chess-board white,--we call it black. "Well," you rejoin, "the end's no worse, at least; "We've reason for both colours on the board: "Why not confess then, where I drop the faith "And you the doubt, that I'm as right as you?" Because, friend, in the next place, this being so, And both things even,--faith and unbelief Left to a man's choice,--we'll proceed a step, Returning to our image, which I like. A man's choice, yes--but a cabin-passenger's-- The man made for the special life o' the world-- Do you forget him? I remember though! Consult our ship's conditions and you find One and but one choice suitable to all; The choice, that you unluckily prefer, Turning things topsy-turvy--they or it Going to the ground. Belief or unbelief Bears upon life, determines its whole course, Begins at its beginning. See the world Such as it is,--you made it not, nor I; I mean to take it as it is,--and you, Not so you'll take it,--though you get nought else. I know the special kind of life I like, What suits the most my idiosyncrasy, Brings out the best of me and bears me fruit In power, peace, pleasantness and length of days. I find that positive belief does this For me, and unbelief, no whit of this. --For you, it does, however?--that, we'll try! 'T is clear, I cannot lead my life, at least, Induce the world to let me peaceably, Without declaring at the outset, "Friends, "I absolutely and peremptorily "Believe!"--I say, faith is my waking life: One sleeps, indeed, and dreams at intervals, We know, but waking's the main point with us And my provision's for life's waking part. Accordingly, I use heart, head and hand All day, I build, scheme, study, and make friends; And when night overtakes me, down I lie, Sleep, dream a little, and get done with it, The sooner the better, to begin afresh. What's midnight doubt before the dayspring's faith? You, the philosopher, that disbelieve, That recognize the night, give dreams their weight-- To be consistent you should keep your bed, Abstain from healthy acts that prove you man, For fear you drowse perhaps at unawares! And certainly at night you'll sleep and dream, Live through the day and bustle as you please. And so you live to sleep as I to wake, To unbelieve as I to still believe? Well, and the common sense o' the world calls you Bed-ridden,--and its good things come to me. Its estimation, which is half the fight, That's the first-cabin comfort I secure: The next . . . but you perceive with half an eye! Come, come, it's best believing, if we may; You can't but own that! Next, concede again, If once we choose belief, on all accounts We can't be too decisive in our faith, Conclusive and exclusive in its terms, To suit the world which gives us the good things. In every man's career are certain points Whereon he dares not be indifferent; The world detects him clearly, if he dare, As baffled at the game, and losing life. He may care little or he may care much For riches, honour, pleasure, work, repose, Since various theories of life and life's Success are extant which might easily Comport with either estimate of these; And whoso chooses wealth or poverty, Labour or quiet, is not judged a fool Because his fellow would choose otherwise: We let him choose upon his own account So long as he's consistent with his choice. But certain points, left wholly to himself, When once a man has arbitrated on, We say he must succeed there or go hang. Thus, he should wed the woman he loves most Or needs most, whatsoe'er the love or need-- For he can't wed twice. Then, he must avouch, Or follow, at the least, sufficiently, The form of faith his conscience holds the best, Whate'er the process of conviction was: For nothing can compensate his mistake On such a point, the man himself being judge: He cannot wed twice, nor twice lose his soul. Well now, there's one great form of Christian faith I happened to be born in--which to teach Was given me as I grew up, on all hands, As best and readiest means of living by; The same on examination being proved The most pronounced moreover, fixed, precise And absolute form of faith in the whole world-- Accordingly, most potent of all forms For working on the world. Observe, my friend! Such as you know me, I am free to say, In these hard latter days which hamper one, Myself--by no immoderate exercise Of intellect and learning, but the tact To let external forces work for me, --Bid the street's stones be bread and they are bread; Bid Peter's creed, or rather, Hildebrand's, Exalt me o'er my fellows in the world And make my life an ease and joy and pride; It does so,--which for me's a great point gained, Who have a soul and body that exact A comfortable care in many ways. There's power in me and will to dominate Which I must exercise, they hurt me else: In many ways I need mankind's respect, Obedience, and the love that's born of fear: While at the same time, there's a taste I have, A toy of soul, a titillating thing, Refuses to digest these dainties crude. The naked life is gross till clothed upon: I must take what men offer, with a grace As though I would not, could I help it, take! An uniform I wear though over-rich-- Something imposed on me, no choice of mine; No fancy-dress worn for pure fancy's sake And despicable therefore! now folk kneel And kiss my hand--of course the Church's hand. Thus I am made, thus life is best for me, And thus that it should be I have procured; And thus it could not be another way, I venture to imagine. You'll reply, So far my choice, no doubt, is a success; But were I made of better elements, With nobler instincts, purer tastes, like you, I hardly would account the thing success Though it did all for me I say. But, friend, We speak of what is; not of what might be, And how't were better if't were otherwise. I am the man you see here plain enough: Grant I'm a beast, why, beasts must lead beasts' lives! Suppose I own at once to tail and claws; The tailless man exceeds me: but being tailed I'll lash out lion fashion, and leave apes To dock their stump and dress their haunches up. My business is not to remake myself, But make the absolute best of what God made. Or--our first simile--though you prove me doomed To a viler berth still, to the steerage-hole, The sheep-pen or the pig-stye, I should strive To make what use of each were possible; And as this cabin gets upholstery, That hutch should rustle with sufficient straw. But, friend, I don't acknowledge quite so fast I fail of all your manhood's lofty tastes Enumerated so complacently, On the mere ground that you forsooth can find In this particular life I choose to lead No fit provision for them. Can you not? Say you, my fault is I address myself To grosser estimators than should judge? And that's no way of holding up the soul, Which, nobler, needs men's praise perhaps, yet knows One wise man's verdict outweighs all the fools'-- Would like the two, but, forced to choose, takes that. I pine among my million imbeciles (You think) aware some dozen men of sense Eye me and know me, whether I believe In the last winking Virgin, as I vow, And am a fool, or disbelieve in her And am a knave,--approve in neither case, Withhold their voices though I look their way: Like Verdi when, at his worst opera's end (The thing they gave at Florence,--what's its name?) While the mad houseful's plaudits near out-bang His orchestra of salt-box, tongs and bones, He looks through all the roaring and the wreaths Where sits Rossini patient in his stall. Nay, friend, I meet you with an answer here-- That even your prime men who appraise their kind Are men still, catch a wheel within a wheel, See more in a truth than the truth's simple self, Confuse themselves. You see lads walk the street Sixty the minute; what's to note in that? You see one lad o'erstride a chimney-stack; Him you must watch--he's sure to fall, yet stands! Our interest's on the dangerous edge of things. The honest thief, the tender murderer, The superstitious atheist, demirep That loves and saves her soul in new French books-- We watch while these in equilibrium keep The giddy line midway: one step aside, They're classed and done with. I, then, keep the line Before your sages,--just the men to shrink From the gross weights, coarse scales and labels broad You offer their refinement. Fool or knave? Why needs a bishop be a fool or knave When there's a thousand diamond weights between? So, I enlist them. Your picked twelve, you'll find, Profess themselves indignant, scandalized At thus being held unable to explain How a superior man who disbelieves May not believe as well: that's Schelling's way! It's through my coming in the tail of time, Nicking the minute with a happy tact. Had I been born three hundred years ago They'd say, "What's strange? Blougram of course believes;" And, seventy years since, "disbelieves of course. " But now, "He may believe; and yet, and yet "How can he?" All eyes turn with interest. Whereas, step off the line on either side-- You, for example, clever to a fault, The rough and ready man who write apace, Read somewhat seldomer, think perhaps even less-- You disbelieve! Who wonders and who cares? Lord So-and-so--his coat bedropped with wax, All Peter's chains about his waist, his back Brave with the needlework of Noodledom-- Believes! Again, who wonders and who cares? But I, the man of sense and learning too, The able to think yet act, the this, the that, I, to believe at this late time of day! Enough; you see, I need not fear contempt. --Except it's yours! Admire me as these may, You don't. But whom at least do you admire? Present your own perfection, your ideal, Your pattern man for a minute--oh, make haste Is it Napoleon you would have us grow? Concede the means; allow his head and hand, (A large concession, clever as you are) Good! In our common primal element Of unbelief (we can't believe, you know-- We're still at that admission, recollect!) Where do you find--apart from, towering o'er The secondary temporary aims Which satisfy the gross taste you despise-- Where do you find his star?--his crazy trust God knows through what or in what? it's alive And shines and leads him, and that's all we want. Have we aught in our sober night shall point Such ends as his were, and direct the means Of working out our purpose straight as his, Nor bring a moment's trouble on success With after-care to justify the same? --Be a Napoleon, and yet disbelieve-- Why, the man's mad, friend, take his light away! What's the vague good o' the world, for which you dare With comfort to yourself blow millions up? We neither of us see it! we do see The blown-up millions--spatter of their brains And writhing of their bowels and so forth, In that bewildering entanglement Of horrible eventualities Past calculation to the end of time! Can I mistake for some clear word of God (Which were my ample warrant for it all) His puff of hazy instinct, idle talk, "The State, that's I," quack-nonsense about crowns, And (when one beats the man to his last hold) A vague idea of setting things to rights, Policing people efficaciously, More to their profit, most of all to his own; The whole to end that dismallest of ends By an Austrian marriage, cant to us the Church, And resurrection of the old r?gime ? Would I, who hope to live a dozen years, Fight Austerlitz for reasons such and such? No: for, concede me but the merest chance Doubt may be wrong--there's judgment, life to come! With just that chance, I dare not. Doubt proves right? This present life is all?--you offer me Its dozen noisy years, without a chance That wedding an archduchess, wearing lace, And getting called by divers new-coined names, Will drive off ugly thoughts and let me dine, Sleep, read and chat in quiet as I like! Therefore I will not. Take another case; Fit up the cabin yet another way. What say you to the poets? shall we write Hamlet, Othello--make the world our own, Without a risk to run of either sort? I can't--to put the strongest reason first. "But try," you urge, "the trying shall suffice; "The aim, if reached or not, makes great the life: "Try to be Shakespeare, leave the rest to fate!" Spare my self-knowledge--there's no fooling me! If I prefer remaining my poor self, I say so not in self-dispraise but praise. If I'm a Shakespeare, let the well alone; Why should I try to be what now I am? If I'm no Shakespeare, as too probable,-- His power and consciousness and self-delight And all we want in common, shall I find-- Trying for ever? while on points of taste Wherewith, to speak it humbly, he and I Are dowered alike--I'll ask you, I or he, Which in our two lives realizes most? Much, he imagined--somewhat, I possess. He had the imagination; stick to that! Let him say, "In the face of my soul's works "Your world is worthless and I touch it not "Lest I should wrong them"--I'll withdraw my plea. But does he say so? look upon his life! Himself, who only can, gives judgment there. He leaves his towers and gorgeous palaces To build the trimmest house in Stratford town; Saves money, spends it, owns the worth of things, Giulio Romano's pictures, Dowland's lute; Enjoys a show, respects the puppets, too, And none more, had he seen its entry once, Than "Pandulph, of fair Milan cardinal. " Why then should I who play that personage, The very Pandulph Shakespeare's fancy made, Be told that had the poet chanced to start From where I stand now (some degree like mine Being just the goal he ran his race to reach) He would have run the whole race back, forsooth, And left being Pandulph, to begin write plays? Ah, the earth's best can be but the earth's best! Did Shakespeare live, he could but sit at home And get himself in dreams the Vatican, Greek busts, Venetian paintings, Roman walls, And English books, none equal to his own, Which I read, bound in gold (he never did). --Terni's fall, Naples' bay and Gothard's top-- Eh, friend? I could not fancy one of these; But, as I pour this claret, there they are: I've gained them--crossed St. Gothard last July With ten mules to the carriage and a bed Slung inside; is my hap the worse for that? We want the same things, Shakespeare and myself, And what I want, I have: he, gifted more, Could fancy he too had them when he liked, But not so thoroughly that, if fate allowed, He would not have them also in my sense. We play one game; I send the ball aloft No less adroitly that of fifty strokes Scarce five go o'er the wall so wide and high Which sends them back to me: I wish and get He struck balls higher and with better skill, But at a poor fence level with his head, And hit--his Stratford house, a coat of arms, Successful dealings in his grain and wool,-- While I receive heaven's incense in my nose And style myself the cousin of Queen Bess. Ask him, if this life's all, who wins the game? Believe--and our whole argument breaks up. Enthusiasm's the best thing, I repeat; Only, we can't command it; fire and life Are all, dead matter's nothing, we agree: And be it a mad dream or God's very breath, The fact's the same,--belief's fire, once in us, Makes of all else mere stuff to show itself: We penetrate our life with such a glow As fire lends wood and iron--this turns steel, That burns to ash--all's one, fire proves its power For good or ill, since men call flare success. But paint a fire, it will not therefore burn. Light one in me, I'll find it food enough! Why, to be Luther--that's a life to lead, Incomparably better than my own. He comes, reclaims God's earth for God, he says, Sets up God's rule again by simple means, Re-opens a shut book, and all is done. He flared out in the flaring of mankind; Such Luther's luck was: how shall such be mine? If he succeeded, nothing's left to do: And if he did not altogether--well, Strauss is the next advance. All Strauss should be I might be also. But to what result? He looks upon no future: Luther did. What can I gain on the denying side? Ice makes no conflagration. State the facts, Read the text right, emancipate the world-- The emancipated world enjoys itself With scarce a thank-you: Blougram told it first It could not owe a farthing,--not to him More than Saint Paul! 't would press its pay, you think? Then add there's still that plaguy hundredth chance Strauss may be wrong. And so a risk is run-- For what gain? not for Luther's, who secured A real heaven in his heart throughout his life, Supposing death a little altered things. "Ay, but since really you lack faith," you cry, "You run the same risk really on all sides, "In cool indifference as bold unbelief. "As well be Strauss as swing 'twixt Paul and him. "It's not worth having, such imperfect faith, "No more available to do faith's work "Than unbelief like mine. Whole faith, or none!" Softly, my friend! I must dispute that point Once own the use of faith, I'll find you faith. We're back on Christian ground. You call for faith: I show you doubt, to prove that faith exists. The more of doubt, the stronger faith, I say, If faith o'ercomes doubt. How I know it does? By life and man's free will, God gave for that! To mould life as we choose it, shows our choice: That's our one act, the previous work's his own. You criticize the soul? it reared this tree-- This broad life and whatever fruit it bears! What matter though I doubt at every pore, Head-doubts, heart-doubts, doubts at my fingers' ends, Doubts in the trivial work of every day, Doubts at the very bases of my soul In the grand moments when she probes herself-- If finally I have a life to show, The thing I did, brought out in evidence Against the thing done to me underground By hell and all its brood, for aught I know? I say, whence sprang this? shows it faith or doubt? All's doubt in me; where's break of faith in this? It is the idea, the feeling and the love, God means mankind should strive for and show forth Whatever be the process to that end,-- And not historic knowledge, logic sound, And metaphysical acumen, sure! "What think ye of Christ," friend? when all's done and said, Like you this Christianity or not? It may be false, but will you wish it true? Has it your vote to be so if it can? Trust you an instinct silenced long ago That will break silence and enjoin you love What mortified philosophy is hoarse, And all in vain, with bidding you despise? If you desire faith--then you've faith enough: What else seeks God--nay, what else seek ourselves? You form a notion of me, we'll suppose, On hearsay; it's a favourable one: "But still" (you add), "there was no such good man, "Because of contradiction in the facts. "One proves, for instance, he was born in Rome, "This Blougram; yet throughout the tales of him "I see he figures as an Englishman. " Well, the two things are reconcileable. But would I rather you discovered that, Subjoining--"Still, what matter though they be? "Blougram concerns me nought, born here or there. " Pure faith indeed--you know not what you ask! Naked belief in God the Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, sears too much The sense of conscious creatures to be borne. It were the seeing him, no flesh shall dare Some think, Creation's meant to show him forth: I say it's meant to hide him all it can, And that's what all the blessed evil's for. Its use in Time is to environ us, Our breath, our drop of dew, with shield enough Against that sight till we can bear its stress. Under a vertical sun, the exposed brain And lidless eye and disemprisoned heart Less certainly would wither up at once Than mind, confronted with the truth of him. But time and earth case-harden us to live; The feeblest sense is trusted most; the child Feels God a moment, ichors o'er the place, Plays on and grows to be a man like us. With me, faith means perpetual unbelief Kept quiet like the snake 'neath Michael's foot Who stands calm just because he feels it writhe. Or, if that's too ambitious,--here's my box-- I need the excitation of a pinch Threatening the torpor of the inside-nose Nigh on the imminent sneeze that never comes. "Leave it in peace" advise the simple folk: Make it aware of peace by itching-fits, Say I--let doubt occasion still more faith! You'll say, once all believed, man, woman, child, In that dear middle-age these noodles praise. How you'd exult if I could put you back Six hundred years, blot out cosmogony, Geology, ethnology, what not (Greek endings, each the little passing-bell That signifies some faith's about to die), And set you square with Genesis again,-- When such a traveller told you his last news, He saw the ark a-top of Ararat But did not climb there since 't was getting dusk And robber-bands infest the mountain's foot! How should you feel, I ask, in such an age, How act? As other people felt and did; With soul more blank than this decanter's knob, Believe--and yet lie, kill, rob, fornicate Full in belief's face, like the beast you'd be! No, when the fight begins within himself, A man's worth something. God stoops o'er his head, Satan looks up between his feet--both tug-- He's left, himself, i' the middle: the soul wakes And grows. Prolong that battle through his life! Never leave growing till the life to come! Here, we've got callous to the Virgin's winks That used to puzzle people wholesomely: Men have outgrown the shame of being fools. What are the laws of nature, not to bend If the Church bid them?--brother Newman asks. Up with the Immaculate Conception, then-- On to the rack with faith!--is my advice. Will not that hurry us upon our knees, Knocking our breasts, "It can't be--yet it shall! "Who am I, the worm, to argue with my Pope? "Low things confound the high things!" and so forth. That's better than acquitting God with grace As some folk do. He's tried--no case is proved, Philosophy is lenient--he may go! You'll say, the old system's not so obsolete But men believe still: ay, but who and where? King Bomba's lazzaroni foster yet The sacred flame, so Antonelli writes; But even of these, what ragamuffin-saint Believes God watches him continually, As he believes in fire that it will burn, Or rain that it will drench him? Break fire's law, Sin against rain, although the penalty Be just a singe or soaking? "No," he smiles; "Those laws are laws that can enforce themselves. " The sum of all is--yes, my doubt is great, My faith's still greater, then my faith's enough. I have read much, thought much, experienced much, Yet would die rather than avow my fear The Naples' liquefaction may be false, When set to happen by the palace-clock According to the clouds or dinner-time. I hear you recommend, I might at least Eliminate, decrassify my faith Since I adopt it; keeping what I must And leaving what I can--such points as this. I won't--that is, I can't throw one away. Supposing there's no truth in what I hold About the need of trial to man's faith, Still, when you bid me purify the same, To such a process I discern no end. Clearing off one excrescence to see two, There's ever a next in size, now grown as big, That meets the knife: I cut and cut again! First cut the Liquefaction, what comes last But Fichte's clever cut at God himself? Experimentalize on sacred things! I trust nor hand nor eye nor heart nor brain To stop betimes: they all get drunk alike. The first step, I am master not to take. You'd find the cutting-process to your taste As much as leaving growths of lies unpruned, Nor see more danger in it,--you retort. Your taste's worth mine; but my taste proves more wise When we consider that the steadfast hold On the extreme end of the chain of faith Gives all the advantage, makes the difference With the rough purblind mass we seek to rule: We are their lords, or they are free of us, Just as we tighten or relax our hold. So, others matters equal, we'll revert To the first problem--which, if solved my way And thrown into the balance, turns the scale-- How we may lead a comfortable life, How suit our luggage to the cabin's size. Of course you are remarking all this time How narrowly and grossly I view life, Respect the creature-comforts, care to rule The masses, and regard complacently "The cabin," in our old phrase. Well, I do. I act for, talk for, live for this world now, As this world prizes action, life and talk: No prejudice to what next world may prove, Whose new laws and requirements, my best pledge To observe then, is that I observe these now, Shall do hereafter what I do meanwhile. Let us concede (gratuitously though) Next life relieves the soul of body, yields Pure spiritual enjoyment: well, my friend, Why lose this life i' the meantime, since its use May be to make the next life more intense? Do you know, I have often had a dream (Work it up in your next month's article) Of man's poor spirit in its progress, still Losing true life for ever and a day Through ever trying to be and ever being-- In the evolution of successive spheres-- Before its actual sphere and place of life, Halfway into the next, which having reached, It shoots with corresponding foolery Halfway into the next still, on and off! As when a traveller, bound from North to South, Scouts fur in Russia: what's its use in France? In France spurns flannel: where's its need in Spain? In Spain drops cloth, too cumbrous for Algiers! Linen goes next, and last the skin itself, A superfluity at Timbuctoo. When, through his journey, was the fool at ease? I'm at ease now, friend; worldly in this world, I take and like its way of life; I think My brothers, who administer the means, Live better for my comfort--that's good too; And God, if he pronounce upon such life, Approves my service, which is better still. If he keep silence,--why, for you or me Or that brute beast pulled-up in to-day's "Times," What odds is't, save to ourselves, what life we lead? You meet me at this issue: you declare,-- All special-pleading done with--truth is truth, And justifies itself by undreamed ways. You don't fear but it's better, if we doubt, To say so, act up to our truth perceived However feebly. Do then,--act away! 'T is there I'm on the watch for you. How one acts Is, both of us agree, our chief concern: And how you'll act is what I fain would see If, like the candid person you appear, You dare to make the most of your life's scheme As I of mine, live up to its full law Since there's no higher law that counterchecks. Put natural religion to the test You've just demolished the revealed with--quick, Down to the root of all that checks your will, All prohibition to lie, kill and thieve, Or even to be an atheistic priest! Suppose a pricking to incontinence-- Philosophers deduce you chastity Or shame, from just the fact that at the first Whoso embraced a woman in the field, Threw club down and forewent his brains beside, So, stood a ready victim in the reach Of any brother savage, club in hand; Hence saw the use of going out of sight In wood or cave to prosecute his loves: I read this in a French book t' other day. Does law so analysed coerce you much? Oh, men spin clouds of fuzz where matters end, But you who reach where the first thread begins, You'll soon cut that!--which means you can, but won't, Through certain instincts, blind, unreasoned-out, You dare not set aside, you can't tell why, But there they are, and so you let them rule. Then, friend, you seem as much a slave as I, A liar, conscious coward and hypocrite, Without the good the slave expects to get, In case he has a master after all! You own your instincts? why, what else do I, Who want, am made for, and must have a God Ere I can be aught, do aught?--no mere name Want, but the true thing with what proves its truth, To wit, a relation from that thing to me, Touching from head to foot--which touch I feel, And with it take the rest, this life of ours! I live my life here; yours you dare not live. --Not as I state it, who (you please subjoin) Disfigure such a life and call it names, While, to your mind, remains another way For simple men: knowledge and power have rights, But ignorance and weakness have rights too. There needs no crucial effort to find truth If here or there or anywhere about: We ought to turn each side, try hard and see, And if we can't, be glad we've earned at least The right, by one laborious proof the more, To graze in peace earth's pleasant pasturage. Men are not angels, neither are they brutes: Something we may see, all we cannot see. What need of lying? I say, I see all, And swear to each detail the most minute In what I think a Pan's face--you, mere cloud: I swear I hear him speak and see him wink, For fear, if once I drop the emphasis, Mankind may doubt there's any cloud at all. You take the simple life--ready to see, Willing to see (for no cloud's worth a face)-- And leaving quiet what no strength can move, And which, who bids you move? who has the right? I bid you; but you are God's sheep, not mine: " Pastor est tui Dominus . " You find In this the pleasant pasture of our life Much you may eat without the least offence, Much you don't eat because your maw objects, Much you would eat but that your fellow-flock Open great eyes at you and even butt, And thereupon you like your mates so well You cannot please yourself, offending them; Though when they seem exorbitantly sheep, You weigh your pleasure with their butts and bleats And strike the balance. Sometimes certain fears Restrain you, real checks since you find them so; Sometimes you please yourself and nothing checks: And thus you graze through life with not one lie, And like it best. But do you, in truth's name? If so, you beat--which means you are not I-- Who needs must make earth mine and feed my fill Not simply unbutted at, unbickered with, But motioned to the velvet of the sward By those obsequious wethers' very selves. Look at me, sir; my age is double yours: At yours, I knew beforehand, so enjoyed, What now I should be--as, permit the word, I pretty well imagine your whole range And stretch of tether twenty years to come. We both have minds and bodies much alike: In truth's name, don't you want my bishopric, My daily bread, my influence and my state? You're young. I'm old; you must be old one day; Will you find then, as I do hour by hour, Women their lovers kneel to, who cut curls From your fat lap-dog's ear to grace a brooch-- Dukes, who petition just to kiss your ring-- With much beside you know or may conceive? Suppose we die to-night: well, here am I, Such were my gains, life bore this fruit to me, While writing all the same my articles On music, poetry, the fictile vase Found at Albano, chess, Anacreon's Greek. But you--the highest honour in your life, The thing you'll crown yourself with, all your days, Is--dining here and drinking this last glass I pour you out in sign of amity Before we part for ever. Of your power And social influence, worldly worth in short, Judge what's my estimation by the fact, I do not condescend to enjoin, beseech, Hint secrecy on one of all these words! You're shrewd and know that should you publish one The world would brand the lie--my enemies first, Who'd sneer--"the bishop's an arch-hypocrite "And knave perhaps, but not so frank a fool. " Whereas I should not dare for both my ears Breathe one such syllable, smile one such smile, Before the chaplain who reflects myself-- My shade's so much more potent than your flesh. What's your reward, self-abnegating friend? Stood you confessed of those exceptional And privileged great natures that dwarf mine-- A zealot with a mad ideal in reach, A poet just about to print his ode, A statesman with a scheme to stop this war, An artist whose religion is his art-- I should have nothing to object: such men Carry the fire, all things grow warm to them, Their drugget's worth my purple, they beat me. But you,--you're just as little those as I-- You, Gigadibs, who, thirty years of age, Write statedly for Blackwood's Magazine, Believe you see two points in Hamlet's soul Unseized by the Germans yet--which view you'll print-- Meantime the best you have to show being still That lively lightsome article we took Almost for the true Dickens,--what's its name? "The Slum and Cellar, or Whitechapel life "Limned after dark!" it made me laugh, I know, And pleased a month, and brought you in ten pounds. --Success I recognize and compliment, And therefore give you, if you choose, three words (The card and pencil-scratch is quite enough) Which whether here, in Dublin or New York, Will get you, prompt as at my eyebrow's wink, Such terms as never you aspired to get In all our own reviews and some not ours. Go write your lively sketches! be the first "Blougram, or The Eccentric Confidence"-- Or better simply say, "The Outward-bound. " Why, men as soon would throw it in my teeth As copy and quote the infamy chalked broad About me on the church-door opposite. You will not wait for that experience though, I fancy, howsoever you decide, To discontinue--not detesting, not Defaming, but at least--despising me! Over his wine so smiled and talked his hour Sylvester Blougram, styled in partibus Episcopus, nec non --(the deuce knows what It's changed to by our novel hierarchy) With Gigadibs the literary man, Who played with spoons, explored his plate's design, And ranged the olive-stones about its edge, While the great bishop rolled him out a mind Long crumpled, till creased consciousness lay smooth. For Blougram, he believed, say, half he spoke. The other portion, as he shaped it thus For argumentatory purposes, He felt his foe was foolish to dispute. Some arbitrary accidental thoughts That crossed his mind, amusing because new, He chose to represent as fixtures there, Invariable convictions (such they seemed Beside his interlocutor's loose cards Flung daily down, and not the same way twice) While certain hell deep instincts, man's weak tongue Is never bold to utter in their truth Because styled hell-deep ('t is an old mistake To place hell at the bottom of the earth) He ignored these,--not having in readiness Their nomenclature and philosophy: He said true things, but called them by wrong names. "On the whole," he thought, "I justify myself "On every point where cavillers like this "Oppugn my life: he tries one kind of fence, "I close, he's worsted, that's enough for him. "He's on the ground: if ground should break away "I take my stand on, there's a firmer yet "Beneath it, both of us may sink and reach. "His ground was over mine and broke the first: "So, let him sit with me this many a year!" He did not sit five minutes. Just a week Sufficed his sudden healthy vehemence. Something had struck him in the "Outward-bound" Another way than Blougram's purpose was: And having bought, not cabin-furniture But settler's-implements (enough for three) And started for Australia--there, I hope, By this time he has tested his first plough, And studied his last chapter of St. John. # 131 games, 1620-2022 RM Spanish Marshall/Anti-Marshall Copied from R. Lo Marshall and Anti-Marshall games comment by C.J.S. Purdy on page 34 of the February 1960 Chess World: ‘Zugzwang just doesn’t happen in a middle-game. There is a win by Nimzowitsch against Sämisch in the middle-game which one annotator has called a “Zugzwang” finish. It is true that any move by Sämisch loses, but he would lose just as surely if his opponent had to move. It is not the compulsion to move that hurts him; his position is lost anyway. So it is no more Zugzwang than any other resignable position.’ 8c Zahedifar degrees butter Zhu izn't sow shirt butt on. <'Eres tú, Guadarrama, viejo, amigo' Was it you, Guadarrama, ancient friend mountains of white and grey mountains of my Madrid evenings, I saw there, brushed on the blue? Among your deep gullies and bitter heights, a thousand suns, a thousand Guadarramas rode with me, there, into your heart.> by Antonio Machado Here’s another Spanish-language poet who was born, and who lived, in Spain: Machado was born there in 1875 and grew up in Madrid. He and his brother sought careers in writing and acting when their father lost his fortune and the brothers had to make their own way in the world. He died in 1939 after leaving Spain during the Spanish Civil War. “Every master was once a disaster.” – T.S. Wood “It takes a dream to get started, desire to keep going, and determination to finish.” ― Eddie Harris, Jr. What do Alexander the Great and Winnie the Pooh have in common? Same middle name. “There should be no boundaries to human endeavor. We are all different. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there’s life, there is hope.” ― Stephen Hawking Why is it sad that parallel lines have so much in common? Because they'll never meet. “Chess is the art of analysis.” ― Mikhail Botvinnik “Chess is imagination.” ― David Bronstein “Chess is as much a mystery as women.” ― Cecil John Seddon Purdy “Take wrong turns. Talk to strangers. Open unmarked doors. And if you see a group of people in a field, go find out what they are doing. Do things without always knowing how they’ll turn out.” ― Randall Munroe Dec-12-16 DrGridlock: Q: When is a pin not a pin? A: When the piece is: (i) not pinned to the king and (ii) in moving the piece threatens either mate or greater material gain than what it was pinned to. (iii) in moving the piece now defends the unit it was pinned to, such as Nf3xd4 and protects the Be2 that was behind the knight. <First And Last Author Riddle: What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you? By 2024 India will overtake China as the world’s most populous country China currently has 1.4 billion inhabitants, closely followed by India with 1.3 billion. Together they make up 37% of the world’s population. Riddle Answer: Your name.> Is it ignorance or apathy that's destroying the world today? I don't know, and I don't care. One of Bobby Fischer’s famous utterances is that “Chess is life.” “Chess is my life, but my life is not chess.” ― Anatoly Karpov “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” ― Forrest Gump “Life is like a game of chess. To win you need to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with insight and knowledge and by learning the lessons that are accumulated along the way. We become each and every piece within the game called LIFE.” ― Alan Rufus “The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Don’t give up.” ― Robert Tew “Life is like a cup of coffee or tea. No matter how bitter it may be, it is always enjoyable.” ― Jason Wong Never criticize someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you'll be a mile away, and you'll have their shoes. “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” ― Mahatma Gandhi “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.” ― Dalai Lama “The game of chess is not just an idle amusement. Several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired or strengthened by it… Life is a kind of Chess, in which we have often pointed to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with.” ― Benjamin Franklin “Chess is played with the mind and not with the hands.” ― Renaud & Kahn, The Art of the Checkmate “Out of difficulties grow miracles.” ― Jean de la Bruyere What do you call a bee that can't make up its mind? A maybe. “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” ― Albert Einstein What did the swordfish say to the marlin? "You're looking sharp." “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” ― Albert Einstein “Failure is success in progress.” ― Albert Einstein “Failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it.” ― Mia Hamm How do celebrities stay cool? They have many fans. "The broader the chess player you are, the easier it is to be competitive, and the same seems to be true of mathematics - if you can find links between different branches of mathematics, it can help you resolve problems. In both mathematics and chess, you study existing theory and use that to go forward." ― Viswanathan Anand “A quitter never wins and a winner never quits.” ― Napoleon Hill “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” ― Robert. H. Schuller “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.” ― Charles Spurgeon “Don’t be discouraged. It’s often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock.” ― Unknown “Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.” ― Louis Pasteur "All of the real heroes are not storybook combat fighters either. Every single man in this Army play a vital role. Don't ever let up. Don't ever think that your job is unimportant. Every man has a job to do and he must do it. Every man is a vital link in the great chain.” ― General George S. Patton, U.S. Army Which branch of the military accepts toddlers? The infantry. “Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them.” ― Napoleon Bonaparte, French military and political leader After winning a good game, I always ask myself: "Where did I go right?" ― Tom Wiswell (1910-1988) who made a quote regarding playing checkers worth using in chess circles. “Life is like a chess. If you lose your queen, you will probably lose the game.” — Being Caballero Why couldn't the bicycle stand on its own? It was two tired. “Each life is made up of mistakes and learning, waiting and growing, practicing patience and being persistent.” — Billy Graham Why were the teacher's eyes crossed? She couldn't control her pupils. “Just because someone stumbles and loses their path, doesn’t mean they’re lost forever.” — Professor X “If you’re positive (attitude) you can get through it OK. When you think negatively, you’re putting poison in your body. Just smile. They say laughter is the best medicine there is.” — Elsa Bailey, athlete, 100 years old “If plan A doesn’t work, the alphabet has 25 more letters – 204 if you’re in Japan.” — Claire Cook Exaggerations have become an epidemic. They went up by a million percent last year. “Life is like a game of chess. I cannot undue the moves but I can make the next step better.” — Edwin Tan “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us.” — Alexander Graham Bell I told my physical therapist that I broke my arm in two places. He told me to stop going to those places. “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” — Maria Robinson “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. I know I can.” – Watty Piper “The winner of the game is the player who makes the next to last mistake.” — Savielly Tartakower “Part of being a champ is acting like a champ. You have to learn how to win and not run away when you lose.” — Nancy Kerrigan “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” — Martin Luther King Jr. * 15 Life Lessons: https://herculeschess.com/life-less... “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” — Pablo Picasso “I stand corrected!” said the man in the orthopedic shoes. “Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.” — Thomas Jefferson You're not completely useless. You can always serve as a bad example. “Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt and dance like no one is watching.” — Satchel Paige “If you’re doing something just to make money, it’s easy to quit. Most people do. But if you’re doing something because it makes you come alive, then removing the restrictions life throws at you clears the path.” — Evan Carmichael “I believe where there is a will, there is a way. You just can’t give up, you have to keep going.” — Charmaney Bayton “Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” — Harriet Beecher Stowe “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ― C.S. Lewis “I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald “You just can’t beat the person who won’t give up.” — Babe Ruth I was wondering why the ball was getting bigger, then it hit me. Don't Quit Poet: Edgar A. Guest When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit - Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns. As everyone of us sometimes learns. And many a fellow turns about when he Might have won had he stuck it out. Don't give up though the pace seems slow - You may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than it seems To a faint and faltering man; Often the struggler has given up when he Might have captured the victor's cup; And he learned too late when the night came down, How close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out - The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, And when you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems afar; So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - It's when things seem worst, You must not quit. “Rest if you must but don’t you quit!” — Anonymous “Courage doesn’t always roar, sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering ‘I will try again tomorrow’.” — Mary Anne Radmacher “The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.” — Barack Obama I saw Usain Bolt sprinting around the track shouting, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" It was a running joke. $ $ $ “Elon Musk, the world's richest person, recently revealed his strategy for investing alongside record inflation. According to the WSJ, since February 2020, the Fed increased the nation’s money supply by a staggering 40%. To some experts, it explains why the U.S. is experiencing its highest inflation rate since 1981. The Tesla and SpaceX founder told investors, in his experience, it’s “better to own physical things than dollars when inflation is high.” That’s especially shocking from Musk, who has historically passionately supported cryptocurrencies and other digital goods. The “physical goods” he mentioned could include oil, metals, and grains, which have all soared in prices…” — Nigel Glenday, Chief Financial Officer “If you do what you need, you’re surviving. If you do what you want, you’re living.” — Unknown "Stick to the prepared plan, man. Don't let others down who expect you to do your part. Do no harm. Fools rush in. Be calm, composed, wise; obey boundaries. Control your impulses, urges, your emotions, your words and actions. Respectfully play by the rules, or willful recklessness will burn you soon enough. All God's ambular creatures must stay back off thin ice. Mother Nature and Father Time always have their say. Be safe and sound as you explore." — Anonymous Bear <Luke 8:16-18 New King James Version The Parable of the Revealed Light Jesus said: 16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”> And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:9, 10. “You can only get good at chess if you love the game.” ― Bobby Fischer “Be active. I do things my way, like skiing when I’m 100. Nobody else does that even if they have energy. And I try to eat pretty correctly and get exercise and fresh air and sunshine.” ― Elsa Bailey, first time skier at age 100 “Don't look at the calendar, just keep celebrating every day.” ― Ruth Coleman, carpe diem at age 101 1953 Zurich: move 29 Zukertort retort. zooter Frit z drip drip drip Kh7? lubes hiz own Szabo freechrgbl electrk shavr oodd bbee hiveior. What sits at the bottom of the sea and twitches? A nervous wreck. This game an Indian Brahmin did invent, The force of Eastern wisdom to express; From thence the same to busy Europe sent; The modern Lombards stil'd it pensive Chess. — Sir John Denham You don’t have to be a polymath like Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit to improve your game Stephen Moss Sat 14 Nov 2020 01.56 EST The first thing to say about chess is that we are not all natural geniuses like Beth Harmon, the star of The Queen’s Gambit, who is taught the game by grumpy but lovable janitor Mr Shaibel at the age of nine and is very soon beating him. The daughter of a maths PhD, she sees the patterns and movement in chess immediately, can visualise effortlessly – being able to memorise moves and play without a board is the sign of chess mastery – and sees whole games on the ceiling of her orphanage dormitory. She is a prodigy, just like world champion Bobby Fischer, on whom Walter Tevis based the novel from which the TV series is drawn. We are mere mortals. So how do we get good? First, by loving chess. “You can only get good at chess if you love the game,” Fischer said. You need to be endlessly fascinated by it and see its infinite potential. Be willing to embrace the complexity; enjoy the adventure. Every game should be an education and teach us something. Losing doesn’t matter. Garry Kasparov, another former world champion, likes to say you learn far more from your defeats than your victories. Eventually you will start winning, but there will be a lot of losses on the way. Play people who are better than you, and be prepared to lose. Then you will learn. If you are a beginner, don’t feel the need to set out all the pieces at once. Start with the pawns, and then add the pieces. Understand the potential of each piece – the way a pair of bishops can dominate the board, how the rooks can sweep up pawns in an endgame, why the queen and a knight can work together so harmoniously. Find a good teacher – your own Mr Shaibel, but without the communication issues. Once you have established the basics, start using computers and online resources to play and to help you analyse games. lichess.org, chess.com and chess24.com are great sites for playing and learning. chessbomb.com is a brilliant resource for watching top tournaments. chessgames.com is a wonderful database of games. chesspuzzle.net is a great practice program. decodechess.com attempts to explain chess moves in layperson’s language. There are also plenty of sophisticated, all-purpose programs, usually called chess engines, such as Fritz and HIARCs that, for around £50, help you deconstruct your games and take you deeply into positions. But don’t let the computer do all the work. You need to engage your own brain on the analysis. And don’t endlessly play against the computer. Find human opponents, either online or, when the pandemic is over, in person. Bobby Fischer was stripped of his world title in 1975 after he refused to defend the title due to a row over the format. Photograph: RFS/AP Study the games of great masters of the past. Find a player you like and follow their careers. Fischer is a great starting point – his play is clear and comprehensible, and beautifully described in his famous book My 60 Memorable Games. Morphy (Harmon’s favourite), Alekhine, Capablanca, Tal, Korchnoi and Shirov are other legendary figures with whom the aspiring player might identify. They also have fascinating life stories, and chess is about hot human emotions as well as cold calculation. Modern grandmaster chess, which is based heavily on a deep knowledge of opening theory, is more abstruse and may be best avoided until you have acquired deep expertise. The current crop of leading grandmasters are also, if we are brutally honest, a bit lacking in personality compared with the giants of the past. Children will often find their school has a chess club, and that club may even have links with Chess in Schools and Communities, which supplies expert tutors to schools. Provision tends to be much better at primary than secondary level, and after 11 children will probably be left to their own devices if they want to carry on playing. If a player is really serious, she or he should join their local chess club. There is likely to be one meeting nearby, or there will be once the Covid crisis is over. At the moment, clubs are not meeting and there is very little over-the-board chess being played. Players are keeping their brains active online, where you can meet players from all over the world. That is fun, but be aware that some players are likely to be cheating – using chess engines to help them, making it hard for you to assess how good your play is. And you also get some abuse online from players who want to trash-talk. You are also likely to be playing at very fast time controls – so-called blitz chess – and that is no way to learn to really think about chess. If you want to start playing over-the-board tournaments (when they resume), you will need to join the chess federation in your respective country. After you’ve played the requisite number of official games, you will get a rating – a bit like a handicap in golf – and can then start being paired with players of your own strength in matches. But until then, the key is to keep enjoying chess and searching for the elusive “truth” in a position. If you see a good move, look for a better one. You can always dig a little deeper in the pursuit of something remarkable and counterintuitive. Beauty and truth: the essence of chess. Stephen Moss is the author of The Rookie: An Odyssey through Chess (and Life), published by Bloomsbury * YS Tactics: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics “God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” ― Voltaire Q: When does a joke become a ‘dad’ joke? A: When it becomes apparent. “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?” ― Martin Luther King, Jr. "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." ― Harry S Truman, 33rd President of the United States, and former Colonel in the U.S. Army CAISSA or The Game at Chess; a Poem. (written in the year 1763, by Sir William Jones) (pronounced ky-eé-sah) Of armies on the chequer'd field array'd, And guiltless war in pleasing form display'd; When two bold kings contend with vain alarms, In ivory this, and that in ebon arms; Sing, sportive maids, that haunt the sacred hill Of Pindus, and the fam'd Pierian rill. Thou, joy of all below, and all above, Mild Venus, queen of laughter, queen of love; Leave thy bright island, where on many a rose And many a pink thy blooming train repose: Assist me, goddess! since a lovely pair Command my song, like thee devinely fair. Near yon cool stream, whose living waters play, And rise translucent in the solar ray; Beneath the covert of a fragrant bower, Where spring's nymphs reclin'd in calm retreat, And envying blossoms crouded round their seat; Here Delia was enthron'd, and by her side The sweet Sirena, both in beauty's pride: Thus shine two roses, fresh with early bloom, That from their native stalk dispense perfume; Their leaves unfolding to the dawning day Gems of the glowing mead, and eyes of May. A band of youths and damsels sat around, Their flowing locks with braided myrtle bound; Agatis, in the graceful dance admir'd, And gentle Thyrsis, by the muse inspir'd; With Sylvia, fairest of the mirthful train; And Daphnis, doom'd to love, yet love in vain. Now, whilst a purer blush o'erspreads her cheeks, With soothing accents thus Sirena speaks: "The meads and lawns are ting'd with beamy light, And wakeful larks begin their vocal flight; Whilst on each bank the dewdrops sweetly smile; What sport, my Delia, shall the hours beguile? Whall heavenly notes, prolong'd with various art, Charm the fond ear, and warm the rapturous heart? At distance shall we view the sylvan chace? Or catch with silken lines the finny race?" Then Delia thus: "Or rather, since we meet By chance assembled in this cool retreat, In artful contest let our warlike train Move well-directed o'er the field preside: No prize we need, our ardour to inflame; We fight with pleasure, if we fight for fame." The nymph consents: the maids and youths prepare To view the combat, and the sport to share: But Daphnis most approv'd the bold design, Whom Love instructed, and the tuneful Nine. He rose, and on the cedar table plac'd A polish'd board, with differing colours grac'd; Squares eight times eight in equal order lie; These bright as snow, those dark with sable dye; Like the broad target by the tortoise born, Or like the hide by spotted panthers worn. Then from a chest, with harmless heroes stor'd, O'er the smooth plain two well-wrought hosts he pour'd; The champions burn'd their rivals to assail, Twice eight in black, twice eight in milkwhite mail; In shape and station different, as in name, Their motions various, not their power the same. Say, muse! (for Jove has nought from thee conceal'd) Who form'd the legions on the level field? High in the midst the reverend kings appear, And o'er the rest their pearly scepters rear: One solemn step, majestically slow, They gravely move, and shun the dangerous foe; If e'er they call, the watchful subjects spring, And die with rapture if they save their king; On him the glory of the day depends, He once imprison'd, all the conflict ends. The queens exulting near their consorts stand; Each bears a deadly falchion in her hand; Now here, now there, they bound with furious pride, And thin the trmbling ranks from side to side; Swift as Camilla flying o'er the main, Or lightly skimming o'er the dewy plain: Fierce as they seem, some bold Plebeian spear May pierce their shield, or stop their full career. The valiant guards, their minds on havock bent, Fill the next squares, and watch the royal tent; Tho' weak their spears, tho' dwarfish be their height, Compact they move, the bulwark of the fight, To right and left the martial wings display Their shining arms, and stand in close array. Behold, four archers, eager to advance, Send the light reed, and rush with sidelong glance; Through angles ever they assault the foes, True to the colour, which at first they chose. Then four bold knights for courage-fam'd and speed, Each knight exalted on a prancing steed: Their arching course no vulgar limit knows, Tranverse they leap, and aim insidious blows: Nor friends, nor foes, their rapid force restrain, By on quick bound two changing squares they gain; From varing hues renew the fierce attack, And rush from black to white, from white to black. Four solemn elephants the sides defend; Benearth the load of ponderous towers they bend: In on unalter'd line they tempt the fight; Now crush the left, and now o'erwhelm the right. Bright in the front the dauntless soldiers raise Their polish'd spears; their steely helmets blaze: Prepar'd they stand the daring foe to strike, Direct their progress, but their wounds oblique. Now swell th' embattled troups with hostile rage, And clang their shields, impatient to engage; When Daphnis thus: A varied plain behold, Where fairy kings their mimick tents unfold, As Oberon, and Mab, his wayward queen, Lead forth their armies on the daisied green. No mortal hand the wond'rous sport contriv'd, By gods invents, and from gods deriv'd; From them the British nymphs receiv'd the game, And play ech morn beneath the crystal Thame; Hear then the tale, which they to Colin sung, As idling o'er the lucid wave he hung. A lovely dryad rang'd the Thracian wild, Her air enchanting, and her aspect mild: To chase the bounding hart was all her joy, Averse from Hymen, and the Cyprian boy; O'er hills an valleys was her beauty fam'd, And fair Caissa was the damsel nam'd. Mars saw the maid; with deep surprize he gaz'd, Admir'd her shape, and every gesture prais'd: His golden bow the child of Venus bent, And through his breast a piecing arrow sent. The reed was hope; the feathers, keen desire; The point, her eyes; the barbs, ethereal fire. Soon to the nymph he pour'd his tender strain; The haughtly dryad scorn'd his amorous pain: He told his woes, where'er the maid he found, And still he press'd, yet still Caissa frown'd; But ev'n her frowns (ah, what might smiles have done!) Fir'd all his soul, and all his senses won. He left his car, by raging tigers drawn, And lonely wander'd o'er the dusky lawn; Then lay desponding near a murmuring stream, And fair Caissa was his plaintive theme. A naiad heard him from her mossy bed, And through the crystal rais'd her placid head; Then mildly spake: "O thou, whom love inspires, Thy tears will nourish, not allay thy fires. The smiling blossoms drink the pearly dew; And ripening fruit the feather'd race pursue; The scaly shoals devour the silken weeds; Love on our sighs, and on our sorrow feeds. Then weep no more; but, ere thou canst obtain Balm to thy wounds, and solace to thy pain, With gentle art thy martial look beguile; Be mild, and teach thy rugged brow to smile. Canst thou no play, no soothing game devise; To make thee lovely in the damsel's eyes? So may thy prayers assuage the scornful dame, And ev'n Caissa own a mutual frame." Kind nymph, said Mars, thy counsel I approve; Art, only art, her ruthless breast can move. but when? or how? They dark discourse explain: So may thy stream ne'er swell with gushing rain; So may thy waves in one pure current flow, And flowers eternal on thy border blow!" To whom the maid replied with smiling mien: "Above the palace of the Paphian queen Love's brother dwells, a boy of graceful port, By gods nam'd Euphron, and by mortals Sport: Seek him; to faithful ears unfold thy grief, And hope, ere morn return, a sweet relief. His temple hangs below the azure skies; Seest thou yon argent cloud? 'Tis there it lies." This said, she sunk beneath the liquid plain, And sought the mansion of her blue-hair'd train. Meantime the god, elate with heart-felt joy, Had reach'd the temple of the sportful boy; He told Caissa's charms, his kindled fire, The naiad's counsel, and his warm desire. "Be swift, he added, give my passion aid; A god requests." - He spake, and Sport obey'd. He fram'd a tablet of celestial mold, Inlay'd with squares of silver and of gold; Then of two metals form'd the warlike band, That here compact in show of battle stand; He taught the rules that guide the pensive game, And call'd it Cassa from the dryad's name: (Whence Albion's sons, who most its praise confess, Approv'd the play, and nam'd it thoughtful Chess.) The god delighted thank'd indulgent Sport; Then grasp'd the board, and left his airy court. With radiant feet he pierc'd the clouds; nor stay'd, Till in the woods he saw the beauteous maid: Tir'd with the chase the damsel set reclin'd, Her girdle loose, her bosom unconfin'd. He took the figure of a wanton faun, And stood before her on the flowery lawn; Then show'd his tablet: pleas'd the nymph survey'd The lifeless troops in glittering ranks display'd; She ask'd the wily sylvan to explain The various motions of the splendid train; With eager heart she caught the winning lore, And thought ev'n Mars less hateful than before; "What spell," said she, "deceiv'd my careless mind? The god was fair, and I was most unkind." She spoke, and saw the changing faun assume A milder aspect, and a fairer bloom; His wreathing horns, that from his temples grew, Flow'd down in curls of bright celestial hue; The dappled hairs, that veil'd his loveless face, Blaz'd into beams, and show'd a heavenly grace; The shaggy hide, that mantled o'er his breast, Was soften'd to a smooth transparent vest, That through its folds his vigorous bosom show'd, And nervous limbs, where youthful ardour glow'd: (Had Venus view'd him in those blooming charms, Not Vulcan's net had forc'd her from his arms.) With goatlike feet no more he mark'd the ground, But braided flowers his silken sandals bound. The dryad blush'd; and, as he press'd her, smil'd, Whilst all his cares one tender glance beguil'd. He ends: To arms, the maids and striplings cry; To arms, the groves and sounding vales reply. Sirena led to war the swarthy crew, And Delia those that bore the lily's hue. Who first, O muse, began the bold attack; The white refulgent, or the mournful black? Fair Delia first, as favoring lots ordain, Moves her pale legions tow'rd the sable train: From thought to thought her lively fancy flies, Whilst o'er the board she darts her sparkling eyes. At length the warrior moves with haughty strides; Who from the plain the snowy king divides: With equal haste his swarthy rival bounds; His quiver rattles, and his buckler sounds: Ah! hapless youths, with fatal warmth you burn; Laws, ever fix'd, forbid you to return. then from the wing a short-liv'd spearman flies, Unsafely bold, and see! he dies, he dies: The dark-brow'd hero, with one vengeful blow Of life and place deprives his ivory foe. Now rush both armies o'er the burnish'd field, Hurl the swift dart, and rend the bursting shield. Here furious knights on fiery coursers prance, but see! the white-rob'd Amazon beholds Where the dark host its opening van unfolds: Soon as her eye discerns the hostile maid, By ebon shield, and ebon helm betray'd; Seven squares she passed with majestic mien, And stands triumphant o'er the falling queen. Perplex'd, and sorrowing at his consort's fate, The monarch burn'd with rage, despair, and hate: Swift from his zone th' avenging blade he drew, And, mad with ire, the proud virago slew. Meanwhile sweet smiling Delia's wary king Retir'd from fight behind the circling wing. Long time the war in equal balance hung; Till, unforseen, an ivory courser sprung, And, wildly prancing in an evil hour, Attack'd at once the monarch and the tower: Sirena blush'd; for, as the rules requir'd, Her injur'd sovereign to his tent retir'd; Whilst her lost castle leaves his threatening height, And adds new glory to th' exulting knight. At this, pale fear oppress'd the drooping maid, And on her cheek the rose began to fade: A crystal tear, that stood prepar'd to fall, She wip'd in silence, and conceal'd from all; From all but Daphnis; He remark'd her pain, And saw the weakness of her ebon train; Then gently spoke: "Let me your loss supply, And either nobly win, or nobly dir; Me oft has fortune crown'd with fair success, And led to triumph in the fields of Chess." He said: the willing nymph her place resign'd, And sat at distance on the bank reclin'd. Thus when Minerva call'd her chief to arms, And Troy's high turret shook with dire alarms, The Cyprian goddess wounded left the plain, And Mars engag'd a mightier force in vain. Strait Daphnis leads his squadron to the field; (To Delia's arms 'tis ev'n a joy to yield.) Each guileful snare, and subtle art he tries, But finds his heart less powerful than her eyes: Wisdom and strength superior charms obey; And beauty, beauty, wins the long-fought day. By this a hoary chief, on slaughter bent, Approach'd the gloomy king's unguarded tent; Where, late, his consort spread dismay around, Now her dark corse lies bleeding on the ground. Hail, happy youth! they glories not unsung Shall live eternal on the poet's tongue; For thou shalt soon receive a splendid change, And o'er the plain with nobler fury range. The swarthy leaders saw the storm impend, And strove in vain their sovereign to defend: Th' invader wav'd his silver lance in air, And flew like lightning to the fatal square; His limbs dilated in a moment grew To stately height, and widen'd to the view; More fierce his look, more lion-like his mien, Sublime he mov'd, and seem'd a warrior queen. As when the sage on some unfolding plant Has caught a wandering fly, or frugal ant, His hand the microscopic frame applies, And lo! a bright hair'd monster meets his eyes; He sees new plumes in slender cases roll'd; Here stain'd with azure, there bedropp'd with gold; Thus, on the alter'd chief both armies gaze, And both the kings are fix'd with deep amaze. The sword, which arm'd the snow-white maid before, He noew assumes, and hurls the spear no more; The springs indignant on the dark-rob'd band, And knights and archers feel his deadly hand. Now flies the monarch of the sable shield, His legions vanquish'd, o'er the lonely field: So when the morn, by rosy coursers drawn, With pearls and rubies sows the verdant lawn, Whilst each pale star from heaven's blue vault retires, Still Venus gleams, and last of all expires. He hears, where'er he moves, the dreadful sound; Check the deep vales, and Check the woods rebound. No place remains: he sees the certain fate, And yields his throne to ruin, and Checkmate. A brighter blush o'erspreads the damsel's cheeks, And mildly thus the conquer'd stripling speaks: "A double triumph, Delia, hast thou won, By Mars protected, and by Venus' son; The first with conquest crowns thy matchless art, The second points those eyes at Daphnis' heart." She smil'd; the nymphs and amorous youths arise, And own that beauty gain'd the nobler prize. Low in their chest the mimic troops were lay'd, And peaceful slept the sable hero's shade. Red means stop. The truth hurts. “If a disciple is old, a master should be mature. If a disciple is young, a master should be accessible. If a disciple is brave, a master should be fearless. If a disciple is shrewd, a master should be wise. If a disciple is strong, a master should be powerful. If a disciple is learned, a master should be enlightened. If a disciple is contented, a master should be joyful. If a disciple is faithful, a master should be devoted. If a disciple is tolerant, a master should be peaceful. If a disciple is intro inspective, a master should be self-aware. If a disciple is focused, a master should be determined. If a disciple is exceptional, a master should be perfect.” ― Matshona Dhliwayo Acronyms and Initialisms: An acronym is a pronounceable word that is formed using the first letters of the words in a phrase (sometimes, other parts of the words are also used). Some common acronyms include NASA (which stands for "National Aeronautical and Space Administration"), scuba ("Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus") and laser ("Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation"). An initialism is a word that is formed using the first letters of the words in a phrase -- it is pronounced like a series of letters, not like a word. Some common initialisms include UFO (which stands for "Unidentified Flying Object") and LOL (which stands for "Laughing Out Loud"). Note: Some people consider both of these to be acronyms. Some common acronyms (and initialisms) include: AC - Air Conditioning AD - Anno Domini ("In the Year of Our Lord") AKA - Also Known As AM - Ante Meridiem (before noon) AM - Amplitude Modification (radio) ASAP - As Soon As Possible ATM - Automated Teller Machine B&B - Bed and Breakfast BC - Before Christ or Because BCE - Before the Common Era BLT - Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato BTW - By The Way CC - Credit Card CIA - Central Intelligence Agency CO - Commanding Officer CST - Central Standard Time DOA - Dead on Arrival DOT - Department of Transportation DST - Daylight Saving Time EST - Eastern Standard Time ET - Extra-Terrestrial FAQ - Frequently-Asked Questions FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation FDR - Franklin Delano Roosevelt FM - Frequency Modification (radio) FYI - For Your Information GI - Government Issue GMO - Genetically Modified IM - Instant Message IMO - In My Opinion IMHO - In My Humble Opinion HAZ-MAT - Hazardous Material HMO - Health Maintenence Organization ID - Identification IQ - Intelligence Quotient ISBN - International Standard Book Number JFK - John Fitzgerald Kennedy JV - Junior Varsity KO - Knockout laser - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation LCD - Liquid Crystal Display LED - Light Emitting Diode LOL - Laughing Out Loud MC - Master of Ceremonies MLK - Martin Luther King, Jr. MO - Modus Operandi MRE - Meals Ready to Eat MS - Manuscript MST - Mountain Standard Time MTG - Magic: The Gathering MTD - Month To Date NIB - New In the Box NAFTA - North American Free Trade Agreement NASA - National Aeronautical and Space Administration NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization NBA - National Basketball Association NIB - New In the Box NIMBY - Not In My Backyard OJ - Orange Juice OPEC - Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries PBJ - Peanut Butter and Jelly PC - Politically Correct PI - Private Investigator PIN - Personal Identification Number PM - Post Meridiem (after noon) POTUS - President of the United States POW - Prisoner of War PPS - Post-Postscript PS - Postscript PR - Public Relations PSI - Pounds Per Square Inch PST - Pacific Standard Time Q&A - Question and Answer R&R - Rest and Relaxation RAM - Random Access Memory RGB - Red, Green, Blue RIP - Rest in Peace (from the Latin, "Requiescat In Pace") ROM - Read Only Memory ROTC - Reserve Officers Training Corps ROYGBIV - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet RPG - Role Playing Game RSVP - Répondez S'il Vous Plaît (in French, this means "Please respond") RV - Recreational Vehicle scuba - Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus SNAFU - Systems Normal, All Fouled Up SOP - Standard Operating Procedure SOS - Save Our Souls (decided after the fact - SOS was chosen because it was short in Morse code) SPF - Sun Protection Factor (how sunscreen lotion is rated) TBA - To Be Announced TEOTWAWKI - The End Of The World As We Know It TGIF - Thank God It's Friday TLC - Tender Loving Care TV - Television UFO - Unidentified Flying Object UN - United Nations UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund UPC - Universal Product Code VIP - Very Important Person VP - Vice President WASP - White Anglo Saxon Protestant WHO - World Health Organization WOM - Word of Mouth WoW - World of Warcraft WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get YTD - Year To Date ZIP (code) - Zone Improvement Plan 22 games, 1917-2001 RM Strategie 1 - 6 Tigersprung auf DWZ 1800 1. Zentrum 2. Plan in der Schachpartie 3. Kampf gegen das Bauernzentrum 4. Das Läuferpaar 5. Entwicklungsvorteil 6. Bauernspiel (manche Partien fehlen aus dem einfachen Grund: ich fand sie hier nicht oder es sind Partien, die schon aufgenommen wurden - eventuell auch in der Collektion "Tigersprung auf DWZ 1500") “The free exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world.” ― John Steinbeck “If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads.” ― Anatole France “Chess is the art of analysis.” ― Mikhail Botvinnik “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” ― Arthur Schopenhauer “Chess is everything: art, science and sport.” — Anatoly Karpov “Any form of art is a form of power; it has impact, it can affect change. It can not only move us, it makes us move.” — Ossie Davis “For me, chess is at the same time a game, a sport, a science and an art. And perhaps even more than that. There is something hard to explain to those who do not know the game well. One must first learn to play it correctly in order to savor its richness.” — Bent Larsen “It's important to give it all you have while you have the chance.” — Shania Twain “Chess is a war over the board. The object is to crush the opponent’s mind.” — Bobby Fischer “Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground.” ― Henry David Thoreau “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” ― Mahatma Gandhi “Life is like a chess game. Every decision, just like every move, has consequences. Therefore, decide wisely!” ― Susan Polgar “Take time for deliberation. Haste spoils everything.” ― Statius “Like the seasons of the year, life changes frequently and drastically. You enjoy it or endure it as it comes and goes, as it ebbs and flows.” ― Burgess Meredith “When people insult and disrespect you, the best revenge is to continue to win, and win, and win….” ― Susan Polgar “Those who gossip with you will gossip about you.” ― Edgar Allan Poe “The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the government.” ― Tacitus “Luxury destroys more efficiently than war.” ― Juvenal “The mind has no restrictions. The only restriction is what you believe you cannot do. So go ahead and challenge yourself to do one thing every day that scares you.” ― Susan Polgar “I am more afraid of our own mistakes than of our enemies' designs.” — Pericles “Before you react, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you criticize, wait. Before you quit, try.” ― Ernest Hemingway “Chess is life in miniature. Chess is a struggle, chess battles.” — Garry Kasparov “The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.” — Sun Tzu “Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.” — Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley “Always think, 'what's the worst that can happen' and have some kind of strategy to deal with it.” ― Richard Branson “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” — Abraham Lincoln “I will never quit. My nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.” ― Marcus Luttrell, Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 “Fortune sides with he who dares” — Virgil “You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” — Maya Angelou “One of the principle qualities of pain is that it demands an explanation.” ― Anne Carson “In a man-to-man fight, the winner is he who has one more round in his magazine.” ― Erwin Rommel Q: How does an octopus go into battle? A: Well-armed. “Strategy is the art of making use of time and space. I am less concerned about the later than the former. Space we can recover, lost time never.” ― Napoleon Bonaparte “Weak leadership can wreck the soundest strategy.” ― Sun Tzu “Hope is not strategy. Hope fits with vision, but we must have a strategy and a process to make our vision become a reality.” ― John C. Maxwell “Liberty is to be free from restraint and violence from others.” ― John Locke “There is no such thing as freedom of choice unless there is freedom to refuse.” ― David Hume “You don't get to choose how you're going to die, or when. You can only decide how you're going to live. Now.” ― Joan Baez “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” ― Willie Nelson “My mom always said normal is just a cycle on the washing machine.” ― Wynonna Judd “There are no wrong notes; some are just more right than others.” ― Thelonious Monk “There are times when the voice of repining is completely drowned out by various louder voices: the voice of government, the voice of taste, the voice of celebrity, the voice of the real world, the voice of fear and force, the voice of gossip.” ― Alice Oswald “Nations are not ruined by one act of violence, but gradually and in an almost imperceptible manner by the depreciation of their circulating currency, through its excessive quantity.” ― Nicolaus Copernicus “No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth.” ― Plato “If you would know who controls you see who you may not criticize.” ― Tacitus “I think the King is but a man as I am: the violet smells to him as it doth to me.” ― William Shakespeare * Attack: Game Collection: 2012-2015 Attacking Games (Naiditsch/Balogh) * BL Best Games: https://www.newinchess.com/bent-lar... * Cheating: https://www.chess.com/article/view/... It's not the quantity that counts; it's the quality. 1082 * Draws: Game Collection: 2012-2015 Interesting Draws (Naiditsch/Balogh) * Endgames: Game Collection: 2012-2015 Endgames (Naiditsch/Balogh) * Fight! Game Collection: 2012-2015 Fighting Games (Naiditsch/Balogh) * Good Historical Links: https://www.saund.co.uk/britbase/in... * Passed Pawns: Game Collection: Pretty Maids All in a Row: 3 Connected Ps on 7th * Positional: Game Collection: 2012-2015 Positional Games (Naiditsch/Balogh) * Miscellaneous: Game Collection: ! Miscellaneous games * Internet tracking: https://www.studysmarter.us/magazin... * Wikipedia on Computer Chess: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compu... The Animals Sick of the Plague The sorest ill that Heaven has Sent on this lower world in wrath, – The plague (to call it by its name,) One single day of which Would Pluto's ferryman enrich, – Waged war on beasts, both wild and tame. They died not all, but all were sick: No hunting now, by force or trick, To save what might so soon expire. No food excited their desire; Nor wolf nor fox now watched to slay The innocent and tender prey. The turtles fled; So love and therefore joy were dead. The lion council held, and said: "My friends, I do believe This awful scourge, for which we grieve, Is for our sins a punishment Most righteously by Heaven sent. Let us our guiltiest beast resign, A sacrifice to wrath divine. Perhaps this offering, truly small, May gain the life and health of all. By history we find it noted That lives have been just so devoted. Then let us all turn eyes within, And ferret out the hidden sin. Himself let no one spare nor flatter, But make clean conscience in the matter. For me, my appetite has played the glutton Too much and often on mutton. What harm had ever my victims done? I answer, truly, None. Perhaps, sometimes, by hunger pressed, I have eat the shepherd with the rest. I yield myself, if need there be; And yet I think, in equity, Each should confess his sins with me; For laws of right and justice cry, The guiltiest alone should die." "Sire," said the fox, "your majesty Is humbler than a king should be, And over-squeamish in the case. What! eating stupid sheep a crime? No, never, sire, at any time. It rather was an act of grace, A mark of honour to their race. And as to shepherds, one may swear, The fate your majesty describes, Is recompense less full than fair For such usurpers over our tribes." Thus Renard glibly spoke, And loud applause from flatterers broke. Of neither tiger, boar, nor bear, Did any keen inquirer dare To ask for crimes of high degree; The fighters, biters, scratchers, all From every mortal sin were free; The very dogs, both great and small, Were saints, as far as dogs could be. The ass, confessing in his turn, Thus spoke in tones of deep concern: "I happened through a mead to pass; The monks, its owners, were at mass; Keen hunger, leisure, tender grass, And add to these the devil too, All tempted me the deed to do. I browsed the bigness of my tongue; Since truth must out, I own it wrong." On this, a hue and cry arose, As if the beasts were all his foes: A wolf, haranguing lawyer-wise, Denounced the ass for sacrifice – The bald-pate, scabby, ragged lout, By whom the plague had come, no doubt. His fault was judged a hanging crime. "What? eat another's grass? O shame! The noose of rope and death sublime," For that offence, were all too tame! And soon poor Grizzle felt the same. Thus human courts acquit the strong, And doom the weak, as therefore wrong. “Cinderella said to Snow White, how does love get so off course? All I wanted was a white knight with a good heart, soft touch, fast horse.” — Faith Hill “We are not rich by what we possess but by what we can do without.” — Immanuel Kant “The most precious of all possessions is power over ourselves.” — John Locke “I believe in destiny. But I also believe that you can’t just sit back and let destiny happen. A lot of times, an opportunity might fall into your lap, but you have to be ready for that opportunity. You can’t sit there waiting on it. A lot of times you are going to have to get out there and make it happen.” — Spike Lee “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” — Larry Elder “If nobody makes you do it, it counts as fun.” — Thomas Hobbes “Being famous is not the same as being important. A lot of important people aren't famous, and a lot of famous people aren't important.” — Arlo Guthrie “It's not necessary to go far and wide. I mean, you can really find exciting and inspiring things within your hometown.” — Daryl Hannah “To travel far, there is no better ship than a book.” — Emily Dickinson “The whole world is an art gallery when you're mindful. There are beautiful things everywhere and they're free.” — Charles Tart “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” — Aristotle “A problem is a chance for you to do your best.” — Duke Ellington “In the long run, you make your own luck - good, bad, or indifferent.” — Loretta Lynn “A man cannot possess anything that is better than a good wife, or anything that is worse than a bad one.” — Simonides of Ceos “I love your cooking, honey, but sometimes I need some real food.” — Alan Jackson Q: What do computers like to eat? A: Chips. <Let the disappointments pass Let the laughter fill your glass Let the illusions last until they shatter Whatever you might hope to find among the thoughts that crowd your mind There won't be many that ever really matter. — Jackson Browne> “Dope never helped anybody sing better or play music better or do anything better. All dope can do for you is kill you - and kill you the long, slow, hard way.” — Billie Holiday “The poet's, the writer's, duty is to write about these things. It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.” — William Faulkner “One day a long time from now you'll cease to care anymore whom you please or what anybody has to say about you. That's when you'll finally produce the work you're capable of.” — J. D. Salinger “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” — Harper Lee “Don't ever get so big or important that you cannot hear and listen to every other person.” — John Coltrane “Whatever the country, capitalist or socialist, man was everywhere crushed by technology, made a stranger to his own work, imprisoned, forced into stupidity. The evil all arose from the fact that he had increased his needs rather than limited them; . . . As long as fresh needs continued to be created, so new frustrations would come into being. When had the decline begun? The day knowledge was preferred to wisdom and mere usefulness to beauty. . . . Only a moral revolution - not a social or political revolution - only a moral revolution would lead man back to his lost truth.” — Simone de Beauvoir “Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.” — Leo Tolstoy Q: Why was there a bug in the computer? A: It was looking for a byte to eat. Q: What kind of doctor fixes broken websites? A: A URLologist. poem by B.H. Wood, entitled ‘The Drowser’: Ah, reverie! Ten thousand heads I see Bent over chess-boards, an infinity Of minds engaged in battle, fiendishly, Keenly, or calmly, as the case may be: World-wide, the neophyte, the veteran, The studious problemist, the fairy fan ... “What’s that? – I’m nearly sending you to sleep? Sorry! – but this position’s rather deep.” Source: Chess Amateur, September 1929, page 268. Q: What does a baby computer call his father? A: Instead of Da-da it says “Da-ta.” Q: How did the mouse get out of the Roman Cathedral? A: He clicked on an icon and opened a window. The Ass and the Little Dog One's native talent from its course Cannot be turned aside by force; But poorly apes the country clown The polished manners of the town. Their Maker chooses but a few With power of pleasing to imbue; Where wisely leave it we, the mass, Unlike a certain fabled ass, That thought to gain his master's blessing By jumping on him and caressing. "What!" said the donkey in his heart; "Ought it to be that puppy's part To lead his useless life In full companionship With master and his wife, While I must bear the whip? What does the cur a kiss to draw? Forsooth, he only gives his paw! If that is all there needs to please, I'll do the thing myself, with ease." Possessed with this bright notion, – His master sitting on his chair, At leisure in the open air, – He ambled up, with awkward motion, And put his talents to the proof; Upraised his bruised and battered hoof, And, with an amiable mien, His master patted on the chin, The action gracing with a word – The fondest bray that ever was heard! O, such caressing was there ever? Or melody with such a quaver? "Ho! Martin! here! a club, a club bring!" Out cried the master, sore offended. So Martin gave the ass a drubbing, – And so the comedy was ended. “Hell is Truth Seen Too Late.” — Thomas Hobbes “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” — Albert Einstein “It's not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity.” — Francis Bacon “To be kind is more important than to be right. Many times, what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks but a special heart that listens.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:9, 10. “There's forgiveness if you ask forgiveness, you truly repent, and you do make an honest effort not to do that anymore.” — Randy Travis “Conceive a man by nature and misfortune prone to a pallid hopelessness, can any business seem more fitted to heighten it than that of continually handling these dead letters and assorting them for the flames? For by the cart-load they are annually burned. Sometimes from out the folded paper the pale clerk takes a ring: - the finger it was meant for, perhaps, moulders in the grave; a bank-note sent in swiftest charity: - he whom it would relieve, nor eats nor hungers any more; pardon for those who died despairing; hope for those who died unhoping; good tidings for those who died stifled by unrelieved calamities. On errands of life, these letters speed to death. Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!” — Herman Melville “Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” ― Thomas A. Edison “You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” ― Virginia Woolf “Learning from our mistakes is critical for improving, but even I don't have patience for ranking my regrets. Regret is a negative emotion that inhibits the optimism required to take on new challenges. You risk living in an alternative universe, z where if only you had done this or that differently, things would be better. That's a poor substitute for making your actual life better, or improving the lives of others. Regret briefly, analyze and understand, and then move on, improving the only life you have.” ― Garry Kasparov “No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot.” — Mark Twain “We are the same. There is no difference anywhere in the world. People are people. They laugh, cry, feel, and love, and music seems to be the commons denomination that brings us all together. Music cuts through all boundaries and goes right to the soul.” — Willie Nelson “Rules for Happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for.” — Immanuel Kant “Life is fun. It’s all up to the person. Be satisfied. You don’t have to be ‘happy’ all the time, you need to be satisfied.” — Lucille Boston Lewis, eternal optimist 101 years old Q: What is a computer’s first sign of old age? A: Loss of memory. “It's not the size of the house. It's how much love is inside.” — Martina McBride “A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away.” — Dr. Boyce “Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Adair “He who imagines himself capable should attempt to perform. Neither originality counts, nor criticism of another’s work. It is not courage, nor self-confidence, nor a sense of superiority that tells. Performance alone is the test.” — Emanuel Lasker “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” ― Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, and former U.S. Army Colonel Q: Why did the chicken cross the Web? A: To get to the other site. # 82 games, 1873-2001 Roma Tom's Glek Bent from Orbit “Chess is a beautiful mistress.” — Bent Larsen “Lack of patience is probably the most common reason for losing a game, or drawing games that should have been won.” — Bent Larsen “For me, chess is at the same time a game, a sport, a science and an art. And perhaps even more than that. There is something hard to explain to those who do not know the game well. One must first learn to play it correctly in order to savor its richness.” — Bent Larsen BL Best Games: https://www.newinchess.com/bent-lar... BL Move by Move: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Bo... BL Moves Guide: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show... Learn from BL: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/learn... The word “checkmate” comes from the Arabic word “shah mat” which translates to “The king is dead” in English. “Life is fun. It’s all up to the person. Be satisfied. You don’t have to be ‘happy’ all the time, you need to be satisfied.” — Lucille Boston Lewis, eternal optimist 101 years old “A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away.” — Dr. Boyce “Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Adair “He who imagines himself capable should attempt to perform. Neither originality counts, nor criticism of another’s work. It is not courage, nor self-confidence, nor a sense of superiority that tells. Performance alone is the test.” — Emanuel Lasker “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell It's not the quantity that counts; it's the quality. 8354 * C45s: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... * Cheating: https://www.chess.com/article/view/... * Lasker's 200 Hours: https://chessimprover.com/emanuel-l... Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now. "A man who is willing to commit suicide has the initiative." ― Boris Spassky "Nowadays there is more dynamism in chess, modern players like to take the initiative. Usually they are poor defenders though." ― Boris Spassky "The computer age has arrived, and it influences everything: analysis, preparation, information. Now a different talent is required - the ability to synthesize ideas." ― Boris Spassky "We can compare classical chess and rapid chess with theatre and cinema - some actors don't like the latter and prefer to work in the theatre." ― Boris Spassky "Time control directly influences the quality of play." ― Boris Spassky "Nowadays the dynamic element is more important in chess - players more often sacrifice material to obtain dynamic compensation." ― Boris Spassky "For example, computer defends well, but for humans its is harder to defend than attack, particularly with the modern time control." ― Boris Spassky "Which do I prefer? Sex or chess? It depends on the position." ― Boris Spassky "My forte was the middlegame. I had a good feeling for the critical moments of the play. This undoubtedly compensated for my lack of opening preparation and, possibly, not altogether perfect play in the endgame. In my games things often did not reach the endgame!" ― Boris Spassky "The best indicator of a Chess Player's form is his ability to sense the Climax of the game." ― Boris Spassky "Often, in the Ruy Lopez, one must be patient, wait and carry on a lengthy and wearisome struggle." ― Boris Spassky "When I am in form, my style is a little bit stubborn, almost brutal. Sometimes I feel a great spirit of fight which drives me on." ― Boris Spassky "After I won the title, I was confronted with the real world. People do not behave naturally anymore - hypocrisy is everywhere." ― Boris Spassky "The best tournament that I have ever played in was in 1950. It was great - a waiter came to you during the game, and you could order anything you wanted to drink (even some vodka, if you liked). Pity, there are no longer tournaments organized in this manner." ― Boris Spassky "Bobby Fischer has an enormous knowledge of chess and his familiarity with the chess literature of the USSR is immense." ― Boris Spassky "When you play Bobby, it is not a question if you win or lose. It is a question if you survive." ― Boris Spassky "In my country, at that time, being a champion of chess was like being a King. At that time I was a King and when you are King you feel a lot of responsibility, but there is nobody there to help you." ― Boris Spassky "I still hope to kill Fischer." ― Boris Spassky "The shortcoming of hanging pawns is that they present a convenient target for attack. As the exchange of men proceeds, their potential strength lessens and during the endgame they turn out, as a rule, to be weak." ― Boris Spassky "The power of hanging Pawns is based precisely in their Mobility, in their Ability to create acute situations instantly." ― Boris Spassky "I also follow chess on the Internet, where Kasparov's site is very interesting." ― Boris Spassky "Recently I saw Kasparov and he looked to me as still young and potent champion." ― Boris Spassky "I think that the World Champion should try to defend the quality of play more than anyone else." ― Boris Spassky "There is only one thing Fischer does in Chess without pleasure: to lose!" ― Boris Spassky "Nowadays young people have great choice of occupations, hobbies, etc, so chess is experiencing difficulties because of the high competition. Now it's hard to make living in chess, so our profession does attract young people." ― Boris Spassky "Just before a game, I try to keep a clear mind so that I can focus better. I'm the kind of person who plays fast and relies a lot on intuition, so being at peace with myself is vital. Saying my daily prayers helps me achieve this heightened state of mind." ― Viswanathan Anand "It is important that you don't let your opponent impose his style of play on you. A part of that begins mentally. At the chessboard if you start blinking every time he challenges you then in a certain sense you are withdrawing. That is very important to avoid." ― Viswanathan Anand "Methodical thinking is of more use in chess than inspiration." ― C.J.S. Purdy * Accidents: Game Collection: Accidents in the opening * Cheating: https://www.chess.com/article/view/... It's not the quantity that counts; it's the quality. * Paul Morphy: Game Collection: Morphy games * Philidor Beats: Game Collection: Against the Philidor * Double Attack: Game Collection: Double Attack * Alexander Alekhine: Game Collection: Learn from the great Alekhine * Mikhail Tal, part 2: Game Collection: The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal (part 2) * BF's M60MG: Game Collection: Bobby Fischer's "60 Memorable Games" * Windmills: Game Collection: World Champs and Windmills * World Champions: History of the World Chess Championship * YS Tactics: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics May-07-12 Domdaniel: I'll believe that computers are intelligent -- well, vaguely sentient anyway -- the day they start to have slanging matches and call one another 'idiot' and 'moron'. - Your motherboard was an egg timer! A *failed* egg timer! - Were you built by *humans*? May-07-12 Shams: <Domdaniel> There's always Alex P. Keaton's "I'd get a better game from the microwave!" He was playing against whatever you could buy at Radio Shack in 1986 though, so he may not have been far off. <Shakespearean Puns Perhaps no writer is better known for the use of puns than William Shakespeare. He plays with "tide" and "tied" in Two Gentlemen of Verona: "Panthino Away, ass! You'll lose the tide if you tarry any longer. Launce It is no matter if the tied were lost; for it is the unkindest tied that ever any man tied. Panthino What's the unkindest tide? Launce Why, he that's tied here, Crab, my dog." In the opening of Richard III, the sun refers to the blazing sun on Edward IV's banner and the fact that he is the son of the Duke of York: "Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York." In this line from Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare plays on the different meanings of heavy (which also means sad) and light: "Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling; Being but heavy I will bear the light." Later in Romeo and Juliet, a morbid pun comes from a fatally-stabbed Mercutio, where grave means serious, but also alludes to his imminent death: "Ask for me tomorrow, you shall find me a grave man." If you open any Shakesperean play, you're likely to find at least one pun on the page! Keep an eye out for a clever play on words example the next time you read Hamlet or watch As You Like It on the stage.> The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge – Part I It is an ancient mariner And he stoppeth one of three. –“By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stoppest thou me? The bridegroom’s doors are opened wide, And I am next of kin; The guests are met, the feast is set: Mayst hear the merry din.” He holds him with his skinny hand, “There was a ship,” quoth he. “Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!” Eftsoons his hand dropped he. He holds him with his glittering eye– The wedding-guest stood still, And listens like a three-years’ child: The mariner hath his will. The wedding-guest sat on a stone: He cannot choose but hear; And thus spake on that ancient man, The bright-eyed mariner. “The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared, Merrily did we drop Below the kirk, below the hill, Below the lighthouse top. The sun came up upon the left, Out of the sea came he! And he shone bright, and on the right Went down into the sea. Higher and higher every day, Till over the mast at noon–” The wedding-guest here beat his breast, For he heard the loud bassoon. The bride hath paced into the hall, Red as a rose is she; Nodding their heads before her goes The merry minstrelsy. The wedding-guest he beat his breast, Yet he cannot choose but hear; And thus spake on that ancient man, The bright-eyed mariner. “And now the storm-blast came, and he Was tyrannous and strong; He struck with his o’ertaking wings, And chased us south along. With sloping masts and dipping prow, As who pursued with yell and blow Still treads the shadow of his foe, And forward bends his head, The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast, And southward aye we fled. Listen, stranger! Mist and snow, And it grew wondrous cold: And ice mast-high came floating by, As green as emerald. And through the drifts the snowy clifts Did send a dismal sheen: Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken– The ice was all between. The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, Like noises in a swound! At length did cross an albatross, Thorough the fog it came; As if it had been a Christian soul, We hailed it in God’s name. It ate the food it ne’er had eat, And round and round it flew. The ice did split with a thunder-fit; The helmsman steered us through! And a good south wind sprung up behind; The albatross did follow, And every day, for food or play, Came to the mariners’ hollo! In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud, It perched for vespers nine; Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white, Glimmered the white moon-shine.” “God save thee, ancient mariner! From the fiends, that plague thee thus!– Why lookst thou so?” “With my crossbow I shot the albatross. – Part II The sun now rose upon the right: Out of the sea came he, Still hid in mist, and on the left Went down into the sea. And the good south wind still blew behind, But no sweet bird did follow, Nor any day for food or play Came to the mariners’ hollo! And I had done an hellish thing, And it would work ‘em woe: For all averred, I had killed the bird That made the breeze to blow. Ah wretch! said they, the bird to slay, That made the breeze to blow! Nor dim nor red, like God’s own head, The glorious sun uprist: Then all averred, I had killed the bird That brought the fog and mist. ‘Twas right, said they, such birds to slay, That bring the fog and mist. The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, The furrow followed free; We were the first that ever burst Into that silent sea. Down dropped the breeze, the sails dropped down, ‘Twas sad as sad could be; And we did speak only to break The silence of the sea! All in a hot and copper sky, The bloody sun, at noon, Right up above the mast did stand, No bigger than the moon. Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink. The very deeps did rot: O Christ! That ever this should be! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea. About, about, in reel and rout The death-fires danced at night; The water, like a witch’s oils, Burnt green, and blue and white. And some in dreams assured were Of the spirit that plagued us so; Nine fathom deep he had followed us From the land of mist and snow. And every tongue, through utter drought, Was withered at the root; We could not speak, no more than if We had been choked with soot. Ah! wel-a-day! what evil looks Had I from old and young! Instead of the cross, the albatross About my neck was hung. – Part III There passed a weary time. Each throat Was parched, and glazed each eye. A weary time! A weary time! How glazed each weary eye, When looking westward, I beheld A something in the sky. At first it seemed a little speck, And then it seemed a mist; It moved and moved, and took at last A certain shape, I wist. A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist! And still it neared and neared: As if it dodged a water sprite, It plunged and tacked and veered. With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, We could nor laugh nor wail; Through utter drouth all dumb we stood! I bit my arm, I sucked the blood, And cried, A sail! a sail! With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, Agape they heard me call: Gramercy! they for joy did grin, And all at once their breath drew in, As they were drinking all. See! see! (I cried) she tacks no more! Hither to work us weal; Without a breeze, without a tide, She steadies with upright keel! The western wave was all aflame. The day was well nigh done! Almost upon the western wave Rested the broad bright sun; When that strange shape drove suddenly Betwixt us and the sun. And straight the sun was flecked with bars, (Heaven’s mother send us grace!) As if through a dungeon grate he peered With broad and burning face. Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat loud) How fast she nears and nears! Are those her sails that glance in the sun, Like restless gossameres? Are those her ribs through which the sun Did peer, as through a grate? And is that woman all her crew? Is that a Death? and are there two? Is Death that woman’s mate? Her lips were red, her looks were free, Her locks were yellow as gold: Her skin was as white as leprosy, The nightmare Life-in-Death was she, Who thicks man’s blood with cold. The naked hulk alongside came, And the twain were casting dice; ‘The game is done! I’ve won! I’ve won!’ Quoth she, and whistles thrice. The sun’s rim dips; the stars rush out: At one stride comes the dark; With far-heard whisper, o’er the sea, Off shot the spectre bark. We listened and looked sideways up! Fear at my heart, as at a cup, My lifeblood seemed to sip! The stars were dim, and thick the night, The steersman’s face by his lamp gleamed white; From the sails the dews did drip– Till clomb above the eastern bar The horned moon, with one bright star Within the nether tip. One after one, by the star-dogged moon, Too quick for groan or sigh, Each turned his face with ghastly pang, And cursed me with his eye. Four times fifty living men, (And I heard nor sigh nor groan) With heavy thump, a lifeless lump, They dropped down one by one. Their souls did from their bodies fly– They fled to bliss or woe! And every soul, it passed me by, Like the whizz of my crossbow!” – Part IV “I fear thee, ancient mariner! I fear thy skinny hand! And thou art long, and lank, and brown, As is the ribbed sea-sand. I fear thee and thy glittering eye, And thy skinny hand, so brown.”– “Fear not, fear not, thou wedding-guest! This body dropped not down. Alone, alone, all, all alone, Alone on a wide wide sea! And never a saint took pity on My soul in agony. The many men, so beautiful! And they all dead did lie: And a thousand thousand slimy things Lived on; and so did I. I looked upon the rotting sea, And drew my eyes away; I looked upon the rotting deck, And there the dead men lay. I looked to heaven, and tried to pray; But or ever a prayer had gushed, A wicked whisper came, and made My heart as dry as dust. I closed my lids, and kept them close, Till the balls like pulses beat; For the sky and the sea, and the sea and the sky Lay like a load on my weary eye, And the dead were at my feet. The cold sweat melted from their limbs, Nor rot nor reek did they: The look with which they looked on me Had never passed away. An orphan’s curse would drag to hell A spirit from on high; But oh! more horrible than that Is the curse in a dead man’s eye! Seven days, seven nights, I saw that curse, And yet I could not die. The moving moon went up the sky, And nowhere did abide: Softly she was going up, And a star or two beside– Her beams bemocked the sultry main, Like April hoar-frost spread; But where the ship’s huge shadow lay, The charmed water burnt alway A still and awful red. Beyond the shadow of the ship, I watched the water snakes: They moved in tracks of shining white, And when they reared, the elfish light Fell off in hoary flakes. Within the shadow of the ship I watched their rich attire: Blue, glossy green, and velvet black, They coiled and swam; and every track Was a flash of golden fire. O happy living things! No tongue Their beauty might declare: A spring of love gushed from my heart, And I blessed them unaware: Sure my kind saint took pity on me, And I blessed them unaware. The selfsame moment I could pray; And from my neck so free The albatross fell off, and sank Like lead into the sea. – Part V Oh sleep! it is a gentle thing, Beloved from pole to pole! To Mary-Queen the praise be given! She sent the gentle sleep from heaven, That slid into my soul. The silly buckets on the deck, That had so long remained, I dreamt that they were filled with dew; And when I awoke, it rained. My lips were wet, my throat was cold, My garments all were dank; Sure I had drunken in my dreams, And still my body drank. I moved, and could not feel my limbs: I was so light–almost I thought that I had died in sleep, And was a blessed ghost. And soon I heard a roaring wind: It did not come anear; But with its sound it shook the sails, That were so thin and sere. The upper air bursts into life! And a hundred fire-flags sheen, To and fro they were hurried about! And to and fro, and in and out, The wan stars danced between. And the coming wind did roar more loud, And the sails did sigh like sedge; And the rain poured down from one black cloud; The moon was at its edge. The thick black cloud was cleft, and still The moon was at its side: Like waters shot from some high crag, The lightning fell with never a jag, A river steep and wide. The loud wind never reached the ship, Yet now the ship moved on! Beneath the lightning and the moon The dead men gave a groan. They groaned, they stirred, they all uprose, Nor spake, nor moved their eyes; It had been strange, even in a dream, To have seen those dead men rise. The helmsman steered, the ship moved on; Yet never a breeze up-blew; The mariners all ‘gan work the ropes, Where they were wont to do; They raised their limbs like lifeless tools– We were a ghastly crew. The body of my brother’s son Stood by me, knee to knee: The body and I pulled at one rope, But he said nought to me.” “I fear thee, ancient mariner!” “Be calm, thou wedding-guest! ‘Twas not those souls that fled in pain, Which to their corses came again, But a troop of spirits blessed. For when it dawned–they dropped their arms, And clustered round the mast; Sweet sounds rose slowly through their mouths, And from their bodies passed. Around, around, flew each sweet sound, Then darted to the sun; Slowly the sounds came back again, Now mixed, now one by one. Sometimes a-dropping from the sky I heard the skylark sing; Sometimes all little birds that are, How they seemed to fill the sea and air With their sweet jargoning! And now ‘twas like all instruments, Now like a lonely flute; And now it is an angel’s song, That makes the heavens be mute. It ceased; yet still the sails made on A pleasant noise till noon, A noise like of a hidden brook In the leafy month of June, That to the sleeping woods all night Singeth a quiet tune. Till noon we silently sailed on, Yet never a breeze did breathe: Slowly and smoothly went the ship, Moved onward from beneath. Under the keel nine fathom deep, From the land of mist and snow, The spirit slid: and it was he That made the ship to go. The sails at noon left off their tune, And the ship stood still also. The sun, right up above the mast, Had fixed her to the ocean: But in a minute she ‘gan stir, With a short uneasy motion– Backwards and forwards half her length With a short uneasy motion. Then like a pawing horse let go, She made a sudden bound: It flung the blood into my head, And I fell down in a swound. How long in that same fit I lay, I have not to declare; But ere my living life returned, I heard and in my soul discerned Two voices in the air. ‘Is it he?’ quoth one, ‘Is this the man? By him who died on cross, With his cruel bow he laid full low The harmless albatross. The spirit who bideth by himself In the land of mist and snow, He loved the bird that loved the man Who shot him with his bow.’ The other was a softer voice, As soft as honeydew: Quoth he, ‘The man hath penance done, And penance more will do.’ – Part VI FIRST VOICE ‘But tell me, tell me! speak again, Thy soft response renewing– What makes that ship drive on so fast? What is the ocean doing?’ SECOND VOICE ‘Still as a slave before his lord, The ocean hath no blast; His great bright eye most silently Up to the moon is cast– If he may know which way to go; For she guides him smooth or grim. See, brother, see! how graciously She looketh down on him.’ FIRST VOICE ‘But why drives on that ship so fast, Without or wave or wind?’ SECOND VOICE ‘The air is cut away before, And closes from behind. Fly, brother, fly! more high, more high! Or we shall be belated: For slow and slow that ship will go, When the mariner’s trance is abated.’ I woke, and we were sailing on As in a gentle weather: ‘Twas night, calm night, the moon was high; The dead men stood together. All stood together on the deck, For a charnel-dungeon fitter: All fixed on me their stony eyes, That in the moon did glitter. The pang, the curse, with which they died, Had never passed away: I could not draw my eyes from theirs, Nor turn them up to pray. And now this spell was snapped: once more I viewed the ocean green, And looked far forth, yet little saw Of what had else been seen– Like one, that on a lonesome road Doth walk in fear and dread, And having once turned round walks on, And turns no more his head; Because he knows a frightful fiend Doth close behind him tread. But soon there breathed a wind on me, Nor sound nor motion made: Its path was not upon the sea, In ripple or in shade. It raised my hair, it fanned my cheek Like a meadow-gale of spring– It mingled strangely with my fears, Yet it felt like a welcoming. Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship, Yet she sailed softly too: Sweetly, sweetly blew the breeze– On me alone it blew. O dream of joy! is this indeed The lighthouse top I see? Is this the hill? is this the kirk? Is this mine own country? We drifted o’er the harbour bar, And I with sobs did pray– O let me be awake, my God! Or let me sleep alway! The harbour bay was clear as glass, So smoothly it was strewn! And on the bay the moonlight lay, And the shadow of the moon. The rock shone bright, the kirk no less, That stands above the rock: The moonlight steeped in silentness The steady weathercock. And the bay was white with silent light, Till rising from the same, Full many shapes, that shadows were, In crimson colours came. A little distance from the prow Those crimson shadows were: I turned my eyes upon the deck– O Christ! what saw I there! Each corse lay flat, lifeless and flat, And, by the holy rood! A man all light, a seraph man, On every corse there stood. This seraph band, each waved his hand: It was a heavenly sight! They stood as signals to the land, Each one a lovely light; This seraph band, each waved his hand, No voice did they impart– No voice; but oh! the silence sank Like music on my heart. But soon I heard the dash of oars, I heard the pilot’s cheer; My head was turned perforce away And I saw a boat appear. The pilot and the pilot’s boy, I heard them coming fast: Dear Lord in heaven! it was a joy The dead men could not blast. I saw a third–I heard his voice: It is the hermit good! He singeth loud his godly hymns That he makes in the wood. He’ll shrieve my soul, he’ll wash away The albatross’s blood. – Part VII This hermit good lives in that wood Which slopes down to the sea. How loudly his sweet voice he rears! He loves to talk with mariners That come from a far country. He kneels at morn, and noon, and eve– He hath a cushion plump: It is the moss that wholly hides The rotted old oak stump. The skiff boat neared: I heard them talk, ‘Why, this is strange, I trow! Where are those lights so many and fair, That signal made but now?’ ‘Strange, by my faith!’ the hermit said– ‘And they answered not our cheer! The planks look warped! and see those sails, How thin they are and sere! I never saw aught like to them, Unless perchance it were Brown skeletons of leaves that lag My forest-brook along; When the ivy tod is heavy with snow, And the owlet whoops to the wolf below, That eats the she-wolf’s young.’ ‘Dear Lord! it hath a fiendish look,’ The pilot made reply, ‘I am a-feared’–‘Push on, push on!’ Said the hermit cheerily. The boat came closer to the ship, But I nor spake nor stirred; The boat came close beneath the ship, And straight a sound was heard. Under the water it rumbled on, Still louder and more dread: It reached the ship, it split the bay; The ship went down like lead. Stunned by that loud and dreadful sound, Which sky and ocean smote Like one that hath been seven days drowned My body lay afloat; But swift as dreams, myself I found Within the pilot’s boat. Upon the whirl, where sank the ship, The boat spun round and round; And all was still, save that the hill Was telling of the sound. I moved my lips–the pilot shrieked And fell down in a fit; The holy hermit raised his eyes, And prayed where he did sit. I took the oars: the pilot’s boy, Who now doth crazy go, Laughed loud and long, and all the while His eyes went to and fro. ‘Ha! ha!’ quoth he, ‘full plain I see, The devil knows how to row.’ And now, all in my own country, I stood on the firm land! The hermit stepped forth from the boat, And scarcely he could stand. ‘Oh shrieve me, shrieve me, holy man!’ The hermit crossed his brow. ‘Say quick,’ quoth he, ‘I bid thee say– What manner of man art thou?’ Forthwith this frame of mine was wrenched With a woeful agony, Which forced me to begin my tale; And then it left me free. Since then, at an uncertain hour, That agony returns: And till my ghastly tale is told, This heart within me burns. I pass, like night, from land to land; I have strange power of speech; The moment that his face I see, I know the man that must hear me: To him my tale I teach. What loud uproar bursts from that door! The wedding-guests are there: But in the garden-bower the bride And bridemaids singing are: And hark the little vesper bell, Which biddeth me to prayer! O wedding-guest! This soul hath been Alone on a wide wide sea: So lonely ‘twas, that God himself Scarce seemed there to be. Oh sweeter than the marriage feast, ‘Tis sweeter far to me, To walk together to the kirk With a goodly company!– To walk together to the kirk, And all together pray, While each to his great Father bends, Old men, and babes, and loving friends And youths and maidens gay! Farewell, farewell! but this I tell To thee, thou wedding-guest! He prayeth well, who loveth well Both man and bird and beast. He prayeth best, who loveth best All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all.” The mariner, whose eye is bright, Whose beard with age is hoar, Is gone: and now the wedding-guest Turned from the bridegroom’s door. He went like one that hath been stunned, And is of sense forlorn: A sadder and a wiser man, He rose the morrow morn. “The beautiful wooden board on a stand in my father’s study. The gleaming ivory pieces. The stern king. The haughty queen. The noble knight. The pious bishop. And the game itself, the way each piece contributed its individual power to the whole. It was simple. It was complex. It was savage; it was elegant. It was a dance; it was a war. It was finite and eternal. It was life.” ― Rick Yancey, The Infinite Sea <“I thought you wanted me to teach you how to play. (Chess) Each possible move represents a different game - a different universe in which you make a better move. By the second move there are 72,084 possible games. By the 3rd - 9 million. By the 4th…. There are more possible games of chess than there are atoms in the universe. No one could possibly predict them all, even you. Which means that first move can be terrifying. It’s the furthest point from the end of the game. There’s a virtually infinite sea of possibilities between you and the other side but it also means that if you make a mistake, there’s a nearly infinite amount of ways to fix it so you should simply relax and play.” ― Person of Interest s04e11> “You’re just a pawn on the chessboard, Leo Valdez. I was referring to the player who set this ridiculous quest in motion, bringing the Greeks and Romans together.” ― Rick Riordan, The Mark of Athena “At the beginning of a game, there are no variations. There is only one way to set up a board. There are nine million variations after the first six moves. And after eight moves there are two hundred and eighty-eight billion different positions. And those possibilities keep growing. [...] In chess, as in life, possibility is the basis of everything. Every hope, every dream, every regret, every moment of living. (p.195)” ― Matt Haig, The Midnight Library “Life is like a game where pawns can become queens, but not everyone knows how to play. Some people stay pawn their whole lives because they never learned to make the right moves.” ― Alice Feeney, Rock Paper Scissors “...you could never be completely sure of the other person, so never make a move until you were sure of yourself.” ― Liz Braswell, Part of Your World “Coaching is more like chess; it’s about out-thinking and outsmarting the other team.” ― C. Vivian Stringer, Standing Tall: A Memoir of Tragedy and Triumph “Fighting was chess, anticipating the move of one's opponent and countering it before one got hit.” ― Holly Black, The Wicked King “There is no moral outcome of a chess match or a poker game as long as skill and stealth rather than cheating have been used.” ― Francis P. Karam, The Truth Engine: Cross-Examination Outside the Box “Chess does not only teach us to analyse the present situation, but it also enables us to think about the possibilities and consequences. This is the art of forward-thinking.” ― Shivanshu K. Srivastava “Behind every move I make on the chess board lies a story of calculation, intuition, and passion. With every game, I discover more about myself and the endless possibilities of the game.” ― medicosaurabh “That is the trick of it. You see, Time works differently in Chess.” He pulled out his pocket watch and let it dangle like a pendulum over his desk. “Sometimes he moves forward and sometimes he moves backward, sometimes he goes fast or slow and sometimes he pauses altogether. But as long as I keep moving, as long as I am always moving in the opposite direction from Time, he can never find me, and I can never meet my fate.” ― Marissa Meyer, Heartless “There is profound meaning in the game of chess. The board itself is life and death, painted as such in black and white. The pieces are those that make a life fundamentally healthy. The pawns are attributes we gather with nourishment and significance. The knight is our ability to be mobile and travel in whatever form it takes. The rook or castle is a place we can call home and protect ourselves from the elements. The bishop is that of our community and our belonging. The king is our mortal body; without it, we can no longer play the game. The queen is the spirit of the body - what drives our imagination, urges, a life force. A captured queen removes energy from the game, and the player may become complacent. A crowning reminder of the game is that the spirit can be possessed again through our attributes.” ― Lorin Morgan-Richards “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 “It's usually the father who teaches the child his first moves in the game. And the dream of any son who plays chess is to beat his father. To kill the king. Besides, it soon becomes evident in chess that the father, or the king, is the weakest piece on the board. He's under continual act, in constant need of protection, of such tactics as castling, and he can only move one square at a time. Paradoxically, the king is also indispensable. The king gives the game its name, since the word 'chess' derives from the Persian word shah meaning king, and is pretty much the same in most languages.” ― Arturo Pérez-Reverte, The Flanders Panel “Playing chess with my father is torture. I have to sit very upright on the edge of my chair and respect the rules of impassivity while I consider my next move. I can feel myself dissolving under his stare. When I move a pawn he asks sarcastically, 'Have you really thought about what you're doing?' I panic and want to move the pawn back. He doesn't allow it: 'You've touched the piece, now you have to follow through. Think before you act. Think.” ― Maude Julien, The Only Girl in the World “A deep laugh stirred in his chest, and his thumb brushed over the backs of her fingers before he withdrew his hand. She felt the rasp of a callus on his thumb, the sensation not unlike the tingling scrape of a cat’s tongue. Bemused by her own response to him, Annabelle looked down at the chess piece in her hand. “That is the queen—the most powerful piece on the board. She can move in any direction, and go as far as she wishes.” There was nothing overtly suggestive in his manner of speaking …but when he spoke softly, as he was doing at that moment, there was a husky depth in his voice that made her toes curl inside her slippers. “More powerful than the king?” she asked. “Yes. The king can only move one square at a time. But the king is the most important piece.” “Why is he more important than the queen if he’s not the most powerful?” “Because once he is captured, the game is over.” ― Lisa Kleypas, Secrets of a Summer Night “You and I should play sometime. I think you would like it,' she said." It's a game of strategy, mostly. The strong pieces are in the back row, while the weak pieces - the pawns - are all in the front, ready to take the brunt of the attack. Because of their limited movement and vulnerability, most people underestimate them and only use them to protect the more powerful pieces. But when I play I protect my pawns.'... 'They may be weak when the game begins, but their potential is remarkable. Most of the time, they'll be taken by the other side and held captive until the end of the game. But if you're careful - if you keep your eyes open and pay attention to what your oppenent is doing, if you protect your pawns and they reach the other side of the board, do you know what happens then?' I shook my head, and she smiled. "Your pawn becomes a queen."... 'Because they kept moving forward and triumphed against impossible odds, they become the most powerful piece in the game.” ― Aimee Carter, Pawn “Chess is a game with simple rules and pieces, a small sixty-four-space board, but there are more possible chess games than there are atoms in the universe.” ― Austin Grossman, You “Tablebases [logs of complete chess games played backwards from the end-state of checkmate] are the clearest case of human chess vs. alien chess. A decade of trying to teach computers how to play endgames was rendered obsolete in an instant thanks to a new tool. This is a pattern we see over and over again in everything related to intelligent machines. It's wonderful if we can teach machines to think like we do, but why settle for thinking like a human if you can be a god? (jm3: Frustratingly for the humans, it was not disclosed whether IBM's Deep Blue stored and consulted endgame tablebases during competition).” ― Garry Kasparov, Deep Thinking: Where Machine Intelligence Ends and Human Creativity Begins “I learned about opening moves and why it's important to control the center early on; the shortest distance between two points is straight down the middle.” ― Amy Tan, The Joy Luck Club “The passion for playing chess is one of the most unaccountable in the world. It slaps the theory of natural selection in the face. It is the most absorbing of occupations. The least satisfying of desires. A nameless excrescence upon life. It annihilates a man. You have, let us say, a promising politician, a rising artist that you wish to destroy. Dagger or bomb are archaic and unreliable - but teach him, inoculate him with chess.” ― H.G. Wells Question: What do you call a woman that knows where her husband is, at all times? Answer: A widow Question: What is the only number spelled out in English that has the same number of letters as its value? Answer: Four “It's not how you start that matters, it's how you finish.” “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. If the game is well-played, the rook's first move is usually sideways. The Road Not Taken Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:9, 10. “You can only get good at chess if you love the game.” ― Bobby Fischer “Be active. I do things my way, like skiing when I’m 100. Nobody else does that even if they have energy. And I try to eat pretty correctly and get exercise and fresh air and sunshine.” ― Elsa Bailey, first time skier at age 100 “Don't look at the calendar, just keep celebrating every day.” ― Ruth Coleman, carpe diem at age 101 804 zb2cr: move 28 Zukertort retort. zooter Frit z drip drip drip Kh2? lubes hiz own Szabo perfumes zan colognes, France. What sits at the bottom of the sea and twitches? A nervous wreck. 83 games, 1846-2006 Ron Black Repertoire 1.e4 e5 by Chigorin This collection outlines a repertoire for Black against 1.e4 based on the Open Defense against the Ruy Lopez, 5...f6 against the Ruy Lopez Exchange, and the Two Knights Defense against 3.Bc4. These defenses are completely sound, but also more based on pure piece activity (and consequently more intuitive for an amateur) than various other replies to 1.e4 (Closed Spanish, Sicilian, French etc.). I based the selection of games on three books: -"Open Ruy Lopez" (2000) by Glen Flear -"Ruy Lopez Exchange" (2005) by Krzysztof Panczyk and Jacek Ilczuk -"Play the Open Games as Black" (2000) by John Emms The theory is dated in some spots, but as a starting place for an amateur repertoire these games are still great examples. The most dated theory is probably in the Ruy Lopez mainlines, which in my experience are rarely encountered at amateur level anyway. In a couple of spots I chose lines other than those recommended in the above mentioned books, usually because I felt that the lines given in the books were either unnecessarily difficult (3...g5 vs. the King's Gambit as given by Emms, 4...Nf6 vs. the Scotch as given by Emms), or simply sub-optimal (5...Bb4 vs. the Vienna as given by Emms). Apr-05-23 WannaBe: Can a vegan have a 'beef' with you? Or Vegans only have 'beet' with you? I am confused. Apr-05-23 Cassandro: Vegan police officers should be exempt from doing steak-outs. * C45s: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... * Cheating: https://www.chess.com/article/view/... It's not the quantity that counts; it's the quality. * Lasker's 200 Hours: https://chessimprover.com/emanuel-l... “Life is fun. It’s all up to the person. Be satisfied. You don’t have to be ‘happy’ all the time, you need to be satisfied.” — Lucille Boston Lewis, eternal optimist 101 years old “A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away.” — Dr. Boyce “Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Adair “He who imagines himself capable should attempt to perform. Neither originality counts, nor criticism of another’s work. It is not courage, nor self-confidence, nor a sense of superiority that tells. Performance alone is the test.” — Emanuel Lasker “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell Acronyms and Initialisms: Worksheet Printouts Click Here for K-3 Themes An acronym is a pronounceable word that is formed using the first letters of the words in a phrase (sometimes, other parts of the words are also used). Some common acronyms include NASA (which stands for "National Aeronautical and Space Administration"), scuba ("Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus") and laser ("Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation"). An initialism is a word that is formed using the first letters of the words in a phrase -- it is pronounced like a series of letters, not like a word. Some common initialisms include UFO (which stands for "Unidentified Flying Object") and LOL (which stands for "Laughing Out Loud"). Note: Some people consider both of these to be acronyms. Some common acronyms (and initialisms) include: AC - Air Conditioning AD - Anno Domini ("In the Year of Our Lord") AKA - Also Known As AM - Ante Meridiem (before noon) AM - Amplitude Modification (radio) ASAP - As Soon As Possible ATM - Automated Teller Machine B&B - Bed and Breakfast BC - Before Christ or Because BCE - Before the Common Era BLT - Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato BTW - By The Way CC - Credit Card CIA - Central Intelligence Agency CO - Commanding Officer CST - Central Standard Time DOA - Dead on Arrival DOT - Department of Transportation DST - Daylight Saving Time EST - Eastern Standard Time ET - Extra-Terrestrial FAQ - Frequently-Asked Questions FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation FDR - Franklin Delano Roosevelt FM - Frequency Modification (radio) FYI - For Your Information GI - Government Issue GMO - Genetically Modified IM - Instant Message IMO - In My Opinion IMHO - In My Humble Opinion HAZ-MAT - Hazardous Material HMO - Health Maintenence Organization ID - Identification IQ - Intelligence Quotient ISBN - International Standard Book Number JFK - John Fitzgerald Kennedy JV - Junior Varsity KO - Knockout laser - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation LCD - Liquid Crystal Display LED - Light Emitting Diode LOL - Laughing Out Loud MC - Master of Ceremonies MLK - Martin Luther King, Jr. MO - Modus Operandi MRE - Meals Ready to Eat MS - Manuscript MST - Mountain Standard Time MTG - Magic: The Gathering MTD - Month To Date NIB - New In the Box NAFTA - North American Free Trade Agreement NASA - National Aeronautical and Space Administration NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization NBA - National Basketball Association NIB - New In the Box NIMBY - Not In My Backyard OJ - Orange Juice OPEC - Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries PBJ - Peanut Butter and Jelly PC - Politically Correct PI - Private Investigator PIN - Personal Identification Number PM - Post Meridiem (after noon) POTUS - President of the United States POW - Prisoner of War PPS - Post-Postscript PS - Postscript PR - Public Relations PSI - Pounds Per Square Inch PST - Pacific Standard Time Q&A - Question and Answer R&R - Rest and Relaxation RAM - Random Access Memory RGB - Red, Green, Blue RIP - Rest in Peace (from the Latin, "Requiescat In Pace") ROM - Read Only Memory ROTC - Reserve Officers Training Corps ROYGBIV - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet RPG - Role Playing Game RSVP - Répondez S'il Vous Plaît (in French, this means "Please respond") RV - Recreational Vehicle scuba - Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus SNAFU - Systems Normal, All Fouled Up SOP - Standard Operating Procedure SOS - Save Our Souls (decided after the fact - SOS was chosen because it was short in Morse code) SPF - Sun Protection Factor (how sunscreen lotion is rated) TBA - To Be Announced TEOTWAWKI - The End Of The World As We Know It TGIF - Thank God It's Friday TLC - Tender Loving Care TV - Television UFO - Unidentified Flying Object UN - United Nations UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund UPC - Universal Product Code VIP - Very Important Person VP - Vice President WASP - White Anglo Saxon Protestant WHO - World Health Organization WOM - Word of Mouth WoW - World of Warcraft WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get YTD - Year To Date ZED - Chessgames Troll ZIP (code) - Zone Improvement Plan 94 games, 1844-2022 Ron Caro-Kann, Bronstein- Larsen B16 “A game of chess is not an examination of knowledge; it is a battle of nerves.” ― David Bronstein * C-K for White: Game Collection: Caro Kann & French * Club line: Game Collection: CLUB Line (white): Caro-Kann * C-K Minis: Game Collection: Caro-Kann short GM games * BF vs C-K: Game Collection: White - Caro-Kahn: Fischer * Cheating: https://www.chess.com/article/view/... It's not the quantity that counts; it's the quality. 660 * Lasker's 200 Hours: https://chessimprover.com/emanuel-l... * Endgames of WCs: Game Collection: Endgames World champions - part two * Fireside book: Game Collection: Fireside Book of Chess * Giuoco Pianissimo: Game Collection: GIUOCO PIANISSIMO * Two Knts Defense: Game Collection: Two Knights Defence by Beliavsky mikhalchisin * Teaching Moments: Game Collection: Teaching Moments in Chess * Soltis' book of Pawns: Game Collection: Pawn Structure Chess - All Games “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 “The scheme of a game is played on positional lines; the decision of it, as a rule, is effected by combinations.” ― Richard Reti “Even in the heat of a middlegame battle the master still has to bear in mind the outlines of a possible future ending.” ― David Bronstein "The computer age has arrived, and it influences everything: analysis, preparation, information. Now a different talent is required - the ability to synthesize ideas." ― Boris Spassky General chess advice from Joe Brooks: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comm... "On the chessboard lies and hypocrisy do not survive long. The creative combination lays bare the presumption of a lie; the merciless fact, culmination in checkmate, contradicts the hypocrite." ― Emanuel Lasker "Methodical thinking is of more use in chess than inspiration." ― C.J.S. Purdy “Age brings wisdom to some men, and to others chess.” ― Evan Esar “One man cannot summon the future. But one man can change the present!” — Spock “You know the greatest danger facing us is ourselves, and irrational fear of the unknown. There is no such thing as the unknown. Only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood.” — Captain Kirk "The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things." ― Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States, and former Captain in the Army Reserves “Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them.” ― Napoleon Bonaparte, French military and political leader “Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy’s purpose.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War “So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War “When everything on the board is clear it can be so difficult to conceal your thoughts from your opponent.” ― David Bronstein “In raiding and plundering be like fire, in immovability like a mountain.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War "There is always the risk of being over-confident when you are preparing to face a weaker player." ― Viswanathan Anand "A win is a win, which is about that particular moment." ― Viswanathan Anand "When you play with the best in the world, it is important that you not lose focus. You must be fully focused. Even a minor error could result in a massive defeat." ― Viswanathan Anand Take It Or Leave It Riddle: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I? Answer found below. 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. All The World’s A Stage William Shakespeare All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms. Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slippered pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. Riddle Answer: Footsteps. “Be lovable. I’ve lived a long life because there are so many people who love me.” — Justina Sotomayor, family woman, 101 years old “Humor is a life force, a way of surviving the difficulties of living.” — Bel Kaufman, author and teacher, 103 years old 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. Conceive a man by nature and misfortune prone to a pallid hopelessness, can any business seem more fitted to heighten it than that of continually handling these dead letters and assorting them for the flames? For by the cart-load they are annually burned. Sometimes from out the folded paper the pale clerk takes a ring: - the finger it was meant for, perhaps, moulders in the grave; a bank-note sent in swiftest charity: - he whom it would relieve, nor eats nor hungers any more; pardon for those who died despairing; hope for those who died unhoping; good tidings for those who died stifled by unrelieved calamities. On errands of life, these letters speed to death. Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity! — Herman Melville Deuteronomy 31:6 ~ Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. The Road Not Taken Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. I entered ten puns in our contest to see which would win. No pun in ten did. “Above the clouds I lift my wing To hear the bells of Heaven ring; Some of their music, though my fights be wild, To Earth I bring; Then let me soar and sing!” ― Edmund Clarence Stedman Feb-13-11 keypusher: <scutigera: They give this as one of Myagmarsuren's notable games with 162 others in the database?> notable games are selected based on how many games collections they are in. The Triumph of Life Percy Bysshe Shelley Swift as a spirit hastening to his task Of glory & of good, the Sun sprang forth Rejoicing in his splendour, & the mask Of darkness fell from the awakened Earth. The smokeless altars of the mountain snows Flamed above crimson clouds, & at the birth Of light, the Ocean’s orison arose To which the birds tempered their matin lay, All flowers in field or forest which unclose Their trembling eyelids to the kiss of day, Swinging their censers in the element, With orient incense lit by the new ray Burned slow & inconsumably, & sent Their odorous sighs up to the smiling air, And in succession due, did Continent, Isle, Ocean, & all things that in them wear The form & character of mortal mould Rise as the Sun their father rose, to bear Their portion of the toil which he of old Took as his own & then imposed on them; But I, whom thoughts which must remain untold Had kept as wakeful as the stars that gem The cone of night, now they were laid asleep, Stretched my faint limbs beneath the hoary stem Which an old chestnut flung athwart the steep Of a green Apennine: before me fled The night; behind me rose the day; the Deep Was at my feet, & Heaven above my head When a strange trance over my fancy grew Which was not slumber, for the shade it spread Was so transparent that the scene came through As clear as when a veil of light is drawn O’er evening hills they glimmer; and I knew That I had felt the freshness of that dawn, Bathed in the same cold dew my brow & hair And sate as thus upon that slope of lawn Under the self same bough, & heard as there The birds, the fountains & the Ocean hold Sweet talk in music through the enamoured air. And then a Vision on my brain was rolled. As in that trance of wondrous thought I lay This was the tenour of my waking dream. Methought I sate beside a public way Thick strewn with summer dust, & a great stream Of people there was hurrying to & fro Numerous as gnats upon the evening gleam, All hastening onward, yet none seemed to know Whither he went, or whence he came, or why He made one of the multitude, yet so Was borne amid the crowd as through the sky One of the million leaves of summer’s bier.— Old age & youth, manhood & infancy, Mixed in one mighty torrent did appear, Some flying from the thing they feared & some Seeking the object of another’s fear, And others as with steps towards the tomb Pored on the trodden worms that crawled beneath, And others mournfully within the gloom Of their own shadow walked, and called it death … And some fled from it as it were a ghost, Half fainting in the affliction of vain breath. But more with motions which each other crost Pursued or shunned the shadows the clouds threw Or birds within the noonday ether lost, Upon that path where flowers never grew; And weary with vain toil & faint for thirst Heard not the fountains whose melodious dew Out of their mossy cells forever burst Nor felt the breeze which from the forest told Of grassy paths, & wood lawns interspersed With overarching elms & caverns cold, And violet banks where sweet dreams brood, but they Pursued their serious folly as of old …. And as I gazed methought that in the way The throng grew wilder, as the woods of June When the South wind shakes the extinguished day.— And a cold glare, intenser than the noon But icy cold, obscured with [[blank]] light The Sun as he the stars. Like the young moon When on the sunlit limits of the night Her white shell trembles amid crimson air And whilst the sleeping tempest gathers might Doth, as a herald of its coming, bear The ghost of her dead Mother, whose dim form Bends in dark ether from her infant’s chair, So came a chariot on the silent storm Of its own rushing splendour, and a Shape So sate within as one whom years deform Beneath a dusky hood & double cape Crouching within the shadow of a tomb, And o’er what seemed the head, a cloud like crape, Was bent a dun & faint etherial gloom Tempering the light; upon the chariot’s beam A Janus-visaged Shadow did assume The guidance of that wonder-winged team. The Shapes which drew it in thick lightnings Were lost: I heard alone on the air’s soft stream The music of their ever moving wings. All the four faces of that charioteer Had their eyes banded . . . little profit brings Speed in the van & blindness in the rear, Nor then avail the beams that quench the Sun Or that his banded eyes could pierce the sphere Of all that is, has been, or will be done.— So ill was the car guided, but it past With solemn speed majestically on . . . The crowd gave way, & I arose aghast, Or seemed to rise, so mighty was the trance, And saw like clouds upon the thunder blast The million with fierce song and maniac dance Raging around; such seemed the jubilee As when to greet some conqueror’s advance Imperial Rome poured forth her living sea From senatehouse & prison & theatre When Freedom left those who upon the free Had bound a yoke which soon they stooped to bear. Nor wanted here the true similitude Of a triumphal pageant, for where’er The chariot rolled a captive multitude Was driven; althose who had grown old in power Or misery,—all who have their age subdued, By action or by suffering, and whose hour Was drained to its last sand in weal or woe, So that the trunk survived both fruit & flower; All those whose fame or infamy must grow Till the great winter lay the form & name Of their own earth with them forever low, All but the sacred few who could not tame Their spirits to the Conqueror, but as soon As they had touched the world with living flame Fled back like eagles to their native noon, Of those who put aside the diadem Of earthly thrones or gems, till the last one Were there;—for they of Athens & Jerusalem Were neither mid the mighty captives seen Nor mid the ribald crowd that followed them Or fled before . . Now swift, fierce & obscene The wild dance maddens in the van, & those Who lead it, fleet as shadows on the green, Outspeed the chariot & without repose Mix with each other in tempestuous measure To savage music …. Wilder as it grows, They, tortured by the agonizing pleasure, Convulsed & on the rapid whirlwinds spun Of that fierce spirit, whose unholy leisure Was soothed by mischief since the world begun, Throw back their heads & loose their streaming hair, And in their dance round her who dims the Sun Maidens & youths fling their wild arms in air As their feet twinkle; they recede, and now Bending within each other’s atmosphere Kindle invisibly; and as they glow Like moths by light attracted & repelled, Oft to new bright destruction come & go. Till like two clouds into one vale impelled That shake the mountains when their lightnings mingle And die in rain,—the fiery band which held Their natures, snaps . . . ere the shock cease to tingle One falls and then another in the path Senseless, nor is the desolation single, Yet ere I can say where the chariot hath Past over them; nor other trace I find But as of foam after the Ocean’s wrath Is spent upon the desert shore.—Behind, Old men, and women foully disarrayed Shake their grey hair in the insulting wind, Limp in the dance & strain, with limbs decayed, Seeking to reach the light which leaves them still Farther behind & deeper in the shade. But not the less with impotence of will They wheel, though ghastly shadows interpose Round them & round each other, and fulfill Their work and to the dust whence they arose Sink & corruption veils them as they lie And frost in these performs what fire in those. Struck to the heart by this sad pageantry, Half to myself I said, “And what is this? Whose shape is that within the car? & why”- I would have added—”is all here amiss?” But a voice answered . . “Life” . . . I turned & knew (O Heaven have mercy on such wretchedness!) That what I thought was an old root which grew To strange distortion out of the hill side Was indeed one of that deluded crew, And that the grass which methought hung so wide And white, was but his thin discoloured hair, And that the holes it vainly sought to hide Were or had been eyes.—”lf thou canst forbear To join the dance, which I had well forborne,” Said the grim Feature, of my thought aware, “I will now tell that which to this deep scorn Led me & my companions, and relate The progress of the pageant since the morn; “If thirst of knowledge doth not thus abate, Follow it even to the night, but I Am weary” . . . Then like one who with the weight Of his own words is staggered, wearily He paused, and ere he could resume, I cried, “First who art thou?” . . . “Before thy memory “I feared, loved, hated, suffered, did, & died, And if the spark with which Heaven lit my spirit Earth had with purer nutriment supplied “Corruption would not now thus much inherit Of what was once Rousseau—nor this disguise Stained that within which still disdains to wear it.— “If I have been extinguished, yet there rise A thousand beacons from the spark I bore.”— “And who are those chained to the car?” “The Wise, “The great, the unforgotten: they who wore Mitres & helms & crowns, or wreathes of light, Signs of thought’s empire over thought; their lore “Taught them not this—to know themselves; their might Could not repress the mutiny within, And for the morn of truth they feigned, deep night “Caught them ere evening.” “Who is he with chin Upon his breast and hands crost on his chain?” “The Child of a fierce hour; he sought to win “The world, and lost all it did contain Of greatness, in its hope destroyed; & more Of fame & peace than Virtue’s self can gain “Without the opportunity which bore Him on its eagle’s pinion to the peak From which a thousand climbers have before “Fall’n as Napoleon fell.”—I felt my cheek Alter to see the great form pass away Whose grasp had left the giant world so weak That every pigmy kicked it as it lay— And much I grieved to think how power & will In opposition rule our mortal day— And why God made irreconcilable Good & the means of good; and for despair I half disdained mine eye’s desire to fill With the spent vision of the times that were And scarce have ceased to be . . . “Dost thou behold,” Said then my guide, “those spoilers spoiled, Voltaire, “Frederic, & Kant, Catherine, & Leopold, Chained hoary anarch, demagogue & sage Whose name the fresh world thinks already old— “For in the battle Life & they did wage She remained conqueror—I was overcome By my own heart alone, which neither age “Nor tears nor infamy nor now the tomb Could temper to its object.”—”Let them pass”— I cried—”the world & its mysterious doom “Is not so much more glorious than it was That I desire to worship those who drew New figures on its false & fragile glass “As the old faded.”—”Figures ever new Rise on the bubble, paint them how you may; We have but thrown, as those before us threw, “Our shadows on it as it past away. But mark, how chained to the triumphal chair The mighty phantoms of an elder day— “All that is mortal of great Plato there Expiates the joy & woe his master knew not; That star that ruled his doom was far too fair— “And Life, where long that flower of Heaven grew not, Conquered the heart by love which gold or pain Or age or sloth or slavery could subdue not— “And near [[blank]] walk the [[blank]] twain, The tutor & his pupil, whom Dominion Followed as tame as vulture in a chain.— “The world was darkened beneath either pinion Of him whom from the flock of conquerors Fame singled as her thunderbearing minion; “The other long outlived both woes & wars, Throned in new thoughts of men, and still had kept The jealous keys of truth’s eternal doors “If Bacon’s spirit [[blank]] had not leapt Like lightning out of darkness; he compelled The Proteus shape of Nature’s as it slept “To wake & to unbar the caves that held The treasure of the secrets of its reign— See the great bards of old who inly quelled “The passions which they sung, as by their strain May well be known: their living melody Tempers its own contagion to the vein “Of those who are infected with it—I Have suffered what I wrote, or viler pain!— “And so my words were seeds of misery— Even as the deeds of others.”—”Not as theirs,” I said—he pointed to a company In which I recognized amid the heirs Of Caesar’s crime from him to Constantine, The Anarchs old whose force & murderous snares Had founded many a sceptre bearing line And spread the plague of blood & gold abroad, And Gregory & John and men divine Who rose like shadows between Man & god Till that eclipse, still hanging under Heaven, Was worshipped by the world o’er which they strode For the true Sun it quenched.—”Their power was given But to destroy,” replied the leader—”I Am one of those who have created, even “If it be but a world of agony.”— “Whence camest thou & whither goest thou? How did thy course begin,” I said, “& why? “Mine eyes are sick of this perpetual flow Of people, & my heart of one sad thought.— Speak.”—”Whence I came, partly I seem to know, “And how & by what paths I have been brought To this dread pass, methinks even thou mayst guess; Why this should be my mind can compass not; “Whither the conqueror hurries me still less. But follow thou, & from spectator turn Actor or victim in this wretchedness, “And what thou wouldst be taught I then may learn From thee.—Now listen . . . In the April prime When all the forest tops began to burn “With kindling green, touched by the azure clime Of the young year, I found myself asleep Under a mountain which from unknown time “Had yawned into a cavern high & deep, And from it came a gentle rivulet Whose water like clear air in its calm sweep “Bent the soft grass & kept for ever wet The stems of the sweet flowers, and filled the grove With sound which all who hear must needs forget “All pleasure & all pain, all hate & love, Which they had known before that hour of rest: A sleeping mother then would dream not of “The only child who died upon her breast At eventide, a king would mourn no more The crown of which his brow was dispossest “When the sun lingered o’er the Ocean floor To gild his rival’s new prosperity.— Thou wouldst forget thus vainly to deplore “Ills, which if ills, can find no cure from thee, The thought of which no other sleep will quell Nor other music blot from memory— “So sweet & deep is the oblivious spell.— Whether my life had been before that sleep The Heaven which I imagine, or a Hell “Like this harsh world in which I wake to weep, I know not. I arose & for a space The scene of woods & waters seemed to keep, “Though it was now broad day, a gentle trace Of light diviner than the common Sun Sheds on the common Earth, but all the place “Was filled with many sounds woven into one Oblivious melody, confusing sense Amid the gliding waves & shadows dun; “And as I looked the bright omnipresence Of morning through the orient cavern flowed, And the Sun’s image radiantly intense “Burned on the waters of the well that glowed Like gold, and threaded all the forest maze With winding paths of emerald fire—there stood “Amid the sun, as he amid the blaze Of his own glory, on the vibrating Floor of the fountain, paved with flashing rays, “A shape all light, which with one hand did fling Dew on the earth, as if she were the Dawn Whose invisible rain forever seemed to sing “A silver music on the mossy lawn, And still before her on the dusky grass Iris her many coloured scarf had drawn.— “In her right hand she bore a crystal glass Mantling with bright Nepenthe;—the fierce splendour Fell from her as she moved under the mass “Of the deep cavern, & with palms so tender Their tread broke not the mirror of its billow, Glided along the river, and did bend her “Head under the dark boughs, till like a willow Her fair hair swept the bosom of the stream That whispered with delight to be their pillow.— “As one enamoured is upborne in dream O’er lily-paven lakes mid silver mist To wondrous music, so this shape might seem “Partly to tread the waves with feet which kist The dancing foam, partly to glide along The airs that roughened the moist amethyst, “Or the slant morning beams that fell among The trees, or the soft shadows of the trees; And her feet ever to the ceaseless song “Of leaves & winds & waves & birds & bees And falling drops moved in a measure new Yet sweet, as on the summer evening breeze “Up from the lake a shape of golden dew Between two rocks, athwart the rising moon, Moves up the east, where eagle never flew.— “And still her feet, no less than the sweet tune To which they moved, seemed as they moved, to blot The thoughts of him who gazed on them, & soon “All that was seemed as if it had been not, As if the gazer’s mind was strewn beneath Her feet like embers, & she, thought by thought, “Trampled its fires into the dust of death, As Day upon the threshold of the east Treads out the lamps of night, until the breath “Of darkness reillumines even the least Of heaven’s living eyes—like day she came, Making the night a dream; and ere she ceased “To move, as one between desire and shame Suspended, I said—’If, as it doth seem, Thou comest from the realm without a name, ” ‘Into this valley of perpetual dream, Shew whence I came, and where I am, and why— Pass not away upon the passing stream.’ ” ‘Arise and quench thy thirst,’ was her reply, And as a shut lily, stricken by the wand Of dewy morning’s vital alchemy, “I rose; and, bending at her sweet command, Touched with faint lips the cup she raised, And suddenly my brain became as sand “Where the first wave had more than half erased The track of deer on desert Labrador, Whilst the fierce wolf from which they fled amazed “Leaves his stamp visibly upon the shore Until the second bursts—so on my sight Burst a new Vision never seen before.— “And the fair shape waned in the coming light As veil by veil the silent splendour drops From Lucifer, amid the chrysolite “Of sunrise ere it strike the mountain tops— And as the presence of that fairest planet Although unseen is felt by one who hopes “That his day’s path may end as he began it In that star’s smile, whose light is like the scent Of a jonquil when evening breezes fan it, “Or the soft note in which his dear lament The Brescian shepherd breathes, or the caress That turned his weary slumber to content.— “So knew I in that light’s severe excess The presence of that shape which on the stream Moved, as I moved along the wilderness, “More dimly than a day appearing dream, The ghost of a forgotten form of sleep A light from Heaven whose half extinguished beam “Through the sick day in which we wake to weep Glimmers, forever sought, forever lost.— So did that shape its obscure tenour keep “Beside my path, as silent as a ghost; But the new Vision, and its cold bright car, With savage music, stunning music, crost “The forest, and as if from some dread war Triumphantly returning, the loud million Fiercely extolled the fortune of her star.— “A moving arch of victory the vermilion And green & azure plumes of Iris had Built high over her wind-winged pavilion, “And underneath aetherial glory clad The wilderness, and far before her flew The tempest of the splendour which forbade Shadow to fall from leaf or stone;—the crew Seemed in that light like atomies that dance Within a sunbeam.—Some upon the new “Embroidery of flowers that did enhance The grassy vesture of the desart, played, Forgetful of the chariot’s swift advance; “Others stood gazing till within the shade Of the great mountain its light left them dim.— Others outspeeded it, and others made “Circles around it like the clouds that swim Round the high moon in a bright sea of air, And more did follow, with exulting hymn, “The chariot & the captives fettered there, But all like bubbles on an eddying flood Fell into the same track at last & were “Borne onward.—I among the multitude Was swept; me sweetest flowers delayed not long, Me not the shadow nor the solitude, “Me not the falling stream’s Lethean song, Me, not the phantom of that early form Which moved upon its motion,—but among “The thickest billows of the living storm I plunged, and bared my bosom to the clime Of that cold light, whose airs too soon deform.— “Before the chariot had begun to climb The opposing steep of that mysterious dell, Behold a wonder worthy of the rhyme “Of him whom from the lowest depths of Hell Through every Paradise & through all glory Love led serene, & who returned to tell “In words of hate & awe the wondrous story How all things are transfigured, except Love; For deaf as is a sea which wrath makes hoary “The world can hear not the sweet notes that move The sphere whose light is melody to lovers—- A wonder worthy of his rhyme—the grove “Grew dense with shadows to its inmost covers, The earth was grey with phantoms, & the air Was peopled with dim forms, as when there hovers “A flock of vampire-bats before the glare Of the tropic sun, bring ere evening Strange night upon some Indian isle,—thus were “Phantoms diffused around, & some did fling Shadows of shadows, yet unlike themselves, Behind them, some like eaglets on the wing “Were lost in the white blaze, others like elves Danced in a thousand unimagined shapes Upon the sunny streams & grassy shelves; “And others sate chattering like restless apes On vulgar paws and voluble like fire. Some made a cradle of the ermined capes “Of kingly mantles, some upon the tiar Of pontiffs sate like vultures, others played Within the crown which girt with empire “A baby’s or an idiot’s brow, & made Their nests in it; the old anatomies Sate hatching their bare brood under the shade “Of demon wings, and laughed from their dead eyes To reassume the delegated power Arrayed in which these worms did monarchize “Who make this earth their charnel.—Others more Humble, like falcons sate upon the fist Of common men, and round their heads did soar, “Or like small gnats & flies, as thick as mist On evening marshes, thronged about the brow Of lawyer, statesman, priest & theorist, “And others like discoloured flakes of snow On fairest bosoms & the sunniest hair Fell, and were melted by the youthful glow “Which they extinguished; for like tears, they were A veil to those from whose faint lids they rained In drops of sorrow.—I became aware “Of whence those forms proceeded which thus stained The track in which we moved; after brief space From every form the beauty slowly waned, “From every firmest limb & fairest face The strength & freshness fell like dust, & left The action & the shape without the grace “Of life; the marble brow of youth was cleft With care, and in the eyes where once hope shone Desire like a lioness bereft “Of its last cub, glared ere it died; each one Of that great crowd sent forth incessantly These shadows, numerous as the dead leaves blown “In Autumn evening from a popular tree— Each, like himself & like each other were, At first, but soon distorted, seemed to be “Obscure clouds moulded by the casual air; And of this stuff the car’s creative ray Wrought all the busy phantoms that were there “As the sun shapes the clouds—thus, on the way Mask after mask fell from the countenance And form of all, and long before the day “Was old, the joy which waked like Heaven’s glance The sleepers in the oblivious valley, died, And some grew weary of the ghastly dance “And fell, as I have fallen by the way side, Those soonest from whose forms most shadows past And least of strength & beauty did abide.”— “Then, what is Life?” I said . . . the cripple cast His eye upon the car which now had rolled Onward, as if that look must be the last, And answered …. “Happy those for whom the fold Of … “Life is fun. It’s all up to the person. Be satisfied. You don’t have to be ‘happy’ all the time, you need to be satisfied.” — Lucille Boston Lewis, eternal optimist 101 years old “A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away.” — Dr. Boyce “Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Adair “He who imagines himself capable should attempt to perform. Neither originality counts, nor criticism of another’s work. It is not courage, nor self-confidence, nor a sense of superiority that tells. Performance alone is the test.” — Emanuel Lasker “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell 60 games, 1925-2014

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