- GumboG's Unorthodox Games-Names [ECO=A,D,
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Games featuring rare openings/variations with unusual names. Not included are the basic uncommon first moves (Ware Opening, St. George Defense, etc.) Due to limitations, this Collection Covers non-King's Pawn Openings. There is another Collection that covers KP Openings: <Game Collection: Unorthodox Games; Unusual Names (ECO=B,C)> “In a gambit you give up a Pawn for the sake of getting a lost game.”
— Samuel Standidge Boden
“I believe that it is best to know a 'dubious' opening really well, rather than a 'good' opening only slightly.” ― Simon Williams “The game might be divided into three parts: the opening, the middle-game and the endgame. There is one thing you must strive for, to be equally efficient in the three parts.” ― Jose Raul Capablanca <Unorthodox Games; Unusual Names [ECO=B,C]> Thank you GumboGambit!
* Gumbo's Favorites: Game Collection: GumboGambit's Selected Games * Emilio's Picks: Game Collection: emilio's favorite games, 2 * 10 Crazy Gambits: https://www.chess.com/blog/yola6655... * 50 Games to Know: https://en.chessbase.com/post/50-ga... * Lekhika Dhariyal Chess Ops: https://www.zupee.com/blog/category... * Roger that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9S... “The only way to change anything in Russia is a revolution” ― Daniil Dubov
https://en.chessbase.com/post/dubov... Adams Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Qh5 Nd6 5.Bb3 Nc6 6.d4) Adelaide Counter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 Nc6 3.Nf3 f5) Alapin Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3 h5) Alapin Gambit (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Be3)
Albin Counter Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5) Alekhine Gambit (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Ne2 dxe4 5.a3 Be7 6.Nxe4 Nf6 7.N2g3 0-0 8.Be2 Nc6) Allgaier Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ng5) Andreaschek Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Nf3 e5 4.c3) Anti-Meran Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c6 5.Bg5) Anti-Moscow Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 g5 7.Bg3 dxc4 8.e4) Balogh Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.e4 d6) Basque Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.d4 exd4 7.e5 Ne4 8.c3) Belgrade Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nd5) Bellon Gambit (1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4 4.Ng5 b5) Benko Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5)
Bertin (Three Pawns) Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7 4.Bc4 Bh4+ 5.g3 fxg3 6.0-0 gxh2+ 7.Kh1) Bishop’s Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4)
Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4) Blackburne Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ng5 h6 6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.Nc3) Blackmar–Diemer Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 – also (1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 dxe4 4.f3) Blumenfeld Counter Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 b5) Blumenfeld Reversed Gambit (1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4 3.e3 c5 4.b4) Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxe4 4.Nc3) Boehnke Gambit (1.e4 d5 2.exd5 e6 3. dxe6 Bxe6)
Brentano Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g5)
Breyer Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Qf3)
Bronstein Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 Nc6 6.c3 Nf6 7.d4) Bryan Counter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Qh4+ 4.Kf1 b5) Bryan (Kieseritzky) CounterGambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 b5) Budapest Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5)
Calabrian Counter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 f5)
Carrera (Basman) Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Qe2) Catalan Queens Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3) Charousek Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.d3 Nf6 5.dxe4 Nxe4 6.Qe2) Chicago Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nxe5 Nxe5 4.d4) Cochrane Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7) Colorado Gambit (1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 f5)
Cunningham Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7)
Dada Gambit (1.g3 e5 2.Bg2 d5 3.b4)
Danish Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3)
Danube Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.d5 b5)
De Smet Gambit (1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 e5 3.dxe5 d6)
Diemer Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e4)
Diemer–Duhm Gambit (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.c4)
Double Muzio Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.0-0 gxf3 6.Qxf3 Qf6 7.e5 Qxe5 8.Bxf7+) Duras Gambit (Fred Defence) (1.e4 f5 2.exf5 Kf7) Elephant Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5)
Englund Gambit (1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Qd5 f6 5.exf6 Nxf6) Evans Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4)
Evans Counter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 d5) Fajarowicz Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4)
Falkbeer Counter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5)
Four Pawns Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.b4 Bxb4 4.f4 exf4 5.Nf3 Be7 6.d4 Bh4+ 7.g3 fxg3 8.0-0 gxh2+ 9.Kh1) Franco-Hiva Gambit (1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 f5)
Frankenstein–Dracula Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Qh5 Nd6 5.Bb3 Nc6 6.Nb5 g6 7.Qf3 f5 8.Qd5 Qe7 9.Nxc7+ Kd8 10.Nxa8 b6) French: Wing Gambit (1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5 c5 4.b4) FACTRETRIEVER: Feral pigs ate and completely destroyed $22,000 worth of cocaine that had been hidden in an Italian forest. Fried Liver Attack Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7 Kxf7) From Gambit (1.f4 e5)
Fyfe Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.d4)
Gent Gambit (1.Nh3 d5 2.g3 e5 3.f4 Bxh3 4.Bxh3 exf4 5.0-0 fxg3 6.hxg3) Ghulam Khassim Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.d4) Gianutio Counter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 f5) Ginsburg Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5.Bc4) Godley Gambit (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 Nf6)
Göring Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.c3) Greco Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.f4)
Grünfeld Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 0-0) Halasz Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4)
Halibut Gambit (1.c4 b5)
Halloween Gambit (Müller–Schultze) Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5) Hamppe–Muzio Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.Bc4 g4 6.0-0) Hanstein Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 Bg7 5.0-0) Harksen Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.c4) Herrstrom Gambit (1.Nf3 g5)
Hubsch Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 Nxe4 4.Nxe4 dxe4 4.Bc4) Icelandic Gambit (1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.c4 e6)
Italian Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4) Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7) John Tracy Gambit (1.e4 Nf6 2.Nf3)
Karpov Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Nc5) Kasparov Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 d5) Keres Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nc3)
Khan Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 d5)
Kieseritzky Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5) King’s Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4)
Kotrč–Mieses Gambit (1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.b4) Krejcik Gambit (1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4 Nxe4 3. Bxf7+)
Krol Gambit (1.e4 e6 2.f4 d5 3.Nf3)
Lasker Gambit (1.d4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c6 (or 4…g6) 5.f3) Latvian Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.g4)
Lewis Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.d4)
Lisitsin Gambit (1.Nf3 f5 2.e4)
Locock Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Ng5 h6 5.Nxf7) Lopez Counter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 f5) Lopez Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qe2 Nf6 4.d3 Nc6 5.c3 Ne7 6.f4) Lopez–Gianutio Counter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 f5) Marshall Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.e4) McDonnell Double Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.b4 Bxb4 4.f4) McDonnell Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Nc3) Michel Gambit (1.Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. b4 c5)
Milner-Barry Gambit (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd7 8.Nc3 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxd4) Moller Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.0-0 Bxc3 9.d5) Morphy Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Nf3)
Morra Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3)
Muzio Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.0-0) Nakhmanson Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Nc3) Nimzowitsch Gambit (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Qg4) Orthoschnapp Gambit (1.e4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 exd5 4.Qb3) Paris Gambit (1.Nh3 d5 2.g3 e5 3.f4 Bxh3 4.Bxh3 exf4 5.0-0) Petroff Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d6 4.c3 Qe7 5.d4) Philidor Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 Bg7 5.h4) Philidor Counter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5) Pierce Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.d4 g4 6.Bc4) Poisoned Pawn (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2) Polerio Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4) Ponziani Counter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 f5) Ponziani Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4)
Portsmouth Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.b4)
Portuguese Gambit (1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4)
Quade Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Nc3)
Queen’s Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4)
Rasa–Studier Gambit (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3) Relfsson Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bb5) Reti (Landstrasse) Gambit (1.Nf3 d5 2.c4)
Rice Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 Nf6 6.Bc4 d5 7.exd5 Bd6 8.0-0) Rosentreter Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.d4 g4) Ross Gambit – (1.Nf3 e5)
Rotary-Albany Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 b6) Rousseau Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 f5)
Rubinstein Counter Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nc3 e6 5.Nxd5 exd5 6.d4 Nc6) Ryder Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Qxf3) Salvio Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Ne5) Schliemann (Jaenisch) Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5) Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4) Sicilian Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be2 Bb4 7.0-0) Slav Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4) Smith–Morra Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3)
Sorensen Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.d4 g4 5.Ne5) Spanish Counter Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d5) Spielmann Gambit (1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e5 Nfd7 4.e6) Stafford Gambit (1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6) Stamma Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.h4)
Staunton Gambit Deferred (1.d4 f5 2.c4 e6 3.e4)
Staunton Gambit (1.d4 f5 2.e4)
Steinitz Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.d4) Steinitz Counter Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5)
Sturm Gambit (1.f4 d5 2.c4)
Swiss Gambit (1.f4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g4)
Tarrasch Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.dxc5 d4 6.Na4 b5) Tartakower (Lesser Bishop’s) Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Be2) Tartakower (Fischer) Gambit (1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.e4) Tennison Gambit (1.e4 d5 2.Nf3)
Tolush–Geller Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 6.e5) Triple Muzio Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.0-0 gxf3 6.Qxf3 Qf6 7.e5 Qxe5 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7) Tumbleweed Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Kf2)
Two Knights’ Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5) Urusov Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4) Urusov (Ponziani) Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3) Van Weersel Attack (1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Qb3) Vienna Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4)
Villemson Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.d4)
Von Hennig–Schara Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 cxd4) Vukovic Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4. d4 Nxe4 5. d5 Bc5) Wagner Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 c5 4.e4)
Ware Gambit (1.a4 e5 2.a5 d5 3.e3 f5 4.a6)
White Gambit (1.c4 d5 2.b3 dxc4 3.bxc4 Qd4 4.Nc3) Wild Muzio Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Bxf7+) Wilkes-Barre/Traxler Variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5) Williams Gambit (1.f4 d5 2.e4)
Wing Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.b4)
Wing Gambit Deferred (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 (or 2…e6) 3.b4) Wing Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.b4)
Wing Gambit Delayed (1.e4 c5 2.a3 Nc6 (or 2…e6) 3. b4) Zollner Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.Be3 Nc6 8.0-0 0-0 9.f4 Qb6 10.e5) Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
“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 Colorado: San Luis
Established in: 1851
San Luis has a predominately Hispanic population of less than 700 people, and so the town features a very strong Spanish influence. It was once part of four Spanish land grants decreed by the King of Spain, and a classic adobe architecture and Spanish town layout remain. * Chess History: https://www.britannica.com/topic/ch... This poem is dedicated to all Caissa's members
who understand that chess is but a game.
Chess is but a Game
As he secretly rode his knight out of the castle's gate,
still believing that he could escape this inevitable fate,
the sky broke open with an array of incredible light.
and there smitten to the earth lay nova under his knight.
I am who I am and always am, spoke this thundering voice
and you, my friend nova, do not at all have another choice
but to go forth south and north, west and east
loudly proclaiming the good Word to man and beast.
Thus beset by the compelling voice from the broken sky
nova set about explaining through the word the how and why.
He travelled north and south, west and east never losing aim
to let all Caissa's members know: chess is but a game. “You cannot play at chess if you are kind-hearted.” ― French Proverb “The first principle of attack–Don’t let the opponent develop!” ― Reuben Fine “You may knock your opponent down with the chessboard, but that does not prove you the better player.” ― English Proverb “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.” “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 “There are two kinds of idiots - those who don't take action because they have received a threat, and those who think they are taking action because they have issued a threat.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym “It is impossible to keep one's excellence in a glass case, like a jewel, and take it out whenever it is required.” ― Adolf Anderssen, 1858 “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 * Capablanca's Double Attack — having the initiative is important: https://lichess.org/study/tzrisL1R * Robert Fischer's Best Games by KingG (127 games, a ton of quotes):
Game Collection: Robert Fischer's Best Games * Bobby Fischer Rediscovered/Andrew Soltis (97 games):
Game Collection: Bobby Fischer Rediscovered (Andy Soltis) * 1992: Game Collection: Spassky-Fischer Match 1992 * Black Defends: Game Collection: Opening repertoire black * Masterful: Game Collection: FRENCH DEFENSE MASTERPIECES * Nakhmanson Gambit: https://chesstier.com/nakhmanson-ga... * C53s: Game Collection: rajat21's italian game * RL Minis: Game Collection: Ruy Lopez Miniatures * Del's: Game Collection: Del's hidden gems * 21st Century: Game Collection: 0 * B20s: Game Collection: Grand Prix (Ginger’s Models) * GPA: https://chesstier.com/grand-prix-at...
* GK: Game Collection: Kasparov - The Sicilian Sheveningen * Can you whip Taimanov's Sicilian? http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... * Glossary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloss... * CFN: https://www.youtube.com/@CFNChannel
Amanda Kay wrote:
Checkmate
You were my knight
Shining armor
Chess board was our home
Queen's fondness you garnered
A kiss sweeter than honeycomb
"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 * One of Pandolfini's Best: Game Collection: Solitaire Chess by Bruce Pandolfini * Two Great Attackers: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... * 10 Crazy Gambits: https://www.chess.com/blog/yola6655... * Lekhika Dhariyal Chess Ops: https://www.zupee.com/blog/category... * Alekhine getz blitzed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8H... * Capablanca's Double Attack — having the initiative is important: https://lichess.org/study/tzrisL1R * Classic games by great players: Game Collection: Guinness Book - Chess Grandmasters (Hartston) * 100+ Scandinavian Miniatures: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... * Collection assembled by Fredthebear.
* Miniatures: Game Collection: 200 Miniature Games of Chess - Du Mont (III) * 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 * Glossary: https://www.peoriachess.com/Glossar... * 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 * Tartakower's Defense: https://www.chess.com/blog/MatBobul... * (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: Golden Treasury of Chess (Wellmuth/Horowitz) * 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 I have a fear of speed bumps. But I am slowly getting over it. * Riddle-e-dee: https://chessimprover.com/chess-rid... I was wondering why the frisbee was getting bigger, then it hit me. 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
“The chess heroes nowadays should not forget that it was owing to Fischer that they are living today in four- and five-star hotels, getting appearance fees, etc.” ― Lev Khariton “I’ve come to the personal conclusion that while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.” ― Marcel Duchamp “I've never met a checkers player I didn't like; they're all even-tempered. Chess players are egotistical. They think they're intellectuals and that everyone else is beneath them.” ― Don Lafferty, draughts grandmaster “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
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."
― Yogi Berra, 10-time World Series champion
The Winds of Fate
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
One ship drives east and another drives west
With the selfsame winds that blow.
Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales
Which tells us the way to go.
Like the winds of the seas are the ways of fate,
As we voyage along through the life:
Tis the set of a soul
That decides its goal,
And not the calm or the strife.
“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
“Even though chess isn't the toughest thing that computers will tackle for centuries, it stood as a handy symbol for human intelligence. No matter what human-like feat computers perform in the future, the Deep Blue match demands an indelible dot on all timelines of AI progress.” ― Steven Levy Song of the Storm-Swept Plain
William D. Hodjkiss
The wind shrills forth
From the white cold North
Where the gates of the Storm-god are;
And ragged clouds,
Like mantling shrouds,
Engulf the last, dim star.
Through naked trees,
In low coulees,
The night-voice moans and sighs;
And sings of deep,
Warm cradled sleep,
With wind-crooned lullabies.
He stands alone
Where the storm’s weird tone
In mocking swells;
And the snow-sharp breath
Of cruel Death
The tales of its coming tells.
The frightened plaint
Of his sheep sound faint
Then the choking wall of white—
Then is heard no more,
In the deep-toned roar,
Of the blinding, pathless night.
No light nor guide,
Save a mighty tide
Of mad fear drives him on;
‘Till his cold-numbed form
Grows strangely warm;
And the strength of his limbs is gone.
Through the storm and night
A strange, soft light
O’er the sleeping shepherd gleams;
And he hears the word
Of the Shepherd Lord
Called out from the bourne of dreams.
Come, leave the strife
Of your weary life;
Come unto Me and rest
From the night and cold,
To the sheltered fold,
By the hand of love caressed.
The storm shrieks on,
But its work is done—
A soul to its God has fled;
And the wild refrain
Of the wind-swept plain,
Sings requiem for the dead.
“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 Drive sober or get pulled over.
“For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable.” — Assiac “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”
― Thomas Jefferson, chess player
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
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.
They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind. ― Scottish Proverb Mark 3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 'Finders keepers, losers weepers'
No, turn it over to Lost and Found.
Drive sober or get pulled over.
“For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable.” — Assia Once I asked Pillsbury whether he used any formula for castling. He said his rule was absolute and vital: castle because you will or because you must; but not because you can.’ — W.E. Napier (1881-1952) 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. “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 I have a fear of speed bumps. But I am slowly getting over it. * Riddle-e-dee: https://chessimprover.com/chess-rid... I was wondering why the frisbee was getting bigger, then it hit me. 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
“The chess heroes nowadays should not forget that it was owing to Fischer that they are living today in four- and five-star hotels, getting appearance fees, etc.” ― Lev Khariton “I’ve come to the personal conclusion that while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.” ― Marcel Duchamp “I've never met a checkers player I didn't like; they're all even-tempered. Chess players are egotistical. They think they're intellectuals and that everyone else is beneath them.” ― Don Lafferty, draughts grandmaster “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
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."
― Yogi Berra, 10-time World Series champion
The Winds of Fate
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
One ship drives east and another drives west
With the selfsame winds that blow.
Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales
Which tells us the way to go.
Like the winds of the seas are the ways of fate,
As we voyage along through the life:
Tis the set of a soul
That decides its goal,
And not the calm or the strife.
Matthew 17:20
Our faith can move mountains.
'Finders keepers, losers weepers'
No, turn it over to Lost and Found.
Drive sober or get pulled over.
“For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable.” — Assiac Two artists had an art contest. It ended in a draw. FACTRETRIEVER 2020: Gummy bears were originally called "dancing bears."
Sea otters have the thickest fur of any mammal, at 1 million hairs per square inch. Song of the Storm-Swept Plain
William D. Hodjkiss
The wind shrills forth
From the white cold North
Where the gates of the Storm-god are;
And ragged clouds,
Like mantling shrouds,
Engulf the last, dim star.
Through naked trees,
In low coulees,
The night-voice moans and sighs;
And sings of deep,
Warm cradled sleep,
With wind-crooned lullabies.
He stands alone
Where the storm’s weird tone
In mocking swells;
And the snow-sharp breath
Of cruel Death
The tales of its coming tells.
The frightened plaint
Of his sheep sound faint
Then the choking wall of white—
Then is heard no more,
In the deep-toned roar,
Of the blinding, pathless night.
No light nor guide,
Save a mighty tide
Of mad fear drives him on;
‘Till his cold-numbed form
Grows strangely warm;
And the strength of his limbs is gone.
Through the storm and night
A strange, soft light
O’er the sleeping shepherd gleams;
And he hears the word
Of the Shepherd Lord
Called out from the bourne of dreams.
Come, leave the strife
Of your weary life;
Come unto Me and rest
From the night and cold,
To the sheltered fold,
By the hand of love caressed.
The storm shrieks on,
But its work is done—
A soul to its God has fled;
And the wild refrain
Of the wind-swept plain,
Sings requiem for the dead.
“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 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.
<Oct-04-23 HeMateMe: I play 3/2 blitz occasionally on Lichess. I find it an excellent site, none of the delays/cancellations that ruined chess.com (for me).
Oct-04-23 Cassandro: Yes, lichess is by far the best site for online chess. And you never know, apparently you may even get to play against a living legend like the highly esteemed Leonard Barden there!> FTB plays all about but has always been happy with FICS: https://www.freechess.org/ Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Ye Jiangchuan has won the Chinese Chess Championship seven times. “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 “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” ― Frederick Douglass Dear Dad, $chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying very hard. With all my $tuff, I $imply can’t think of anything I need, $o if you would like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you. Love, Your $on Dear Son, I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh. Love, Dad 'Ask no questions and hear no lies
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!
'Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer "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 “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.)" "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 <I am taken from a mine, and shut up in a wooden case, from which I am never released, and yet I am used by almost everybody. What am I?Pencil lead
* Riddle-puffy-dried: https://www.briddles.com/riddles/ch... A <man> stands on one side of a river, his dog on the other. The <man> calls his dog, who immediately crosses the river without getting wet and without using a bridge or a boat. How did the dog do it? The river was frozen>
“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
'Don't keep a dog and bark yourself'
'Don't cast your pearls before swine'
'Don't count your chickens before they are hatched' 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 “The best way to learn endings, as well as openings, is from the games of the masters.” ― Jose Raul Capablanca “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. Silence is the best reply to a fool. ― Joker
Always Remember, the beginning is the hardest part. ― Joker Did you hear about the mathematician who’s afraid of negative numbers?
He’ll stop at nothing to avoid them.
.oo.
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
“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” ― William Faulkner “Sometimes in life, and in chess, you must take one step back to take two steps forward.” — IM Levy Rozman, GothamChess So much, much, much better to be an incurable optimist than deceitful and untrustworthy. Old Russian Proverb: "Scythe over a stone." (Нашла коса на камень.) The force came over a stronger force. “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
― Leonardo da Vinci
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
<chess writer and poet Henry Thomas Bland.Another example of his way with words is the start of ‘Internal Fires’, a poem published on page 57 of the March 1930 American Chess Bulletin: I used to play chess with the dearest old chap,
Whom naught could upset whatever might hap.
He’d oft lose a game he might well have won
But made no excuse for what he had done.
If a piece he o’erlooked and got it snapped up
He took it quite calmly and ne’er ‘cut up rough’.> “You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” ― William Faulkner “Sometimes in life, and in chess, you must take one step back to take two steps forward.” — IM Levy Rozman, GothamChess So much, much, much better to be an incurable optimist than deceitful and untrustworthy. Old Russian Proverb: "Scythe over a stone." (Нашла коса на камень.) The force came over a stronger force. “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
― Leonardo da Vinci
William Faulkner publishes The Sound and the Fury in 1929. Q: How do poets say hello?
A: "Hey, haven’t we metaphor?"
On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified prohibiting any U.S. citizen from being denied the right to vote based on sex. Q: What do you call a cow jumping on a trampoline?
A: A milkshake.
Charles Lindbergh lands "Spirit of St. Louis" in Paris on May 21, 1927, successfully completing the first trans-Atlantic flight. 'Ask no questions and hear no lies
* The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played: 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy by Irving Chernev - https://lichess.org/study/KMMrJvE1 * Legendary: Game Collection: The 12 Legendary Games of the Century * Knight Power: https://fmochess.com/the-power-of-t... 'Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer The Words Of Socrates
A house was built by Socrates
That failed the public taste to please.
Some blamed the inside; some, the out; and all
Agreed that the apartments were too small.
Such rooms for him, the greatest sage of Greece! "I ask," said he, "no greater bliss
Than real friends to fill even this."
And reason had good Socrates
To think his house too large for these.
A crowd to be your friends will claim,
Till some unhandsome test you bring.
There's nothing plentier than the name;
There's nothing rarer than the thing.
Tennessee schoolteacher John T. Scopes' trial for teaching Darwin's "Theory of Evolution" begins July 1925. “Funny, funny Jude (The Man in the Red Beret). You play with little pieces all day long, and you know what? You’ll live to be an old, old man someday. And here I am.” — Janis Joplin Jude Acers set a Guinness World Record for playing 117 people in simultaneous chess games on April 21, 1973 at the Lloyd Center Mall in Portland, Oregon. On July 2-3, 1976 Jude played 179 opponents at Mid Isle Plaza (Broadway Plaza) in Long Island, New York for another Guinness record. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
A. A. Milne publishes his first collection of stories about the character Winnie-the-Pooh in 1926. <The Chess Player
by Howard Altmann
They’ve left. They’ve all left.
The pigeon feeders have left.
The old men on the benches have left.
The white-gloved ladies with the Great Danes have left.
The lovers who thought about coming have left.
The man in the three-piece suit has left.
The man who was a three-piece band has left.
The man on the milkcrate with the bible has left.
Even the birds have left.
Now the trees are thinking about leaving too.
And the grass is trying to turn itself in.
Of course the buses no longer pass.
And the children no longer ask.
The air wants to go and is in discussions.
The clouds are trying to steer clear.
The sky is reaching for its hands.
Even the moon sees what’s going on.
But the stars remain in the dark.
As does the chess player.
Who sits with all his pieces
In position.>
The fear of running out of something to read is called "abibliophobia." Matthew 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' Researchers from India recently discovered a new species of green pit vipers. They named the snake after Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter universe. Question: What’s the brightest star in the sky?
Answer: Sirius – also known as the Dog Star or Sirius A, Sirius is the brightest star in Earth’s night sky. The star is outshone only by several planets and the International Space Station. Question: What’s the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard?
Answer: Graveyards are attached to churches while cemeteries are stand-alone. Patty Loveless "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi... * Opening Tree: https://www.shredderchess.com/onlin... 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 (The Bishop's Opening, Berlin Defense) Then 3.d4 (Ponziani's Gambit) and some variation thereafter. Wikipedia shows that the following are closely related: * 3...exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 (Center Game, by transposition) * 3...exd4 4.Nf3 (Urusov Gambit)
o 4...Bc5 5.0-0 Nc6 (Max Lange Attack, by transposition) o 4...Nc6 (Two Knights Defense, by transposition) o 4...Nxe4 5.Qxd4 (Urusov Gambit Accepted)
The Triple Muzio Gambit starts with 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O8. Bxf7+ Kxf7 9. d4 Qxd4+ 10. Be3 – it’s a sequence that looks like you’re deliberately giving up pawns, but in reality, you’re setting up for a quick strike against your opponent’s king while they are still trying to coordinate their forces. The Nakmanson Gambit is as follows: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Nc3 dxc3 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7
8. Qd5+
The beauty of this gambit lies in its aggression and unpredictability. It forces your opponent to think on their feet right from the get-go. By sacrificing pieces early on, it may seem like you’re falling behind but don’t be fooled! The goal is not necessarily material gain but rather seizing control of the board and leaving your opponent with tough decisions to make under pressure. The Lucchini Gambit: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 f5 5. Ng5 f4 – an aggressive sequence of moves designed to unsettle any adversary right from the get-go. But don’t be fooled by its audacious start; this gambit isn’t for the faint-hearted or inexperienced player! The Lucchini Gambit requires careful planning and sharp tactical vision to navigate through its complex mazes, using each piece efficiently while maintaining a strong position on the board. The Stafford Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6. The beauty of the Stafford Gambit lies not in material gain but in seizing control over the center board swiftly and launching an unyielding attack against unsuspecting opponents. Even if they manage to cope with initial pressure, they must continuously be on guard for tactical blows throughout the middle game phase. The Orthoschnapp Gambit: 1. e4 e6 2. c4 d5 3. cxd5 exd5 4. Qb3 dxe4 5. Bc4 – adding a thrilling twist to your arsenal that’ll leave your opponents stunned! The Hyper Accelerated Dragon is like stepping onto a high-speed roller coaster. It offers thrilling turns and tactical maneuvers that’ll keep your opponent on their toes. It’s an aggressive yet flexible opening for black. It comes into play when you make the moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6. This chess opening derives its strength from its versatility in creating a solid positional game while also allowing explosive counterplay opportunities. The key to mastering this opening lies in understanding the pawn structures and knowing exactly when to strike back against your opponent. The fianchettoed Bg7 applies pressure on the center and prepares for d7-d5 in one go if possible. This allows you to break open your opponent’s central control early in the game, leading to dynamic positions that often catch them off guard. Moreover, this unique setup gives you greater flexibility with your knights. They can be developed according to how white responds. What sets this opening apart is how quickly it drives at white’s center without committing too many pieces early on. The accelerated development not only provides an element of surprise but also forces white into defensive mode right out of the gate. So next time you’re looking for an adventurous ride through complex tactical terrains while maintaining a secure position, don’t hesitate – hop onto the Hyper Accelerated Dragon! With practice and careful study, you’ll soon become adept at navigating its twists and turns to outmaneuver your opponents. “Happiness depends upon ourselves.”
― Aristotle
Old Russian Proverb: A good laugh is sunshine in a house. “Don't just follow your dreams; chase them down, grab hold and don't let go.”
― Kellie Elmore
<In Congress, July 4, 1776The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.> “When you have the better of it, play simply. When the game is going against you, look for complications.” — Frank J. Marshall * Pawn Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUq... * Crafty Endgame Trainer: https://www.chessvideos.tv/endgame-... A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush ― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, "Don Quixote" Cajun: Joie de vivre (Jhwa da veev) – Joy of living.
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101 games, 1845-2018 - Half Open X
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You cannot change the people around you, but you can change the people you choose to be around. * Here's 14 of the greatest tournaments of all time: London 1851, Adolf Anderssen 15/21
Hastings 1895, Harry Nelson Pillsbury 16.5/21
St. Petersburg 1914, Emanuel Lasker 13.5/18
New York 1924, Emanuel Lasker 16.0/20
AVRO 1938, Paul Keres & Reuben Fine 8.5/14
FIDE World Championship 1948, Mikhail Botvinnik 14.0/20 Zurich Candidates 1953, Vasily Smyslov 18.0/28
Santa Monica 1966, Boris Spassky 11.5/18
Montreal 1979, Mikhail Tal & Anatoly Karpov 12.0/18 Linares 1994, Anatoly Karpov 11.0/13
Wijk Aan Zee 1999, Garry Kasparov 10.0/13
Mexico City FIDE World Championship 2007, Viswanathan Anand 9.0/14 London Candidates 2013, Magnus Carlsen (& Vladimir Kramnik) 8.5/14 Yektarinburg Candidates 2021, GM Ding Liren went through an entire tournament with 99% CAPS accuracy. * Chess in the Newspaper: https://www.schach-chess.com/chess-... * Bad bishops are...bad: https://lichess1.org/game/export/gi... * Internet tracking: https://www.studysmarter.us/magazin... * TFD: https://chessentials.com/category/l... “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
The Raven Wishing To Imitate The Eagle
The bird of Jove bore off a mutton,
A raven being witness.
That weaker bird, but equal glutton,
Not doubting of his fitness
To do the same with ease,
And bent his taste to please,
Took round the flock his sweep,
And marked among the sheep,
The one of fairest flesh and size,
A real sheep of sacrifice –
A dainty titbit bestial,
Reserved for mouth celestial.
Our gormand, gloating round,
Cried, "Sheep, I wonder much
Who could have made you such.
You're far the fattest I have found;
I'll take you for my eating."
And on the creature bleating
He settled down. Now, sooth to say,
This sheep would weigh
More than a cheese;
And had a fleece
Much like that matting famous
Which graced the chin of Polyphemus;
So fast it clung to every claw,
It was not easy to withdraw.
The shepherd came, caught, caged, and, to their joy, Gave croaker to his children for a toy.
Ill plays the pilferer the bigger thief;
One's self one ought to know; – in brief,
Example is a dangerous lure;
Death strikes the gnat, where flies the wasp secure. <<On the question about what he does to stay in good physical shape, Wesley So said:I was reading about Bobby Fischer in the museum and that’s one thing he was really really good at. He was so
physically strong, and so is Magnus Carlsen, so that’s definitely one thing I could improve upon. I try to exercise, either take long walks during a tournament. I try to swim when I’m back home, I swim two or three times a week for an hour. I try to also eat healthy. When I was younger I could eat anything I wanted. I’m getting close to 30 and the doctor told
me I have to watch my diet here and there. Try to you know eat healthier, try to eat more fruits and vegetables, try to sleep 12 hours every night. Cristian Chirila: 12 hours? Okay!
Wesley So: I mean it’s not easy but I try to lay in bed around 13 hours a night. Because during the game you need your full concentration. When I’m back at home I don’t really need much sleep but when I’m in a tournament I try to get as much as possible. I saw on Bobby Fischer’s interview that he wakes up like an hour or half an hour before the game so he comes to the game very fresh. For me it’s a bit different, I do some review here and there, but I usually wake up around three or two and a half hours before a game. I know Magnus does the thing, he just wakes up and then goes to play a game and maybe that’s the secret. I try to learn from great players.>
― chesstopics.com, March 2023
Confessed faults are half mended. ~ Scottish Proverb <IF
Poet: Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting, too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting.
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating.
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream — and not make dreams your master;
If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truths you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools.
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken.
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch and toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone.
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will, which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings — nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it.
And — which is more — you'll be a Man, my son. About the poem, If by Rudyard Kipling, Joseph Morris wrote: "The central idea of this poem is that success comes from self-control and a true sense of the values of things. In extremes lies danger. A man must not lose heart because of doubts or opposition, yet he must do his best to see the grounds for both. He must not be deceived into thinking either triumph or disaster final; he must use each wisely--and push on. In all things he must hold to the golden mean. If he does, he will own the world, and even better, for his personal reward he will attain the full stature of manhood."> Riddle: Three doctors all say Robert is their brother. Robert says he has no brothers. Who is lying? Answer: No one—the doctors are Robert’s sisters. Armenian Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armen... Austrian Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austr... British Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briti... Bulgarian Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulga... Croatian Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croat... Cyprus Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypri... Dutch Chess Championship:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch... Finnish Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finni... French Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frenc... German Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germa... Greek Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek... Hungarian Chess Championship:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunga... Icelandic Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icela... Irish Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish... Israeli Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israe... Italian Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itali... Latvian Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latvi... Lithuanian Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithu... Nordic Chess Championship:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordi... Polish Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polis... Portuguese Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portu... Romanian Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman... Russian Chess Championship:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russi... Scottish Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott... Spanish Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spani... Swiss Chess Championship:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss... Turkish Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turki... Ukranian Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrai... Welsh Chess Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh... That's enough for now.
The Wolves and the Sheep
By-gone a thousand years of war,
The wearers of the fleece
And wolves at last made peace;
Which both appeared the better for;
For if the wolves had now and then
Eat up a straggling ewe or wether,
As often had the shepherd men
Turned wolf-skins into leather.
Fear always spoiled the verdant herbage,
And so it did the bloody carnage.
Hence peace was sweet; and, lest it should be riven,
On both sides hostages were given.
The sheep, as by the terms arranged,
For pups of wolves their dogs exchanged;
Which being done above suspicion,
Confirmed and sealed by high commission,
What time the pups were fully grown,
And felt an appetite for prey,
And saw the sheepfold left alone,
The shepherds all away,
They seized the fattest lambs they could,
And, choking, dragged them to the wood;
Of which, by secret means apprised,
Their sires, as is surmised,
Fell on the hostage guardians of the sheep,
And slew them all asleep.
So quick the deed of perfidy was done,
There fled to tell the tale not one!
From which we may conclude
That peace with villains will be rued.
Peace in itself, it's true,
May be a good for you;
But It's an evil, nathless,
When enemies are faithless.
Riddle: Where does today come before yesterday?
Answer: In the dictionary.
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.
<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. 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. 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). Of top players, only Keres had a narrow plus score against him (+1−0=5). Keres's win was at the AVRO 1938 chess tournament, during which tournament Capablanca turned 50, while Keres was 22.” ― 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 duel 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
Riddle: What invention lets you look right through a wall? Answer: A window!
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189 games, 1620-2023 - HM ATTACK!!!
collections by derek.mourad, Morty
i love old attacking games and for that i dont like steinitz. My favorite games to watch are games featuring classical attacking principles. These are some of them, both with White and with Black. "Once you learn to read, you will be forever free." ― Frederick Douglass "Nothing is dearer to a chess player's heart than his rating. Well, of course everyone knows he's under-rated, but his rating, its ups and downs, however miniscule, are his ego's stock-market report." ― Lev Alburt "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 The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld
A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice. WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.) A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960. REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.] WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...[it] will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion. When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.** A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have. A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8). Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst. Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005). Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.). Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.). Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book. Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.). Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.) GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302). CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.***
____________________________________
* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22). ** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)." *** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan. <Dec-16-23 Sally Simpson: I recently saw this Christmas joke.Q. Which one of Santa’s reindeer has the best moves? A. Dancer!
That is naff, it should be, Johannes Rudolph or Jan Hein Donner or Jan Hein Donner or even Comet (Computer) (Computer)> * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... A grandmother is watching her grandchild playing on the beach when a huge wave comes and takes him out to sea. She pleads, ‘Please, God, save my only grandson. I beg of you, bring him back.’ With that, a big wave washes the boy back onto the beach, good as new. The grandmother looks up to heaven and says, ‘He had a hat!’
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51 games, 1620-2022 - Hm Brilliancy Prizes (Reinfeld) copy
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'Great Brilliancy Prize Games of the Chess Masters' by Fred Reinfeld. * Russians - Chernev: Game Collection: The Russians Play Chess by Irving Chernev * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * MT Facts: https://www.chessjournal.com/facts-... * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... * Smyslov Brevities: Game Collection: Smyslov brevities “Reading can take you places you have never been before.” — Dr. Seuss “Nothing is dearer to a chess player's heart than his rating. Well, of course everyone knows he's under-rated, but his rating, its ups and downs, however miniscule, are his ego's stock-market report.” ― Lev Alburt “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 The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld
A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice. WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.) A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960. REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.] WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...[it] will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion. When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.** A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have. A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8). Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst. Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005). Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.). Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.). Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book. Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.). Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.) GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302). CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.***
____________________________________
* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22). ** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)." *** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan. <Dec-16-23 Sally Simpson: I recently saw this Christmas joke.Q. Which one of Santa’s reindeer has the best moves? A. Dancer!
That is naff, it should be, Johannes Rudolph or Jan Hein Donner or Jan Hein Donner or even Comet (Computer) (Computer)> * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... Canine concerns
A poodle and a collie are walking together when the poodle suddenly unloads on his friend. “My life is a mess,” he says. “My owner is mean, my girlfriend ran away with a schnauzer and I’m as jittery as a cat.” “Why don’t you go see a psychiatrist?” suggests the collie. “I can’t,” says the poodle. “I’m not allowed on the couch.” — Submitted by L.B. Weinstein
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51 games, 1887-2023 - Hm Combinations G's Favorite Combinations
Copied
"If Tal offers a piece, accept it--he may offer you another. If Spassky offers a piece, accept it--he may blunder later. If Petrosian offers a piece, resign."
1st for kids: Game Collection: 1st openings for kids Attack: Game Collection: King's Gambit attacking games Burn - Owen: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... Jose Capablanca - Sultan Khan: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... Chess Praxis/Nimzowitsch: Game Collection: Chess Praxis (Nimzowitsch) 35 Channels: https://blog.feedspot.com/chess_you... French traps: Game Collection: french French videos: https://www.chess.com/openings/Fren... Gawain Jones 2008: Game Collection: Sicilian Grand Prix Attack Guess the Move: Game Collection: Guess The Move l Karpov's 300 Best: Game Collection: Anatoly Karpov - My Best 300 Games Logical Chess, Move by Move/Chernev: Game Collection: Logical Chess: Move By Move (Chernev) - COMPLETE Masterful: Game Collection: FRENCH DEFENSE MASTERPIECES Mating Attack: Game Collection: Mating Attack Morphy - Anderssen: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... Reti, Move by Move: Game Collection: Move by Move - Reti (Engqvist) Secrets of Modern Strategy/Watson: Game Collection: Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy (Watson) Winning Strategies/Dunnington: Game Collection: winning strategies dunnington “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” ― George R.R. Martin “Nothing is dearer to a chess player's heart than his rating. Well, of course everyone knows he's under-rated, but his rating, its ups and downs, however miniscule, are his ego's stock-market report.” ― Lev Alburt "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 The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld
A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice. WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.) A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960. REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.] WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...[it] will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion. When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.** A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have. A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8). Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst. Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005). Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.). Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.). Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book. Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.). Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.) GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302). CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.***
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* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22). ** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)." *** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan. <Dec-16-23 Sally Simpson: I recently saw this Christmas joke.Q. Which one of Santa’s reindeer has the best moves? A. Dancer!
That is naff, it should be, Johannes Rudolph or Jan Hein Donner or Jan Hein Donner or even Comet (Computer) (Computer)> * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... A grandmother is watching her grandchild playing on the beach when a huge wave comes and takes him out to sea. She pleads, ‘Please, God, save my only grandson. I beg of you, bring him back.’ With that, a big wave washes the boy back onto the beach, good as new. The grandmother looks up to heaven and says, ‘He had a hat!’ * New Best Game of 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Q... * “Hey, Soul Sister” By Train (2009): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVp... * “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.)>
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58 games, 1906-2022 - Hm Felipe C00 - C40
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"If Tal offers a piece, accept it--he may offer you another. If Spassky offers a piece, accept it--he may blunder later. If Petrosian offers a piece, resign."
1st for kids: Game Collection: 1st openings for kids Attack: Game Collection: King's Gambit attacking games Burn - Owen: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... Jose Capablanca - Sultan Khan: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... Chess Praxis/Nimzowitsch: Game Collection: Chess Praxis (Nimzowitsch) 35 Channels: https://blog.feedspot.com/chess_you... French traps: Game Collection: french French videos: https://www.chess.com/openings/Fren... Gawain Jones 2008: Game Collection: Sicilian Grand Prix Attack Guess the Move: Game Collection: Guess The Move l Karpov's 300 Best: Game Collection: Anatoly Karpov - My Best 300 Games Logical Chess, Move by Move/Chernev: Game Collection: Logical Chess: Move By Move (Chernev) - COMPLETE Masterful: Game Collection: FRENCH DEFENSE MASTERPIECES Mating Attack: Game Collection: Mating Attack Morphy - Anderssen: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... Reti, Move by Move: Game Collection: Move by Move - Reti (Engqvist) Secrets of Modern Strategy/Watson: Game Collection: Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy (Watson) Winning Strategies/Dunnington: Game Collection: winning strategies dunnington “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” ― George R.R. Martin “Nothing is dearer to a chess player's heart than his rating. Well, of course everyone knows he's under-rated, but his rating, its ups and downs, however miniscule, are his ego's stock-market report.” ― Lev Alburt "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 The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld
A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice. WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.) A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960. REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.] WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...[it] will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion. When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.** A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have. A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8). Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst. Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005). Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.). Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.). Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book. Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.). Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.) GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302). CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.***
____________________________________
* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22). ** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)." *** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan. <Dec-16-23 Sally Simpson: I recently saw this Christmas joke.Q. Which one of Santa’s reindeer has the best moves? A. Dancer!
That is naff, it should be, Johannes Rudolph or Jan Hein Donner or Jan Hein Donner or even Comet (Computer) (Computer)> * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... A grandmother is watching her grandchild playing on the beach when a huge wave comes and takes him out to sea. She pleads, ‘Please, God, save my only grandson. I beg of you, bring him back.’ With that, a big wave washes the boy back onto the beach, good as new. The grandmother looks up to heaven and says, ‘He had a hat!’ Alexander Alekhine's book of the New York 1927 international tournament is an acknowledged classic in European countries but is almost unknown in North America. The reason is simple: the book was published in German, and a proper translation has never been made available in English. Q: How did he stop the skunk from smelling?
A: Held his nose.
Q: My friend was baptized by a vicar wearing a false nose and mustache.
A: I consider it a blessing in disguise.
Q: Which sailors blew their noses most often?
A: The Anchor Chiefs.
My friend has undergone so many surgeries that she picks her nose from a catalog. Q: Why did Pinocchio’s nose grow every time he slept?
A: Because he was lying all the time.
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298 games, 1560-2022 - Hm Games to make you smile.
Copied from SufferingBruin
I tell my students all the time, chess is a fun game. The best games can't help but make you smile. The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld
A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice. WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.) A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960. REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.] WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...[it] will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion. When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.** A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have. A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8). Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst. Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005). Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.). Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.). Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book. Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.). Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.) GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302). CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.***
____________________________________
* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22). ** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)." *** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan. <Dec-16-23 Sally Simpson: I recently saw this Christmas joke.Q. Which one of Santa’s reindeer has the best moves? A. Dancer!
That is naff, it should be, Johannes Rudolph or Jan Hein Donner or Jan Hein Donner or even Comet (Computer) (Computer)> * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy * MT Facts: https://www.chessjournal.com/facts-... * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... Al the ventriloquist is performing with his dummy on his lap. He’s telling a dumb-blonde joke when a young platinum-haired beauty jumps to her feet. “What gives you the right to stereotype blondes that way?” she demands. “What does hair color have to do with my worth as a human being?” Flustered, Al the ventriloquist begins to stammer out an apology. “You keep out of this!” she yells. “I’m talking to that little jerk on your knee!” — Submitted by Nancy Gomes
Alexander Alekhine's book of the New York 1927 international tournament is an acknowledged classic in European countries but is almost unknown in North America. The reason is simple: the book was published in German, and a proper translation has never been made available in English. Q: How did he stop the skunk from smelling?
A: Held his nose.
Q: My friend was baptized by a vicar wearing a false nose and mustache.
A: I consider it a blessing in disguise.
Q: Which sailors blew their noses most often?
A: The Anchor Chiefs.
My friend has undergone so many surgeries that she picks her nose from a catalog. Q: Why did Pinocchio’s nose grow every time he slept?
A: Because he was lying all the time.
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46 games, 1851-2010 - Hm Greats Play the French w/Black & Win
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Numerous Games from French Innovators/Experts Including: Nimzowitsch, Botvinnik, Korchnoi, Petrosian, Bareev, Nakamura, Dreev, Grischuk, Maroczy, Caruana, Morozevich, Vaganian, Blackburne, Burn, Tarrasch, Alekhine, Bogoljubov, etc. nfects. Here is what Vladimir Kramnik has to say:
"Botvinnik’s example and teaching established the modern approach to preparing for competitive chess: regular but moderate physical exercise; analysing very thoroughly a relatively narrow repertoire of openings; annotating one’s own games, those of past great players and those of competitors; publishing one’s annotations so that others can point out any errors; studying strong opponents to discover their strengths and weaknesses; ruthless objectivity about one’s own strengths and weaknesses." “Reading can take you places you have never been before.” — Dr. Seuss The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld
A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice. WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.) A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960. REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.] WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...[it] will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion. When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.** A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have. A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8). Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst. Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005). Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.). Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.). Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book. Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.). Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.) GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302). CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.***
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* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22). ** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)." *** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan. * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy * MT Facts: https://www.chessjournal.com/facts-... * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... <14 million-year-old vehicle tracks
According to a researcher called Dr. Koltypin, millions of years ago advanced technologies existed on Earth, and the traces we see in the above image were left behind by vehicles 14 million years agoAs noted by Russian Geologists, these mysterious traces are at least 14 million old and were left behind by “vehicles” that belonged to a currently “unknown ancient civilization” that inhabited our planet in the past. Many researchers believe that we are not the first society to rule over this planet. In fact, a number of authors have claimed that many other advanced civilizations called this planet home in the past. According to Dr. Koltypin and many other archaeologists, which have adopted new ways of thinking, these ancient “car tracks” are one of the best-preserved pieces of evidence which undoubtedly prove the existence of highly advanced ancient civilizations that inhabited our planet in the distant past.> Pawns are the soul of chess. Move too many pawns and you are toast. If you don't move enough pawns, you are cramped for space. Thank you Jake, lomez.
See French Defence compiled by ChessPraxis.
Opening repertoire key games compiled by chessbuzz
See Play the French 4th Edition by John Watson compiled by shoshonte
Another chess creation by Fred Iyak
<Mohenjo-Daro
The archaeological site of Mohenjo Daro is considered by many ancient astronaut theorists as one of the best examples of ancient alien contact.The destruction of this once great city has been a mystery for archaeologists and experts for decades. Ancient Astronaut theorists claim that thousands of years ago, advanced alien civilizations visited Earth, and nuclear bombs were used to destroy this city. The city was discovered in 1992 when Indian archaeologist R. Banardzhi found the ancient ruins on the banks of the Indus River. Questions such as the cause of the destruction and the fate of its inhabitants remain a mystery to scholars. Some researchers have postulated theories that this city was destroyed by the gods, with “advanced nuclear weapons.”> “Un croquis vaut mieux qu” — Napoleon Bonaparte “The World is not ruined by the wickedness of the wicked, but by the weakness of the good.” — Napoleon Bonaparte “You don't reason with intellectuals. You shoot them.” — Napoleon Bonaparte * French Rep: Game Collection: French Defense * Hans On French: Game Collection: French Defense * French Victories: Game Collection: French - Advance/Tarrasch/Exchange/etc * TFD: https://chessentials.com/category/l... <The underground city of Derinkuyu
Another incredible feat of ancient engineering. Thousands of years ago, ancient people excavated hundreds of meters into the Earth, building one of the greatest ancient underground cities on Earth.This incredible underground city has challenged the views and theories of archaeologists and engineers ever since its discovery. Many mysteries engulf this underground city. No one has been able to understand why and how it was built. While some authors indicate it was created to protect its inhabitants from climate change, extreme temperatures or even war, there are others who believe that its purpose is far more mysterious.> C02
French, advance variation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
French, advance, Steinitz variation
3...c5 4.dxc5
French, advance, Nimzovich variation
3...c5 4.Qg4
French, advance, Nimzovich system
3...c5 4.Nf3
French, advance variation (3...c5 4.c3)
3...c5 4.c3
French, advance, Wade variation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4...Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7
French, advance variation (4...Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7)
4...Nc6
French, advance, Paulsen attack
5.Nf3
French, advance, Milner-Barry gambit
5...Qb6 6.Bd3
French, advance, Euwe variation
5...Bd7
* Theory:
http://162.203.35.1:78/mediawiki/in... <A Massive knife discovered underwater
Not much can be found about this mysterious image, but we’ll include it just for fun.We see a massive knife, held by three scuba drivers somewhere on Earth’s ocean. The image has been widely shared among people on social networks, and many consider it evidence that, before written history, perhaps tens of thousands of years ago, giants walked on Earth. More than likely, it’s a prop that ended up somehow in the ocean, but who knows for sure?> 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.
“Everyone should know how to play chess.” — José Raúl Capablanca "We do not remember days, we remember moments." ― Cesare Pavese 7,000 year-old road found under the Mediterranean Sea in Croatia <Sacsayhuamán
Sacsayhuamán is without a doubt one of the most incredible ancient sites ever discovered on the planet. Why? Not only because of the history of this ancient city but because of the supermassive stones used in its construction.The ceremonial complex is well-known for its impeccable masonry that is so precise that engineers today have no clue how it was made. Some of the stones at Sacsayhuamán are so perfectly fitted that not a single sheet of paper can fit in between.> The Fashion of the Champion by Wayne Proudlove
Posted: Aug-26-09
The success of the victor
depends on the factors
that take shape after the dream/
Obstacles that prevent
him from confirming the win
are like walking a thin and high beam/
For the opponent is prepared
and often uses his skills
in ways that are not quite what they seem/
This holds true
for both those working alone
and members of some kind of team/
But one thing remains certain
and it's through much experience
I've deemed/
It takes not just understanding
or mastery even,
but to perform under pressure extreme.
<The Gate of The Sun ( Puerta del Sol)
The Gate of the Sun is a megalithic solid stone arch or gateway located in Tiwanaku, an ancient mysterious city located in Bolivia.Archaeologists believe this ancient city was the center of a vast empire during the first millennium AD. And despite the fact that we know a lot about South American ancient civilizations, researchers are still not able to figure out the meaning of some of the drawings that are enshrined in the monuments of the ancient city. Some experts believe these depictions have a great astrological and astronomical value, while other authors believe it is a gateway to another world.> Question: What is considered the first reality TV show?
Answer: The Real World
Question: Who was Russia's first elected president?
Answer: Boris Yeltsin
<The Longyou Caves
The Longyou Caves are out of this world. This incredible set of caves is little talked about.The Longyou Caves are a set of artificial caves that are believed to be at least 2000 years old and happen to be one of the largest structures ever excavated by man. Researchers have been baffled by the size and precision of the caves. Archaeologists, engineers, architects, and geologists from around the world have tried to figure out how, why and when were these artificial caves were built, but no one has offered a single solution to the many mysteries surrounding the caves.> The Fireside Book of Chess is a huge grab bag, accenting the lighter side of chess. It is a reservoir into which the reader can dip to provide countless hours of relaxation and entertainment. Since it makes few demands on the reader, it is a virtually perfect gift for Christmas or any other time of the year. Messers. Chernev and Reinfeld have stuffed their grab bag with golden nuggets. They have included stories and articles by unsung chess heroes like Billy Rose, veteran experts like Alfred Kreymborg, and devoted lovers of the game like Gerald Kersh and Solomon Hecht. The chess games contained were selected for their brevity as well as brilliance; some are amusing, others as devastating as an avalanche. There are sections on “Remarkable Games and the Stories Behind Those Games”, “Combinations”, “Quickies”. “Simultaneous Exhibitions”, “Women in Chess”, “Slugging Matches”, and twenty other such diversions. In brief, The Fireside Book of Chess contains everything necessary to delight the reader who knows that this ancient game is the most exciting and entertaining of all civilized sports. The Fireside Book of Chess is the World's Greatest Collection of stories, cartoons and amusing anecdotes about the game of chess. It also has curious and interesting chess games such as the game where the Champion of France lost in four moves, which is the quickest loss in chess history by a master. This book is famous not for the games it contains but for the stories, fiction and cartoons about chess. However, included is a selection of the games converted into Algebraic Notation in the back pages of this book. Nimzowitsch vs J Szekely, 1927 <The underwater city of Yonaguni – Japan
Referred to as Japans Atlantis, some authors argue the Yonaguni complex is an ancient monument left behind by an ancient civilization that existed on Earth before the last Ice Age.These alleged ancient remains were discovered accidentally by scuba instructor Khachiro Arataki. Some underwater archaeologists, as well as many authors, refer to this ancient complex as one of the most important underwater discoveries in recent years. The discovery of the Yonaguni complex has questioned several scientific theories. The incredibly carved rock sank is believed to have sunken more than 12,000 years ago, much before the Ancient Egyptians built the Pyramids. Mainstream archaeology and science argue that no advanced civilizations existed on Earth before the last Ice Age and that ancient mankind was not able to carve such a complex structure.> Delaware: Lewes
Established in: 1631
As the first town in the first state, Lewes enjoys a special sort of charming history. The quaint town is full of historical touches and is a great place to visit. Located where the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean meet, there is also plenty of nature to be found. * Brief History of Chess: https://www.chess.com/article/view/... <Giant Stone Spheres
These giant stone spheres have been present from Costa Rica to Bosnia & Herzegovina, they come in all sorts of sizes. They were first found in South America in the 1930s by workers who were clearing jungle to make way for a plantation of bananas.South American legends say that hidden within the rocks are unimaginable treasures. This has led to the destruction of many of these spheres by people who did not recognize their historical value. Despite the fact that many of these spheres were destroyed, no one has ever found anything inside them. Similar spheres can be found in Europe in Bosnia & Herzegovina near Visoko. No one can explain what these giant stone spheres are made for.> Maximo wrote:
My Forking Knight's Mare
Gracefully over the squares, as a blonde or a brunette,
she makes moves that not even a queen can imitate.
Always active and taking the initiative,
she likes to fork.
She does it across the board,
taking with ease not only pawns, but also kings,
and a bad bishop or two.
Sometimes she feels like making
quiet moves,
at other times, she adopts romantic moods,
and makes great sacrifices.
But, being hers a zero-sum game,
she often forks just out of spite.
An expert at prophylaxis, she can be a swindler,
and utter threats,
skewering men to make some gains.
Playing with her risks a conundrum,
and also catching Kotov’s syndrome.
Nonetheless, despite having been trampled
by her strutting ways
my trust in her remains,
unwavering,
until the endgame.
“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 <2 billion-year-old Natural Nuclear Reactor
In 1972, researchers confirmed the discovery of a set of Natural Nuclear Reactors in Gabon. Ever since, scientists have scratched their heads trying to understand how it is possible that these nuclear reactors developed in Gabon two billion years ago, and did not come into existence at any other place on the Planet.As claimed by experts, more than two billion years ago, parts of the African uranium deposit spontaneously underwent nuclear fission. According to scientists, this mysterious “natural” nuclear reactor had the ability to produce modest energy. Scientists estimate the Oklo reactors would have had samples with roughly 3.6% uranium-235 — that’s close to the enrichment threshold of modern nuclear reactors.> Sniff. Sniff.
What's that smell?
My friend was sick and had a runny nose that he could not fix.
I told him, “Break its legs.”
Q: What was the name of the gang that only targeted people with runny noses?
A: Aller G’s.
Al accidentally sprayed some deodorant in his mouth yesterday.
Every time he talked, there was a weird axe-scent coming out. What’s the name of Al's pal who doesn’t know much and also has no nose?
Nose-less.
The manager introduced a new fragrance at work.
Every employee has to follow it or be scent home. I don’t know why many people pick their noses.
I’ve always preferred the one nose that I was born with. * Masterful: Game Collection: FRENCH DEFENSE MASTERPIECES * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i...
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266 games, 1834-2018 - Hm JJ King Strolling
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Zombie: Game Collection: Dead Man Walking “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” ― George R.R. Martin (to the tune of "Did I Remember," hit song from 1936) by beatgiant Did I remember to tell you I play chess,
and I am livin' to kibitz alone?
Did I remember to say I'm here all day,
and just how carried away with GMs' play?
Chess was on my screen and that was all I knew,
Posting a mate in 2, what did I say to you?
Did I remember to tell you I play chess,
And pray forever more the site's online?
“I went frantically mad with chess. I bought a chess-board. I bought Il Calabrese. I shut myself up in my room and spent days and nights there with a will to learn all the games by heart, to cram them into my head willy-nilly, to play alone without end or remission. After two or three months working in that fine way, and after unimaginable endeavours, I went to the Cafe with a lean and sallow face, and nearly stupid. I made a trial, playing with Monsieur Bagueret again. He beat me once, twice, twenty times.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld
A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice. WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.) A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960. REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.] WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...[it] will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion. When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.** A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have. A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8). Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst. Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005). Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.). Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.). Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book. Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.). Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.) GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302). CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.***
____________________________________
* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22). ** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)." *** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan. <Dec-16-23 Sally Simpson: I recently saw this Christmas joke.Q. Which one of Santa’s reindeer has the best moves? A. Dancer!
That is naff, it should be, Johannes Rudolph or Jan Hein Donner or Jan Hein Donner or even Comet (Computer) (Computer)> * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy * MT Facts: https://www.chessjournal.com/facts-... * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... Al the ventriloquist is performing with his dummy on his lap. He’s telling a dumb-blonde joke when a young platinum-haired beauty jumps to her feet. “What gives you the right to stereotype blondes that way?” she demands. “What does hair color have to do with my worth as a human being?” Flustered, Al the ventriloquist begins to stammer out an apology. “You keep out of this!” she yells. “I’m talking to that little jerk on your knee!” — Submitted by Nancy Gomes
Alexander Alekhine's book of the New York 1927 international tournament is an acknowledged classic in European countries but is almost unknown in North America. The reason is simple: the book was published in German, and a proper translation has never been made available in English. Q: How did he stop the skunk from smelling?
A: Held his nose.
Q: My friend was baptized by a vicar wearing a false nose and mustache.
A: I consider it a blessing in disguise.
Q: Which sailors blew their noses most often?
A: The Anchor Chiefs.
My friend has undergone so many surgeries that she picks her nose from a catalog. Q: Why did Pinocchio’s nose grow every time he slept?
A: Because he was lying all the time.
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32 games, 1804-2022 - Hm Old Spanish
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“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” ― George R.R. Martin “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld
A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice. WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.) A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960. REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.] WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...[it] will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion. When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.** A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have. A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8). Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst. Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005). Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.). Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.). Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book. Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.). Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.) GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302). CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.***
____________________________________
* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22). ** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)." *** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan. * “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac (1977): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3y... <Dec-16-23 Sally Simpson: I recently saw this Christmas joke.Q. Which one of Santa’s reindeer has the best moves? A. Dancer!
That is naff, it should be, Johannes Rudolph or Jan Hein Donner or Jan Hein Donner or even Comet (Computer) (Computer)> * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy * MT Facts: https://www.chessjournal.com/facts-... * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... Alexander Alekhine's book of the New York 1927 international tournament is an acknowledged classic in European countries but is almost unknown in North America. The reason is simple: the book was published in German, and a proper translation has never been made available in English. There are three types of people in the world:
Those who can count and those who can’t.
The talking dog
A guy spots a sign outside a house that reads “Talking Dog for Sale.” Intrigued, he walks in. “So what have you done with your life?” he asks the dog. “I’ve led a very full life,” says the dog. “I lived in the Alps rescuing avalanche victims. Then I served my country in Iraq. And now I spend my days reading to the residents of a retirement home.” The guy is flabbergasted. He asks the dog’s owner, “Why on earth would you want to get rid of an incredible dog like that?” The owner says, “Because he’s a liar! He never did any of that!” — Submitted by Harry Nelson
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73 games, 1859-1956 - Hm Size 11 or 12
8 Compiled by gr2ca
* Lasker Matters: Game Collection: Why Lasker Matters by Andrew Soltis The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld
A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice. WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.) A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960. REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.] WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...[it] will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion. When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.** A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have. A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8). Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst. Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005). Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.). Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.). Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book. Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.). Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.) GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302). CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.***
____________________________________
* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22). ** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)." *** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan. * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... In surgery for a heart attack, a middle-aged woman has a vision of God by her bedside. “Will I die?” she asks. God says, “No. You have 30 more years to live.” With 30 years to look forward to, she decides to make the best of it. So since she’s in the hospital, she gets breast implants, liposuction, a tummy tuck, hair transplants and collagen injections in her lips. She looks great! The day she’s discharged, she exits the hospital with a swagger, crosses the street and is immediately hit by an ambulance and killed. Up in heaven, she sees God. “You said I had 30 more years to live,” she complains. “That’s true,” says God.
“So what happened?”
God shrugs. “I didn’t recognize you.”
—Submitted by Hank Chawansky
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164 games, 1560-2011 - Hm Unknowns of tremendous entertainment.
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For a game to make it into this collection it must obey the following: 1. It must indeed be of tremendous entertainment or great instructional value.
2. When added the game must contain 3 or less kibitzs. Kibitzs that are added later do not count. Any suggestions for suitable games are welcome.
The Human Side of Chess by Fred Reinfeld
A Biographical Work on the World Champions
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
Since this is a lengthy review, I've divided it up into various topics. Please pick and choose those topics that are of interest to you. If you want a quick review of this book, then the fourth paragraph, "Reinfeld's coverage of the World Champions," should, hopefully, suffice. WHO WAS FRED REINFELD? Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 - May 29, 1964) was considered one of the world's most prolific chess writers. In 1950, Reinfeld was ranked as the sixth strongest chess player in the United States. (See the article on Fred Reinfeld in the Wikipedia encyclopedia for more information.) A COMPARISON OF THE 1952 AND 1960 EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. The "Human Side of Chess" was published in 1952 (302 pp.). It covers the World Champions from Adolf Anderssen to Max Euwe. There is a short chapter (5 pages), "After Alekhine," that briefly covers the period from Alekhine's death in 1946 to 1951 (Botvinnik's match with David Bronstein). A revised edition of this book appeared in 1960 under the title "The Great Chess Masters and Their Games" (334 pp.). Chapter IX, "After Alekhine," was shortened to four pages and a new chapter, "Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov" (23 pp.), was added. Four games (2 by Botvinnik and 2 by Smyslov) were added to the Game section at the end of the book (66 pp. in the 1st edition; 92 pages in the revised edition). Unfortunately, the publisher decided to delete the "Tournament and Match Records" (10 pages) and the Index (6 pages) from the revised edition. When I read this book as a teenager in 1957, I was fascinated by the tournament and match records of the various World Champions. I was sorely disappointed when this section was left out of the revised edition in 1960. REINFELD'S COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Reinfeld devotes approximately 30 pages to each world champion. Unlike Reuben Fine's "Psychoanalytic Observations on Chess and Chess Masters" or John S. Hilbert's "Shady Side: The Life and Crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chessmaster," this book is neither a psychological study nor does it consist of intimate and detailed biographical commentary, i.e., I wouldn't call it a scholarly work. Yes, there are psychological insights and, yes, there are some personal details, but Reinfeld is mostly interested in the world champions as chess players first and foremost. We are not going to learn those intimate details that so often add spice to a biographical work. One also notices that Reinfeld is not reluctant to draw conclusions from what appears to be flimsy evidence. For example, he notes that Anderssen "was brusque at times, still suffering from the conflict between pride and embarrassment over money troubles and his humble origins." Can this be substantiated? Or is this simply a conjecture on Reinfeld's part? It should also be pointed out that Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, in their book, "The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories," warn us not to "read Fred's chess books for precision history." Although I did not note any factual errors in this book that is not to say that such errors don't exist. "My purpose," according to Reinfeld, "is not to criticize and not to apologize; only to understand." In my opinion, he more than succeeds. After reading this book, you will indeed have a greater understanding of these world champions.] WHY DOES REINFELD BEGIN HIS BOOK WITH ADOLF ANDERSSEN? According to FIDE (the World Chess Organization), Wilhelm Steinitz was the first World Champion. Fred Reinfeld disagreed! He begins the reign of the World Champions with Adolf Anderssen of Germany (Anderssen was born July 6, 1818 in Breslau). Why does Reinfeld begin with Anderssen and not Steinitz? The answer is very simple, Anderssen won the first international chess tournament, London 1851. Howard Staunton wrote a wonderful book on this tournament. The title of the book is "The Chess Tournament" (377 pp. + 83 page introduction; published in 1852). It is interesting to note Staunton's comment from page lxxiv of his introduction, "...[it] will be ever memorable in the annals of Chess, as the first general meeting of players from different parts of the world...." Seven years later, Anderssen was defeated in a match (7 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws) against the American Paul Morphy. Morphy retired from chess shortly after this match. Anderssen then played a match with Wilhelm Steinitz in 1866 (Steinitz won the match by 8 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws), so, according to this scenario, Steinitz was the third not the first World Champion. When Alekhine died on March 24, 1946, the World Championship was decided by a tournament of the world's best players in 1948 (this tournament was won by Botvinnik). Reinfeld indirectly implies that the London Tournament of 1851, the first international tournament in which the world's best players participated, was the equivalent of the 1948 tournament.* If one accepts this line of reasoning, then Anderssen was the first World Champion. Since Steinitz's match with Zukertort in 1886 was for the "Championship of the World," then, according to the official version, Steinitz should be considered the first World Champion. In short, the title of World Champion did not exist prior to the 1886 match. Personally, I find Reinfeld's argument most persuasive. By adding Anderseen and Morphy to our pantheon of World Champions, I feel that we have enriched our chess heritage.** A JUSTIFICATION FOR READING A BOOK ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. The reader might ask: Why read a book about the World Champions? The simple answer might be that their accomplishments are a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us, but I think that Veselin Topalov said it best: "From about the time of Anderssen and Morphy (mid-19th century) on, the champions were acknowledged as geniuses, and their best games had the status of works of art." ("Topalov-Kramnik, 2006 World Chess Championship, On the Edge in Elista," by Veselin Topalov & Zhivko Ginchev, p. 7.) Hopefully, the reader of this review will get as much enjoyment out of Reinfeld's book as I have. A BRIEF NOTE ON REINFELD'S INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Although Reinfeld included a games section (pages 221 - 286), this book is primarily a biographical work. The first chapter (pages 3 - 8) has the intriguing title "The Illusion of Master Chess." "Chess becomes an art," according to Reinfeld, "when a player reaches the stage at which he is able to conceive a winning position and possesses the ability to bring the conceived position into existence. Such a player is called a master--a chessmaster. The great chessmasters, like the great poets, the great composers, the great artists, the great mathematicians, the great mystics, have the faculty of immersing themselves in some creative process with a concentration, a finality, that is beyond most of us. The creative activities of these chessmasters have produced a literature of masterpieces which is one of the glories of the human mind." He then goes on to talk about the "illusions" to be found in modern chess. I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical of his analysis, but I leave it up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions (see pp. 7 - 8). Chapter 2 begins with ADOLF ANDERSSEN (pp. 9 - 41). Reinfeld calls him "The Romantic." "Anderssen has been called 'the incarnation of Romanticism,' and there is a magic quality in his very name which thrills every devotee of chess to this day. Yet there is a bitter-sweet element in Anderssen's glory which is almost more poignant than frank neglect: for this fame is a spurious fame. It is based on a legend, on a tragic misconception. Admiration for Anderssen is blended with contempt; his true genius is obscured beyond recognition." What was Anderssen's "true genius"? For the answer to this question, you will need to read this book. For more information on Adolf Anderssen, see Hermann von Gottschall's Adolf Anderssen der Altmeister deutscher Schachspielkunst. Chapter 3 covers PAUL MORPHY (pp. 42 - 71). He refers to Paul Morphy as "The Gentleman." According to Morphy, "Reputation is the only incentive I recognize." "Anderssen's career...began when he was thirty. Paul Morphy's playing days were over before he was twenty-three! In only three years of active play he conquered the Old World as well as the New, gave the development of chess theory a mighty impetus, set new standards for accurate and elegant play, enriched the chess world with many beautiful games." Eight years after Reinfeld wrote "The Human Side of Chess," Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote a fictional account of Paul Morhpy's life, The Chess Players (608 pages). She lists Reinfeld's book on page 606 of her bibliography. One of the best books on Morphy was published in 1976 by David Lawson, Paul Morphy: Pride and Sorrow of Chess (424 pp.). In my opinion, the best book on Morphy's games is Valeri Beim's Paul Morphy: A Modern Perspective (164 pp.; published 2005). Chapter 4 covers WILHELM STEINITZ (pp. 72 - 118) who Reinfeld refers to as "The Lawgiver." Reinfeld states that "Wilhelm Steinitz, who has been fittingly described as 'the Michelangelo of chess,' was the most original thinker, the most courageous player, and the most remarkable personality that the chess world has produced in the fifteen or so centuries that the game has been in existence. Steinitz was born in circumstances of great poverty in Prague on May 14, 1836; he died a charity patient in the East River Sanatorium on Ward's Island in New York on August 12, 1900." Kurt Landsberger has written two very scholarly works on Steinitz: William Steinitz, Chess Champion: A Biography of the Bohemian Caesar (487 pp.) and The Steinitz Papers: Letters and Documents of the First World Chess Champion (325 pp.). Chapter 5 on EMANUEL LASKER (pp. 119 - 141) starts off with the interesting assertion: "'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time?' has narrowed down to: 'Who was the greatest chessplayer of all time--Lasker or Alekhine?'" Reinfeld refers to Lasker as "The Philosopher." "Lasker is elusive, remote, paradoxical. From the outset his career puzzles us because of his life-long interest in philosophy and mathematics. Most chessplayers are...well, chessplyers. But Lasker had two other interests which absorbed his attention at least as much as chess did. He refused to give his whole life, as Steinitz had, to chess. Sometimes years passed without his playing a single serious game; there must have been months on end when he did not look at a chessboard. This gave him poise, breadth of view, a sense of proportion. Even at the age of twenty-one, when he was 'just another chessplayer,' he impressed Hoffer (Steinitz's archenemy) as 'a man of culture and more than average intellect.'" The fact that Albert Einstein wrote the forward to Dr. J. Hannak's biography on Lasker, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master, is evidence of the high esteem Lasker had as an intellectual. In 2005, Andrew Soltis wrote a wonderful book on Lasker's best games of chess, Why Lasker Matters (320 pp.). Chapter 6 introduces us to JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA "The Machine" (pp. 142 - 167). I'm sure that Reinfeld's good friend, Irving Chernev, would have disagreed with Reinfeld's claim in the previous chapter. Chernev, as he wrote in his book "The Golden Dozen," considered Capablanca the greatest chessplayer of all time. Yet, Reinfeld felt that Capablanca was a flawed genius. "Capablanca realized just as well as Lasker that chess had reached a point where one had to take risks in order to obtain winning chances. Lasker had the greatness of character, the resourcefulness, the daring to defy the development of the Macheide; Capablanca did not. The idea of taking such risks was deeply repellent to Capablanca. He, who loved the tidy technique of neat endgames. was horrified by the illogic of risk." What was the Macheide? You will find the answer on page 123 of Reinfeld's text. There are many excellent books on Capablanca, but Fred Reinfeld's The Immortal Games of Capablanca is a wonderful book in its own right (239 pp.); I highly recommend it. Although not primarily a biographical work, Edward G. Winter's Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1882-1942 is noted for its meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Chapter 7 focuses on my favorite chessplayer, ALEXANDER ALEKHINE (pp. 168 - 198). Reinfeld calls him "The Fighter." "Some fifteen centuries of chessplaying and theorizing meet and fuse in the style of Alexander Alekhine. He was a very great man in some ways, very weak in others; but above all he was a historical phenomenon, and this gives him a dignity far beyond his personal significance. Many influences were woven into Alekhine's games, but he was no hack, no imitator. Alekhine was the most brilliant, the most artistic, the most dynamic chessplayer in history." What more can you say? His two books on his best games are superb! "My Best Games of Chess 1908 - 1923" (265 pp.) and "My Best Games of Chess 1924 - 1937" (285 pp.) were written before the personal computer, so there are the inevitable flaws, but, for a true lover of chess, these books are to be treasured. The Dover edition, My Best Games of Chess, 1908 - 1937, combines both volumes into a single book. Chapter 8 deals with an extraordinary individual, MAX EUWE (pp. 199 - 215). Reinfeld calls him "The Logician." Of the World Champions, he was probably the most prolific chess writer (he wrote over 70 chess books). He earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Amsterdam in 1926. He was, undoubtedly, the most underrated of the World Champions. According to Reinfeld, "Euwe's great fighting victory over Alekhine in 1935 has never received due appreciation, and thus Euwe's career poses the paradox: How can a World Champion be the most underrated player in the world; or, how can the most underrated player in the world become World Champion?" Sadly for Euwe's fans, he lost his return match to Alekhine in 1937 (10 losses, 4 wins, and 11 draws). Euwe was fifty-one years old when this book was published. He died on November 26, 1981. The following books should be of interest: "From My Games 1920 - 1937" is an excellent book by Dr. Euwe. In 2001, Alexander Munninghoff wrote "Max Euwe, the Biography" (351 pp.). Chapter 9 covers the period following Alekhine's death in 1946 (pp. 216 - 220). This is a very sketchy chapter that deals with the World Championship Tournament of 1948 (won by Botvinnik) and Botvinnik's drawn match with David Bronstein in 1951. Reinfeld concludes this chapter by stating that "Today master chess must be played in the style of Alekhine or not at all." Although he doesn't state it in these terms, Reinfeld is referring to the "dynamic" style that was generally associated with the Soviet School of Chess. Larry Evans used the term eclectics when referring to this style of play, but this term never caught on. (Reference "Dynamic Chess" by R. N. Coles, "The Soviet School of Chess" by A. Kotov & M. Yudovich, and "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans.) GAME SECTION. The Games section (pp. 221 - 286) includes 14 annotated games in descriptive notation (two games for each World Champion). This is followed by a section on the Tournament and Match Records of each World Champion (pp. 287 - 296). The book ends with a six page index (pp. 297 - 302). CONCLUSION: Of the approximately 700 chess books that I own, this is one of my favorite books; needless to say, I highly recommend it.***
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* "Nowadays we think of Anderssen's victory as establishing him as the first World Champion. But at the time no official title was involved; he was simply looked upon as the world's best player, as a matter of widespread opinion, but not by way of official status" (p. 22). ** Graham Burgess in "The Mammoth Book of Chess" lists the "unofficial" world champions in this order: Philidor, de la Bourdonnais, Staunton, and Morphy. Although he mentions the London Tournament of 1851, he makes no mention of Anderssen. This is rather surprising, because we find the following remark in a book written by Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms: "Adolf Andeseen...was undoubtedly one of the strongest players of his era and indeed was crowned unofficial World Champion after handsomely winning the great London Tournament of 1851..." ("The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games," p. 14; by the way, a great book!). According to H. Paul Lillebo ("World Champions - reclaiming a lost century," ChessBase website, 4/24/2014), "we ought to extend our official history of the chess world championship by 139 years to recognize these great champions. The revised list will then begin as: François-André Danican Philidor (world champion 1747-1795), Louis La Bourdonnais (world champion 1824-1840), Howard Staunton (world champion 1843-1851), Adolf Anderssen (world champion 1851-1858, 1861-1866), and Paul Morphy (world champion 1858-1861)." *** The Ishi Press International reprint (March 2013) includes an introduction by Sam Sloan. A grumpy monk
Every 10 years, the monks in the monastery are allowed to break their vow of silence to speak two words. Ten years go by and it’s one monk’s first chance. He thinks for a second before saying, “Food bad.” Ten years later, he says, “Bed hard.”
It’s the big day, a decade later. He gives the head monk a long stare and says, “I quit.” “I’m not surprised,” the head monk says. “You’ve been complaining ever since you got here.” — Submitted by Alan Lynch
<Dec-16-23 Sally Simpson: I recently saw this Christmas joke.Q. Which one of Santa’s reindeer has the best moves? A. Dancer!
That is naff, it should be, Johannes Rudolph or Jan Hein Donner or Jan Hein Donner or even Comet (Computer) (Computer)> * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy * MT Facts: https://www.chessjournal.com/facts-... * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... Alexander Alekhine's book of the New York 1927 international tournament is an acknowledged classic in European countries but is almost unknown in North America. The reason is simple: the book was published in German, and a proper translation has never been made available in English. Q: How did he stop the skunk from smelling?
A: Held his nose.
Q: My friend was baptized by a vicar wearing a false nose and mustache.
A: I consider it a blessing in disguise.
Q: Which sailors blew their noses most often?
A: The Anchor Chiefs.
My friend has undergone so many surgeries that she picks her nose from a catalog. Q: Why did Pinocchio’s nose grow every time he slept?
A: Because he was lying all the time.
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95 games, 1849-2012 - I23 Who is the #23 MJ of Chess World?
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Michael Jordan made number 23 famous for the Chicago Bulls, winning six world championships in professional basketball. All the ballplayers today want to wear #23 to "be like Mike." But no, the number became famous before MJ wore it. The "latest" is not always the "greatest" as the media would have us believe. The original #23 produced a record-setting 44 points per game for his Poppa at Louisiana State University. His NBA all-star career was cut short by a knee injury. He died in mid-life of a heart attack, but had the good fortune of finding the Lord Jesus Christ before his earthly life was cut short. It was learned that he had a defective heart and should have never been playing basketball. Who has heard of Oscar Schmidt?
Perhaps the MJ of chess is not a player - but a piece...the queen! * Anti-KG: Game Collection: anti kb * Beauty Prizes
Game Collection: Les Prix de Beauté aux Echecs (I) * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Evolution: Game Collection: # Chess Evolution Volumes 51-100 * Exceptional Miniatures:
Game Collection: Exceptional miniatures * Fabulous chess brilliancies:
https://www.chess.com/article/view/...
* GoY's 40 Favs: Game Collection: GoY's favorite games * Lasker Matters: Game Collection: Why Lasker Matters by Andrew Soltis * Seirawan's Tactics: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics * Tata Steel Masters 2023: Tata Steel Masters (2023) * Wonders and Curiosities: Game Collection: Wonders and Curiosities of Chess (Chernev) “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 “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.” — Proverbs 8:32-33 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 “Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge.” — William Shakespeare "To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” — Buddha "Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.” — Buddha "Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.” — Buddha "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 "Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.” —Buddha "In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves.” — Buddha "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!” "No legacy is so rich as honesty.” — William Shakespeare "It is never safe to take the queen knight pawn with the queen – even when it is safe.” — Hungarian proverb "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 "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 "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 "A man of high principles is someone who can watch a chess game without passing comment.” — Chinese Proverb "The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.” — Buddha "One gets to know people well when playing at chess and on journeys.” — Russian Proverb "It is never safe to take the queen knight pawn with the queen – even when it is safe.” — Hungarian proverb “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) “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 “Chess players 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 “Tactics flow from a superior position.” — Bobby Fischer “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 "Discovered check is the dive-bomber of the chessboard.” — Reuben Fine “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) “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 “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 “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 “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 “Chess does not drive people mad, it keeps mad people sane.” — Bill Hartston “Chess is life in miniature. Chess is a struggle, chess battles.” — Garry Kasparov “In action a great heart is the chief qualification. In work, a great head." — Arthur Schopenhauer “Schlechter also showed us the generous side of his nature by declining to compete for any of the brilliancy prizes, for which he undoubtedly would have had the best chance. "I have won enough", he said. "Let others get something too.”
— Isidor Arthur Gunsberg
“During a Chess competition a Chessmaster should be a combination of a beast of prey and a monk.” — Alexander Alekhine “Age brings wisdom to some men, and to others chess.” — Evan Esar “The most powerful weapon in Chess is to have the next move.” — David Bronstein “Chess is the art of analysis.” — Mikhail Botvinnik “Chess makes a man wiser & clear-sighted.” — Vladimir Putin “You can only get good at chess if you love the game.” — Bobby Fischer “The essence of chess is thinking about what CHESS is.” — David Bronstein “Chess isn’t for the timid.” — Irving Chernev “Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe.” — Indian Proverb “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 “Chess is life and every game is like a new life.” — Eduard Gufeld “It’s an eminently and emphatically the philosopher’s game.” — Paul Morphy “Chess is as much a mystery as women.” — C.J.S. Purdy “Chess is an infinitely complex game, which one can play in infinitely numerous & varied ways.” — Vladimir Kramnik “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 “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 “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 “Learn to play many roles, to be whatever the moment requires. Adapt your mask to the situation.” — Robert Greene “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 “We were in the fifth hour. He was lost, ruined, not a chance! I knew it, he knew it. But he sat there —almost an hour! —calculating, calculating, calculating! Inside he was screaming. He was pale, like a dead man, but this force was going through him like millions of volts. I could feel it smashing and smashing at me across the board. Well, it had an effect, I can tell you that. Five or ten minutes—all right. But an hour! In the end, I was the one screaming inside. When you play Bobby, it is not a question if you win or lose. It is a question if you survive.”
—Boris Spassky after defeating Bobby Fischer at the Siegen Olympiad in 1970 “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 “The highest part of the chess player lies in not allowing your opponent to show you what he can do.” — Garry Kasparov “If you wish to succeed, you must brave the risk of failure.” — Garry Kasparov “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 “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 “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 “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 “The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability as opposed to resilience and hard work, we will be brittle in the face of adversity.” — Joshua Waitzkin “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” — Mark Twain “My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy.” — William Shakespeare “Fischer is like Zeus; he is the God of the gods.” — Nigel Short 7$ 0ZeR0 Alonzo Zapata Zsigmond Barasz zaxcvd freed benzisze txuribeltz Zugzwango vich Zen5Jewel z pe diet Nik Zubarev zaxcvdab Zdenko Kozul
Tal's Life: Game Collection: The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal Titans: Game Collection: Karpov-Kasparov:the Titanic match Miniatures#: Game Collection: Checkmate Miniatures Best Moves: Game Collection: top 10 best moves POTD 2019: Game Collection: Puzzle of the Day 2019 "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 "A man of high principles is someone who can watch a chess game without passing comment.” — Chinese Proverb “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 “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.” — Proverbs 8:32-33 “The history of chess is largely a chronicle of self-imposed intimidation and untimely excitement." — W.E. Napier “Tactics flow from a superior position.” — Bobby Fischer “I see only one move ahead, but always the best move.” — Charles Jaffe “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 “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 "Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile achievement. ”— Henry Ford “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 “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” — Confucius “My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy.” — William Shakespeare “An important rule for the beginner is the following: if it were possible to develop the pieces without the aid of pawn moves, the pawnless advance would be the correct one, for, as suggested, the pawn is not a fighting unit until in the sense that his crossing of the frontier is to be feared by the enemy, since obviously the attacking force of the pawns is small compared with that of the pieces.” — Aron Nimzowitsch “Chess is a great game. It’s a lot of fun, but sometimes you wonder what else is out there.” — Hikaru Nakamura “The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability as opposed to resilience and hard work, we will be brittle in the face of adversity.” — Joshua Waitzkin “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 “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 “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” — Mark Twain “The older I grow, the more I value Pawns.” — Paul Keres “The path to glory is rough, and many gloomy hours obscure it. May the Great Spirit shed light on your path, so that you may never experience the humility that the power of the American government has reduced me to. This is the wish of a man who, in his native forests, was once as proud and bold as yourself.”
— Chief Black Hawk
⊕ Time trouble, AKA zeitnot little time remaining on the player's clock zeitnot: In chess played with a time control, time trouble, time pressure, or its German translation Zeitnot, is the situation where a player has little time to complete the required moves. When forced to play quickly, the probability of making blunders is increased, so handling the clock is an important aspect of chess playing. The last move of the time control (often move 40) is especially prone to blunders if players only have a few seconds to play it, and many games have been lost due to poor time management in time pressure. There are three types of people in the world:
Those who can count and those who can’t.
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498 games, 1788-2020 - ICheckmate # Fredthebear Mating Patterns
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Checkmate: The word is derived from the Persian "Shah mat." "Shah" is the Persian word for King and "mat" is the Persian adjective meaning helpless for defeated. Chess mathematicians and problemists have established the fact that a King, Bishop, and Knight can checkmate the opposing King in 460 different ways. - The Encyclopaedia of Chess by Anne Sunnucks, p. 68. St. Martin's Press, New York, 1970. ! # ! # ! # ! #
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The proper names of checkmate patterns are somewhat debated. Some of the confusion comes from well-meaning misprints (mine included herein) given in publications that perpetuate the wrong name. For example, Reti's Mate, Morphy's Mate, Morphy's Concealed Mate, and Pillsbury's Mate are often confused for one another by writers and players (but there is an official designation that distinguishes them apart based upon a famous game in which each occured). For example, Adolph Anderssen played Pillsbury's Mate before Pillsbury. MORPHY'S MATE is NOT from his ultra-famous 17 move OPERA house victory! (The queenside queen sacrifice preceding Rd8# supported by a bishop is known as an Opera Mate in some publications, and a Reti's Mate in others, even though Morphy's ultra-famous Opera House game occurred earlier.) A proper Morphy's Mate has a rook placed on the g-file but needs no protection. I will try to adjust these names to comply with the following easy-to-follow websight: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Check...
Examples of many, but not all, of their checkmates are included below. Unfortunately, well-meaning internet postings are not entirely reliable. The Art of Attack in Chess by Vladimir Vukovic, "one of the finest chess books ever written" is a source I trust. My version was reprinted in 2003 and edited by GM John Nunn, who is a stickler for accuracy and details. Chapter 4, pages 66-79 is devoted to Mating Patterns. Unfortunately, some examples given remain unnamed as a "typical mating pattern." Other authors have given these examples names that may or may not be official. One example of this is what I call the Hook Mate p. 72 but Vukovic/Nunn refer to this as merely a typical mating pattern. My vast chess library certainly does contain other checkmate resources. However, until I have actually referenced and cross referenced the books, I will not list them yet. One variance in name somewhat invalidates or at least questions the accuracy of all names given in a particular book. Other books are accurate, but not comprehensive. Unfortunately, my chess library is not located near my computer for easy reference. Shuffling back and forth is required. Previously I called a Dovetail Mate and a Swallow's Tail Mate the same thing. That is not correct. The DOVETAIL Mate is a DIAGONAL check whereas the SWALLOW's Tail Mate is check from the SAME FILE. The pneumonic device is helpful. (Neither one is an Epaulette Mate.) All labeling corrections have been made to my knowledge, but it's a good bet I have not yet caught all my own errors over the course of collecting and assembling hundreds of games. For my purposes, I do not care what piece actually gives the final check; it's the defense structure that limits escape that warrants the name. For the purpose of increased examples, I consider an attacking queen interchangeable with a bishop or rook without changing the name of the checkmate pattern. For example, the rook could be replaced by the queen in the final position of an Arabian mate where the knight supports the heavy piece giving checkmate. I still call it an Arabian mate, although it is not fully proper to substitute a queen. My concern is the practical application of the pattern from any position, not the exact piece duplication. Many of the original checkmates got their name after a sparkling queen sacrifice so it's wise to know the original full sequence. Versions with and without a preceding queen sacrifice are included herein. Some mating patterns were extended beyond the original version because of some quirk in the position that gave the suffering king a few more steps to flee before the final blow. The extended version can be extremely useful for the attacker to know! Please understand that not all games provided end in actual checkmate. The opponent resigned when faced with the obvious mate in one or two, etc. After all the ranting about checkmates above, I have also included some favorite stalemates and "queen" mates. These are a far sight different than a checkmate, but the reader may well enjoy them. Thank you sneaky pete, patzer2, trovatore, and Nightsurfer among others. Site STILL under construction by Fredthebear. I've tried to edit along the way. Legall's Mate examples are posted in another collection of their own. * Many KNIGHT checkmates have been removed in 2017 to a separate file to make more room in this file for other types of checkmates. Updated Index of Current Checkmates:
(Ignore the numbers that follow! The numbers do not aid the reader.)
- Fool's Mate (Rapid one piece # on open diagonal to uncastled K) 10
- xh7/xg6/xe6 allows diagonal mate of uncastled king 14
- Scholar's Mate (Supported queen gives rapid # of uncastled K) 15
- Reti's Mate (Queen sacrifice opens final support check on back rank.) I have not yet made the specific distinction of Reti's Mate with rook supports bishop finish [a.k.a. Dovetail Mate on the back rank] as opposed to the Opera Mate with bishop supports rook finish. 20
- Morphy's Mate (Bishop check crossfires w/Rook on open g-file) 24
- Pillsbury's Mate (Bishop crossfires w/Rook check after a Rook sacrifice on open g-file) 25
- Bishop Assists Rook Mate (There are lots of variations but there's no room to include them all.) 31
- Back Rank Bishop leads to checkmate (fianchetto cut-off) 36 Many of the Following Have Been Re-located to N's Collection:
- Arabian Mate (Knight supports Rook check vs K on edge.) 37
- Hook Mate (Knight supported by blocked pawn assists Rook.) 44
- Discovered Double Checkmate 47
- Smothered Mate Miniatures 70 (QGD Albin CG games are removed.)
- Joint Knights Mate 100
- Philidor's Legacy (A Smothered Mate sequence by Q and her N) 120
- The Clean Mate (A smothered mate w/an extra step) 140
- Semi-Smothered Mates 155
- Royal Fork and Royal Family Fork Mate - Rare! 160
- Anastasia's Mate (K on open outer file and N prevents inward flight) 170 More of the Index, Less Knight Specific:
- Back rank mate w/support or cut-off assistance 190
- Lawn Mower/Corridor Mate (2 Rooks on adjacent ranks or files; one prevents escape) 200
- Railroad Mate (Q supports R+ shuffle and vice versa; the opposing king occupies the rank/file between the Q & R.) 225
- Blind Swine (two rooks = "hogs" on the 7th) 250
- Lolli's Mate / Damiano's Mate (pawn supports queen) 270
- Blackburne's Mate (Uses bishop pair and a knight for support) 350
- Checkmates from the Corner tend to be quite creative! 370
- Pawn Mates 400
- Pawn Wedge prevents King escape 450
- Promotion Mates 470
- Epaulet / Epaulette Mate (The K's own pieces beside him obstruct flight on the same rank/file... R-K-R) 500
- Swallow's Tail / Gueridon Mate (More obstruction by the K's own pieces "a pawn's capture" behind the K) 530
- Dovetail Mate / Cozio's Mate (The K's own pieces obstruct flight from a diagonal check) 550
- Parallel Bishop Pair / Double Bishop Mate 595
- Boden's Mate (Two bishops criss-cross in X fashion)600
- Fishing Pole Attack (h-pawn recaptures to open h-file) 650
- Greco's Mate (K caught on outer file as B prevents flight) 700
- Single Piece Mates 750 (This excludes Philidor's Legacy and Fool's Mate in the opening.)
- Stalemate (Not in check but no legal move available)800
- Perpetual Check Draws / Three-Fold Repetition 850
- Various Assortment of Mates and Misses 900
* See Prettiest Checkmates compiled by SpiritedReposte * Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns
This link has diagrammed checkmate patterns by name and good examples. It may better serve the new learner initially. (We likely share some game examples, but the collections were formed independently.) * Glossary: https://www.peoriachess.com/Glossar... Turtle gets mugged
A turtle is crossing the road when he’s mugged by two snails. When the police show up, they ask him what happened. The shaken turtle replies, “I don’t know. It all happened so fast.” — Submitted by Debby Carter
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495 games, 1590-2015 - Italian Game: Modern Variation
Q: How do poets say hello?
A: "Hey, haven’t we metaphor?"
Thank you Qindarka!
Q: What do you call a cow jumping on a trampoline?
A: A milkshake.
It’s no time to play chess when the house is on fire. ~ Italian Proverbs If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time. ~ Chinese Proverb The one who wins plays best. ~ German Proverbs
Acts 20:35 “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” "You must play boldly to win." ― Arnold Palmer "Champions keep playing until they get it right." ― Billie Jean King Fred Wellmuth was a strong amateur from California Proverbs 29:25
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Sir, if you could beat me, I would know you. – Jose Raul Capablanca (to an unknown player who had rejected Capablanca's offer of queen odds, on the grounds that Capablanca didn't know him, and might lose) Young man, you play remarkable chess! You never make a mistake! – Emanuel Lasker (after losing most of the games in a 10 game rapid transit match against a very young Capablanca) Capablanca's planning of the game is so full of that freshness of his genius for position play, that every hypermodern player can only envy him. – Alexander Alekhine It is astonishing how carefully Capablanca's combinations are calculated. Turn and twist as you will, search the variations in every way possible, you come to the inevitable conclusion that the moves all fit in with the utmost precision. – Max Euwe “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. “Without technique it is impossible to reach the top in chess, and therefore we all try to borrow from Capablanca his wonderful, subtle technique.” — Mikhail Tal “I was brought up on the games of Capablanca and Nimzowitsch, and they became part of my chess flesh and blood.” — Tigran Petrosian “Capablanca was among the greatest of chess players, but not because of his endgame. His trick was to keep his openings simple, and then play with such brilliance in the middlegame that the game was decided - even though his opponent didn't always know it - before they arrived at the ending.” — Robert Fischer “If the student forces himself to examine all moves that smite, however absurd they may look at first glance, he is on the way to becoming a master of tactics.” — C.J.S. Purdy “The tactician knows what to do when there is something to do; whereas the strategian knows what to do when there is nothing to do.” — Gerald Abrahams “Examine moves that smite! A good eye for smites is far more important than a knowledge of strategical principles.” — C.J.S. Purdy “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
“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 All that glitters is not gold – this line can be found in a text from c.1220: ‘ Nis hit nower neh gold al that ter schineth.’ A friend in need is a friend indeed – a proverb from c.1035 say this: ‘Friend shall be known in time of need.’ All’s well that ends well – a line from the mid-13th century is similar: ‘Wel is him te wel ende mai.’ Meanwhile, Henry Knighton’s Chronicle from the late 14th-century one can read: ‘ If the ende be wele, than is alle wele.’ 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 Hay dos maneras de hermosura: una del alma y otra del cuerpo; la del alma campea y se muestra en el entendimiento, en la honestidad, en el buen proceder, en la liberalidad y en la buena crianza, y todas estas partes caben y pueden estar en un hombre feo; y cuando se pone la mira en esta hermosura, y no en la del cuerpo, suele nacer el amor con ímpetu y con ventajas. (There are two kinds of beauty: one of the soul and the other of the body; that of the soul shows and demonstrates itself in understanding, in honesty, in good behavior, in generosity and in good breeding, and all these things can find room and exist in an ugly man; and when one looks at this type of beauty, and not bodily beauty, love is inclined to spring up forcefully and overpoweringly.)
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616)
Cuando una puerta se cierra, otra se abre. (When one door is closed, another is opened.) ― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616) Dijo la sartén a la caldera, quítate allá ojinegra. (The frying pan said to the cauldron, "Get out of here, black-eyed one." This is believed to be the source of the phrase "the pot calling the kettle black.") ― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra Compiled by nbabcox
Enhanced by Fredthebear
Modern line: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 c3 Nf6 5 d3 a6 6 Bb3 Ba7 7 h3
Variations:
A. 5...0-0 6 Bg5
B. 5...d6
C. 5...d5? 6 exd5 Nxd5 7 Qb3!
D. 6...0-0
E. 6...d6 7 Ndf1
F. 6...Bg4?!
G. 7 Nbd2 0-0
G1. 8 Nc4!?
G2. 8 h3 d5
“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 Apr-08-23 Nepomniachtchi vs R Praggnanandhaa, 2023
freddiebear: Oops, another blubbering blunder in a rush to judgement.
Clearly, the Italian Game has always been an insidious struggle. There's "Quiet" and there's "Very Quiet." Instead of picking on experts and defying computers, that silence would be the best path forward. “I've never met a checkers player I didn't like; they're all even-tempered. Chess players are egotistical. They think they're intellectuals and that everyone else is beneath them.” ― Don Lafferty, draughts grandmaster “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 “Chess is an infinitely complex game, which one can play in infinitely numerous & varied ways.” ― Vladimir Kramnik “Sometimes the most ordinary things could be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people.” ― Elizabeth Green 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
* Brutal Attacking Chess: Game Collection: Brutal Attacking Chess * Bishop's Opening Miniatures: https://www.chessonly.com/bishop-op... * Capablanca's Double Attack — having the initiative is important: https://lichess.org/study/tzrisL1R * Simple tactics course using miniatures:
http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/x/FTP... * IECC: https://www.chess-iecc.com/
* Brilliant (and mostly famous)! Game Collection: Brilliant Miniatures * Blackburne strikes! games annotated by Blackburne * Checkmate brevities: Game Collection: Art of Checkmate * Checkmate patterns: Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns * Morphy Miniatures:
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... * Nakhmanson Gambit: https://chesstier.com/nakhmanson-ga... * Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes * One Game Shy: Game Collection: 107 Great Chess Battles: 1939-45 Alekhine * Oskar plays 1e4: Oskar Oglaza * Alapins: Game Collection: Alapin * Aggressive Gambits: https://thechessworld.com/articles/... * 10 Crazy Gambits: https://www.chess.com/blog/yola6655... * Lekhika Dhariyal Chess Ops: https://www.zupee.com/blog/category... * C21-C22 miniatures: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... * Danish Gambits: Game Collection: Danish Gambit Games 1-0 * LG - White wins: Game Collection: Latvian Gambit-White wins * Javed's way: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?... * King's Gambit start-up: Game Collection: Batsford's MCO 14 King's Gambit * King Bishop's Gambit: Game Collection: rajat21's kings gambit * KG Video: Game Collection: Foxy Openings - King's Gambit * GM Gallagher is an author:
Game Collection: 0 * Ponziani Games: Game Collection: PONZIANI OPENING * Uncommon KP Gambits: Game Collection: Unusual Gambits * Volo plays the KP faithfully: Volodymyr Onyshchuk * 20 Various Italian Games: Game Collection: Italian Game * C53s: Game Collection: rajat21's italian game * The Italian Game, Classical: Game Collection: Giuco Piano * Annotated Evans Gambits: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... * Roger that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9S... “The only way to change anything in Russia is a revolution” ― Daniil Dubov
https://en.chessbase.com/post/dubov... * RL Minis: Game Collection: Ruy Lopez Miniatures * Russian Ruys: Game Collection: Chess in the USSR 1945 - 72, Part 2 (Leach) * Del's: Game Collection: Del's hidden gems * 21st Century: Game Collection: 0 * GK: Game Collection: Kasparov - The Sicilian Sheveningen * TIP: Click on the e8 square to see a computer engine analysis of the position. * tacticmania - Game Collection: tacticmania * Sports Clichés: http://www.sportscliche.com/
* Sacs on f7/f2: Game Collection: Demolition of Pawn Structure: Sac on f7 (f2) * Sicilian Face Plants:
Game Collection: sicilian defense(opening traps) * Hans On French: Game Collection: French Defense * 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 "One of the supreme paradoxes of baseball, and all sports, is that the harder you try to throw a pitch or hit a ball or accomplish something, the smaller your chances are for success. You get the best results not when you apply superhuman effort but when you let the game flow organically and allow yourself to be fully present. You'll often hear scouts say of a great prospect, "The game comes slow to him." It means the prospect is skilled and poised enough to let the game unfold in its own time, paying no attention to the angst or urgency or doubt, funneling all awareness to the athletic task at hand." — R.A. Dickey People believe what they want to believe, truth or not. “Search for the grain of truth in other opinions.” ― Richard Carlson 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)
<chess writer and poet Henry Thomas Bland.Another example of his way with words is the start of ‘Internal Fires’, a poem published on page 57 of the March 1930 American Chess Bulletin: I used to play chess with the dearest old chap,
Whom naught could upset whatever might hap.
He’d oft lose a game he might well have won
But made no excuse for what he had done.
If a piece he o’er looked and got it snapped up He took it quite calmly and ne’er ‘cut up rough’.> * Crafty Endgame Trainer: https://www.chessvideos.tv/endgame-... Old Russian Proverb: "Measure seven times, cut once. (Семь раз отмерь — один отрежь.)" Be careful before you do something that cannot be changed. Drive sober or get pulled over.
“For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable.” — Assiac “There are more adventures on a chessboard than on all the seas of the world.”
― Pierre Mac Orlan
The Two Bulls and the Frog
Two bulls engaged in shocking battle,
Both for a certain heifer's sake,
And lordship over certain cattle,
A frog began to groan and quake.
"But what is this to you?"
Inquired another of the croaking crew.
"Why, sister, don't you see,
The end of this will be,
That one of these big brutes will yield,
And then be exiled from the field?
No more permitted on the grass to feed,
He'll forage through our marsh, on rush and reed;
And while he eats or chews the cud,
Will trample on us in the mud.
Alas! to think how frogs must suffer
By means of this proud lady heifer!"
This fear was not without good sense.
One bull was beat, and much to their expense;
For, quick retreating to their reedy bower,
He trod on twenty of them in an hour.
Of little folks it often has been the fate
To suffer for the follies of the great.
“Friend, you don't have to earn God's love or try harder. You're precious in His sight, covered by the priceless blood of Jesus, and indwelt by His Holy Spirit. Don't hide your heart or fear you're not good enough for Him to care for you. Accept His love, obey Him, and allow Him to keep you in His wonderful freedom.” — Charles F. Stanley “To what greater inspiration and counsel can we turn than to the imperishable truth to be found in this treasure house, the Bible?” — Queen Elizabeth II Q: How does Moses make tea?
A: He brews.
<There are distinct situations where a bishop is preferred (over a knight). For example, two bishops are better than two knights or one of each. Steven Mayer, the author of Bishop Versus Knight, contends, “A pair of bishops is usually considered to be worth six points, but common sense suggests that a pair of active bishops (that are very involved in the formation) must be accorded a value of almost nine under some circumstances.” This is especially true if the player can plant the bishops in the center of the board, as two bishops working in tandem can span up to 26 squares and have the capacity to touch every square.Bishops are also preferable to knights when queens have been exchanged because, Grandmaster Sergey Erenburg, who is ranked 11th in the U.S., explains, “[Bishops and rooks] complement each other, and when well-coordinated, act as a queen.” Conversely, a knight is the preferred minor piece when the queen survives until the late-middlegame or the endgame. Mayer explains, “The queen and knight are [able] to work together smoothly and create a greater number of threats than the queen and bishop.” When forced to say one is better than the other, most anoint the bishop. Mayer concludes, “I think it’s true that the bishops are better than the knights in a wider variety of positions than the knights are better than the bishops.” He continues, “Of course, I’m not sure this does us much good, as we only get to play one position at a time.”> Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
<Oct-04-23 HeMateMe: I play 3/2 blitz occasionally on Lichess. I find it an excellent site, none of the delays/cancellations that ruined chess.com (for me).
Oct-04-23 Cassandro: Yes, lichess is by far the best site for online chess. And you never know, apparently you may even get to play against a living legend like the highly esteemed Leonard Barden there!> FTB plays all about but has always been happy with FICS: https://www.freechess.org/ “You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” ― William Faulkner “Sometimes in life, and in chess, you must take one step back to take two steps forward.” — IM Levy Rozman, GothamChess So much, much, much better to be an incurable optimist than deceitful and untrustworthy. Old Russian Proverb: "Scythe over a stone." (Нашла коса на камень.) The force came over a stronger force. “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
― Leonardo da Vinci
William Faulkner publishes The Sound and the Fury in 1929. April Blood: Florence and the Plot Against the Medici
by Lauro Martines
One of the world's leading historians of Renaissance Italy brings to life here the vibrant--and violent--society of fifteenth-century Florence. His disturbing narrative opens up an entire culture, revealing the dark side of Renaissance man and politician Lorenzo de' Medici.
On a Sunday in April 1478, assassins attacked Lorenzo and his brother as they attended Mass in the cathedral of Florence. Lorenzo scrambled to safety as Giuliano bled to death on the cathedral floor. April Blood moves outward in time and space from that murderous event, unfolding a story of tangled passions, ambition, treachery, and revenge. The conspiracy was led by one of the city's most noble clans, the Pazzi, financiers who feared and resented the Medici's swaggering new role as political bosses--but the web of intrigue spread through all of Italy. Bankers, mercenaries, the Duke of Urbino, the King of Naples, and Pope Sixtus IV entered secretly into the plot. Florence was plunged into a peninsular war, and Lorenzo was soon fighting for his own and his family's survival.
The failed assassination doomed the Pazzi. Medici revenge was swift and brutal--plotters were hanged or beheaded, innocents were hacked to pieces, and bodies were put out to dangle from the windows of the government palace. All remaining members of the larger Pazzi clan were forced to change their surname, and every public sign or symbol of the family was expunged or destroyed.
April Blood offers us a fresh portrait of Renaissance Florence, where dazzling artistic achievements went side by side with violence, craft, and bare-knuckle politics. At the center of the canvas is the figure of Lorenzo the Magnificent--poet, statesman, connoisseur, patron of the arts, and ruthless "boss of bosses." This extraordinarily vivid account of a turning point in the Italian Renaissance is bound to become a lasting work of history. Q: How do poets say hello?
A: "Hey, haven’t we metaphor?"
On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified prohibiting any U.S. citizen from being denied the right to vote based on sex. Q: What do you call a cow jumping on a trampoline?
A: A milkshake.
Charles Lindbergh lands "Spirit of St. Louis" in Paris on May 21, 1927, successfully completing the first trans-Atlantic flight. 'Ask no questions and hear no lies
* The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played: 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy by Irving Chernev - https://lichess.org/study/KMMrJvE1 * Legendary: Game Collection: The 12 Legendary Games of the Century * Knight Power: https://fmochess.com/the-power-of-t... 'Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer The Words Of Socrates
A house was built by Socrates
That failed the public taste to please.
Some blamed the inside; some, the out; and all
Agreed that the apartments were too small.
Such rooms for him, the greatest sage of Greece! "I ask," said he, "no greater bliss
Than real friends to fill even this."
And reason had good Socrates
To think his house too large for these.
A crowd to be your friends will claim,
Till some unhandsome test you bring.
There's nothing plentier than the name;
There's nothing rarer than the thing.
Tennessee schoolteacher John T. Scopes' trial for teaching Darwin's "Theory of Evolution" begins July 1925. “Funny, funny Jude (The Man in the Red Beret). You play with little pieces all day long, and you know what? You’ll live to be an old, old man someday. And here I am.” — Janis Joplin Jude Acers set a Guinness World Record for playing 117 people in simultaneous chess games on April 21, 1973 at the Lloyd Center Mall in Portland, Oregon. On July 2-3, 1976 Jude played 179 opponents at Mid Isle Plaza (Broadway Plaza) in Long Island, New York for another Guinness record. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
A. A. Milne publishes his first collection of stories about the character Winnie-the-Pooh in 1926. <The Chess Player
by Howard Altmann
They’ve left. They’ve all left.
The pigeon feeders have left.
The old men on the benches have left.
The white-gloved ladies with the Great Danes have left.
The lovers who thought about coming have left.
The man in the three-piece suit has left.
The man who was a three-piece band has left.
The man on the milkcrate with the bible has left.
Even the birds have left.
Now the trees are thinking about leaving too.
And the grass is trying to turn itself in.
Of course the buses no longer pass.
And the children no longer ask.
The air wants to go and is in discussions.
The clouds are trying to steer clear.
The sky is reaching for its hands.
Even the moon sees what’s going on.
But the stars remain in the dark.
As does the chess player.
Who sits with all his pieces
In position.>
Audiences see the first motion picture with sound The Jazz Singer in 1927. Q: Why can’t you explain puns to kleptomaniacs?
A: They always take things, literally.
Ford Motor Company celebrates as the 15 millionth Model T rolls off its Highland Park, MI, assembly line on May 26, 1927. “When you have the better of it, play simply. When the game is going against you, look for complications.” — Frank J. Marshall * Pawn Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUq... * Crafty Endgame Trainer: https://www.chessvideos.tv/endgame-... A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush ― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, "Don Quixote" Cajun: Joie de vivre (Jhwa da veev) – Joy of living. <King Tutankhamun had lots of cool toys, but one of his most intriguing may have been a dagger, discovered in his tomb in 1925, made of meteoric metal. It wasn't until recently that scientists were able to confirm the material, using a technique called portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. They determined that the dagger's composition of iron, nickel, and cobalt "strongly suggests an extraterrestrial origin."* Riddle-zeez-piddle: https://www.briddles.com/riddles/ch... Immortal jellyfish
There is a species of jellyfish that never dies.
Known as Turritopsis dohrnii—or colloquially, the immortal jellyfish—this sea creature is able to revert back into its adolescent state after going through adulthood, a "process that looks remarkably like immortality."> 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 “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 “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” ― Frederick Douglass wordzzz need actionzzz
Two artists had an art contest. It ended in a draw. “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. BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.
One for the master
And one for the dame.
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.
]. Dear Dad, $chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying very hard. With all my $tuff, I $imply can’t think of anything I need, $o if you would like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you. Love, Your $on Dear Son, I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh. Love, Dad Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
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21 games, 1891-2021 - JCaro Kann Exchange Rub W
Bf4, Ne5, h3, Bd3, Qc2/Qe4
a4 preventing b5
<To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.> — William Blake “I think; therefore I am.” — Rene Descartes “Everywhere is here and every when is now.” — Dante Alighieri “The future comes slowly, the present flies and the past stands still forever.”
—Friedrich Schiller
“The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.”
― Willie Nelson
“Zeus, first cause, prime mover; for what thing without Zeus is done among mortals?” — Aeschylus “Too many kings can ruin an army.” — Homer “The Queen is by much the most powerful of the forces.” — Howard Staunton “Neither should a ship rely on one small anchor, nor should life rest on a single hope.” — Epictetus Teenagers these days are out of control. "They eat like pigs, they are disrespectful of adults, they interrupt and contradict their parents, and they terrorize their teachers.” — Aristotle “Patience is the companion of wisdom.” — Saint Augustine “What is better than wisdom? Woman. And what is better than a good woman? Nothing.” — Geoffrey Chaucer “Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them.” — David Hume “The beauty of a game of chess is usually assessed according to the sacrifices it contains.” — Rudolf Spielmann “Some women govern their husbands without degrading themselves, because intellect will always govern.” — Mary Wollstonecraft “Why should we build our happiness on the opinions of others, when we can find it in our own hearts?” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” — Lao Tzu “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” — Epictetus “Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.” — Adam Smith “We count on God's mercy for our past mistakes, on God's love for our present needs, on God's sovereignty for our future.” — Saint Augustine “Many people feel that GMs know everything there is to know about chess. This is not true at all! Like everyone else, they blunder. Nobody is immune from making blunders., Blunders are committed by the best of us.”
— GM Samuel Reshevsky
“Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” — Forrest Gump, 1994 It’s inappropriate to make a “dad joke” if you are not a dad.
It’s a faux pa.
“I like colorful tales with black beginnings and stormy middles and cloudless blue-sky endings. But any story will do.”
― Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Ivan
“Insults are the arguments employed by those who are in the wrong.”
— Jean-Jacques Rousseau
“Sometimes angels rush in where fools fear to tread.” — Cary Grant “I have added these principles to the law: get the Knights into action before both Bishops are developed.” — Emanuel Lasker “Never did the world make a queen of a girl who hides in houses and dreams without traveling.” — Roman Payne “When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that in itself is a choice.”
— William James
New Best Game of 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Q... “There is no such thing as freedom of choice unless there is freedom to refuse.” — David Hume “The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.” — Oprah Winfrey “If you wish to be a writer, write.” — Epictetus “The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.” — Rene Descartes “I would rather be free in my mind, and be locked up in a prison cell, than to be a coward and not be able to say what I want.” — Bobby Fischer “It's not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity.”
— Francis Bacon
“The purpose of human life and the sense of happiness is to give the maximum what the man is able to give.” — Alexander Alekhine “You Make My Dreams (Come True)” By Hall & Oates (1980): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEr... “In chess, as in life, a man is his own most dangerous opponent.”
— Vasily Smyslov
“The only good Rook is a working Rook!” — Samuel Reshevsky “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell “It's a good idea to review past mistakes before committing new ones.”
— Warren Buffett
"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 “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” — Babe Ruth “It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” — Epictetus “What worries you, masters you.” — John Locke "Chess is one of the few arts where composition takes place simultaneously with performance.” — Garry Kasparov "A man of high principles is someone who can watch a chess game without passing comment.” — Chinese Proverb “A king always protects his queen.” ― Moosa Rahat “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”
— William James
“Without the element of enjoyment, it is not worth trying to excel at anything.” — Magnus Carlsen “Passions unguided are for the most part mere madness.” — Thomas Hobbes “Those who will not reason, are bigots, those who cannot, are fools, and those who dare not, are slaves.” — Lord Byron “Compassion is the basis of morality.” ― Arthur Schopenhauer “Holiness is not the way to Christ; Christ is the way to holiness.”
— Charles Spurgeon
“Jesus Christ, in His infinite love, has become what we are, in order that He may make us entirely what He is.” — Irenaeus of Lyons “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” — The Gospel of John 3:16 appears in the conversation between Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and Jesus, the son of God, and shows the motives of God the Father on sending Jesus to save humanity. “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.” — Proverbs 8:32-33 “No time is so well spent in every day as that which we spend upon our knees.” — J. C. Ryle “Do not worship me, I am not God. I'm only a man. I worship Jesus Christ.”
— Haile Selassie
“Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.”
— King David
“There is no surer sign of decay in a country than to see the rites of religion held in contempt.” — Niccolo Machiavelli “Learn as if you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
“It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows.”
— Epictetus
“The first chess book that I read was Dufresne's self-tutor, published with Lasker's Common Sense in Chess as an appendix.” — Vasily Smyslov “Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won't have time to make them all yourself.” — Alfred Sheinwold “Only those who have the patience to do simple things perfectly will acquire the skill to do difficult things easily.” — Friedrich Schiller “The essence of Capablanca's greatness is his rare talent for avoiding all that can complicate or confuse the conflict.” — Max Euwe “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.”
— Robert Heinlein
“Every man dies, but not every man really lives.” — William Wallace, Braveheart “Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not, and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.” ― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow “The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.” ― Robert Louis Stevenson. “He who reigns within himself and rules passions, desires, and fears is more than a king.” ― John Milton “There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself.”
— King Louis XIV.
“Awakening is not changing who you are, but discarding who you are not.”
— Deepak Chopra
“I’d like to be queen of people’s hearts.” — Princess Diana “If one wants to be called a queen, one should act with civility and grace.”
— Jinkx Monsoon
“You only know me as you see me, not as I actually am.” — Immanuel Kant “Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern, and be clear that what belongs to others is their business and none of yours.”
— Epictetus
“Heavy is the crown and yet she wears it as if it were a feather. There is strength in her heart, determination in her eyes and the will to survive resides within her soul. She is you, a warrior, a champion, a fighter, a queen.” — R.H. Sin “The history of chess is largely a chronicle of self-imposed intimidation and untimely excitement." — W.E. Napier “The blunders are all there on the board, waiting to be made.”
— Savielly Tartakower
“Blunders rarely travel alone.” — Anatoly Karpov “When men are most sure and arrogant, they are commonly most mistaken.”
— David Hume
“If you do your "homework" well you can be sure you'll feel more relaxed. Make sure you have a walk or rest before the game because the most important thing is to be focused during the game itself! If you get tired by preparation you won't have enough energy left for the whole game, and we all know that a single blunder can ruin all the work done beforehand!” — Judit Polgar “Competition is not only the basis of protection to the consumer, but is the incentive to progress.” — Herbert Hoover “If life were predictable, it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
“To do no evil is good, to intend none better.” — King Claudius, 'Hamlet' “Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners.” — Laurence Sterne. “Believe firmly that in chess there are no rules without exceptions.”
— Reuben Fine
“In blitz, the Knight is stronger than the Bishop.” — Vlastimil Hort “My father has taught me that if you really do want to reach your goals, you can't spend any time worrying about whether you're going to win or lose. Focus only on getting better.” — Steffi Graf “I woke up an hour before I was supposed to, and started going over the mental checklist: where do I go from here, what do I do? I don't remember eating anything at all, just going through the physical, getting into the suit. We practiced that so much, it was all rote.” — Alan Shepard “It is rarely a mysterious technique that drives us to the top, but rather a profound mastery of what may well be a basic skill set.” — Joshua Waitzkin “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
— Aristotle
“Capablanca did not apply himself to opening theory (in which he never therefore achieved much), but delved deeply into the study of end-games and other simple positions which respond to technique rather than to imagination.” — Max Euwe “In combat, spontaneity rules; rote performance of technique perishes.”
— Bruce Lee
“Playing for complications is an extreme measure that a player should adopt only when he cannot find a clear and logical plan.” — Alexander Alekhine “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill “Opportunity doesn't make appointments; you have to be ready when it arrives.”
― Tim Fargo
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” — Thomas Edison “An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it out?” — Rene Descartes “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.” — Jack Handey “Don’t consent to be hurt and you won’t be hurt – this is a choice over which you have control.” — Epictetus “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
“All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.” — Mark Twain “In every woman there is a Queen. Speak to the Queen and the Queen will answer.” — Norwegian Proverb “Happiness should always remain a bit incomplete. After all, dreams are boundless.” — Anatoly Karpov “The freedom of Mankind does not lie in the fact that can do what we want, but that we do not have to do that which we do not want.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau “The laws of chess do not permit a free choice: you have to move whether you like it or not.” — Emanuel Lasker “Today, for the first time in history, a Bishop of Rome sets foot on English soil. This fair land, once a distant outpost of the pagan world, has become, through the preaching of the Gospel, a beloved and gifted portion of Christ's vineyard.”
— Pope John Paul II
“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
— Paul the Apostle
“Tactics flow from a superior position.” — Bobby Fischer “The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” — William James “Sometimes you have to sacrifice your queen to capture the king.”
― Aimee Carter
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” — Nelson Mandela “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 “Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.” — William James “Every person, if he is to have mental health and live successfully, must move away from past failures and mistakes and go forward without letting them be a weight upon him. The art of forgetting is absolutely necessary.”
— Norman Vincent Peale
“If you wait for luck to turn up, life becomes very boring.” — Mikhail Tal “I see only one move ahead, but always the best move.” — Charles Jaffe “I am convinced the greatest act of love we can ever perform for people is to tell them about God's love for them in Christ.” — Billy Graham “I do not play chess – I fight at chess. Therefore, I willingly combine the tactical with the strategic, the fantastic with the scientific, the combinative with the positional, and I aim to respond to the demands of each given position.”
— Alexander Alekhine
“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” — Sun Tzu. “Strategy requires thought, tactics require observation.” — Max Euwe “Every man lives by exchanging.” — Adam Smith “Men, in general, seem to employ their reason to justify prejudices...rather than to root them out.” — Mary Wollstonecraft “Cooperation, collaboration and coordination are together more powerful than competition.” ― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, CEO of Mayflower-Plymouth “Most chess players know, thanks to the study of master games, that two bishops are stronger than two knights or than bishop and knight, though very few know the reason for this advantage and how to turn it to account.” — Richard Reti “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 “Performance process goals involve things like staying in the present moment, accepting whatever happens as it happens, underreacting to everything, being unflappable, and totally trusting in your skills during competition.”
― Bob Rotella, How Champions Think: In Sports and in Life “Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile achievement.” — Henry Ford “A game is always won through a mistake.” — Savielly Tartakower “Some part of a mistake is always correct.” — Savielly Tartakower “Objectivity consists in understanding that the only one who never makes a mistake is the one who never does anything.” — Vladimir Kramnik “You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.”
— Johnny Cash
“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not. It is only after you have faced up to this fundamental rule and learned to distinguish between what you can and can't control that inner tranquility and outer effectiveness become possible.” — Epictetus “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” — Dolly Parton “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 “Things often did not reach the endgame!” — Boris Spassky “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 “It cannot be too greatly emphasized that the most important role in pawn endings is played by the king.” — Siegbert Tarrasch “The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.” — William James “The whole life with a wife is like an end game with two bishops of different colors.” — Viktor Korchnoi “With opposite coloured bishops the attacking side has in effect an extra piece in the shape of his bishop.” — Mikhail Botvinnik “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 “The biggest mistake investors make is to believe that what happened in the recent past is likely to persist. They assume that something that was a good investment in the recent past is still a good investment. Typically, high past returns simply imply that an asset has become more expensive and is a poorer, not better, investment.” — Ray Dalio “The older I grow, the more I value Pawns.” — Paul Keres “As you think, so you become.....Our busy minds are forever jumping to conclusions, manufacturing and interpreting signs that aren't there.” — Epictetus “You would always beat me; not so much because you are a better fighter as because you will not accept defeat.” ― John Christopher, The Sword of the Spirits “The phrase "it's better to be lucky than good" must be one of the most ridiculous homilies ever uttered. In nearly any competitive endeavor, you have to be damned good before luck can be of any use to you at all.”
― Garry Kasparov, Deep Thinking: Where Machine Intelligence Ends and Human Creativity Begins “Chess is a great game. It’s a lot of fun, but sometimes you wonder what else is out there.” — Hikaru Nakamura “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” — Confucius “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” —Albert Einstein “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” — Maya Angelou “You don’t turn your back on your destiny.” ― Trine Villemann “Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips, and the world in your heart.”
— Ignatius of Antioch
“The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability as opposed to resilience and hard work, we will be brittle in the face of adversity.” — Joshua Waitzkin “Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing.” — Euripides “From Genesis to Revelation, here's the central message: God Almighty, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God, the Triune God is in control of all things, period.” — Charles Stanley “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” — Mark Twain “We have two ears and one mouth so we may listen more and talk the less.”
— Epictetus
“My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy.”
— William Shakespeare
“Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.” — Saint Augustine “A male scorpion is stabbed to death after mating. In chess, the powerful queen often does the same to the king without giving him the satisfaction of a lover.”
— Gregor Piatigorsky
“The money you have gives you freedom; the money you pursue enslaves you.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau “Nothing is more graceful than habitual cheerfulness.” — Adam Smith “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 “Rules for Happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for.” — Immanuel Kant “If you can change your mind, you can change your life.” — William James “The only thing that’s keeping you from getting what you want is the story you keep telling yourself.” — Tony Robbins “Being brave means that knowing when you fail, you won’t fail forever.”
― Lana Del Rey
“I have never "minded" Competition---Although---at times---I do believe that it has been "overplayed."
My mother said: 'Do your Best---and let the "chips" fall where they may.....”
― Marsha Carol Watson Gandy
“Even if you win the rat race, you still remain a rat.” ― Adriano Bulla “If you are good at your game, you would not cheat.” ― De philosopher DJ Kyos “The path to glory is rough, and many gloomy hours obscure it. May the Great Spirit shed light on your path, so that you may never experience the humility that the power of the American government has reduced me to. This is the wish of a man who, in his native forests, was once as proud and bold as yourself.”
— Chief Black Hawk
“A government which does not trust its citizens to be armed is not itself to be trusted.” — Niccolo Machiavelli “Why look for conspiracy when stupidity can explain so much.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“The adventure of life is to learn. The purpose of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The opportunity of life is to serve. The secret of life is to dare. The spice of life is to befriend. The beauty of life is to give.” — William Arthur Ward “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” — Martin Luther King, Jr. “Grace woke you up this morning, grace started you on your way and grace enabled you to survive until this very moment.” — Charles E. Blake “Take care of brothers and sisters who are weaker... the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the homeless and strangers, because we will be judged on this.”
— Pope Francis
“When you give joy to other people, you get more joy in return. You should give a good thought to happiness that you can give out.” — Eleanor Roosevelt “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” — William James “The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.” — Epictetus “For God detests those who commend themselves. Let others applaud our good deeds.” — Pope Clement I “The great mover of the universe will renew time, rain, blood, thirst, famine, steel weapons and disease. In the heavens, a fire seen” — Nostradamus “The secret to living well and longer is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure.” — Tibetan Proverbs “If you start something, finish it.” — Epictetus “All good things must come to an end.” — Geoffrey Chaucer “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” — Winnie the Pooh Reuben Fine Chess The Easy Way A complete, step-by-step illustrated guide
Tzu zaxcvd Ziji Zhang ab ah caint pernounce nuthin Zdenko Kozul Doda Zbigniew per Dzagnidze <Life may change, but it may fly not;
Hope may vanish, but can die not;
Truth be veiled, but still it burneth;
Love repulsed, - but it returneth!>
— Percy Bysshe Shelley
“Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac (1977): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3y... Pirc: Game Collection: Pirc Marshall: Game Collection: My Fifty Years of Chess (Marshall) Tal's Life: Game Collection: The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal Titans: Game Collection: Karpov-Kasparov:the Titanic match Miniatures#: Game Collection: Checkmate Miniatures Best Moves: Game Collection: top 10 best moves POTD 2019: Game Collection: Puzzle of the Day 2019 “Counterattack is the soul of the game,” wrote Vera Menchik. “In the times of need when we are faced with a very cramped or even a lost game, our best chance of recovering the balance is to introduce complications.” Q: What do you call a fish with no eyes?
A: A fsh.
<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 contolling 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.)>
|
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158 games, 1798-2017 - JHowl to Specialize Ev Jo ToL Wannabe
Cloned
* First of each ECO: Game Collection: First of Each ECO “Life has, indeed, many ills, but the mind that views every object in its most cheering aspect, and every doubtful dispensation as replete with latent good, bears within itself a powerful and perpetual antidote. The gloomy soul aggravates misfortune, while a cheerful smile often dispels those mists that portend a storm.” ― Lydia Sigourney "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 "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 Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... 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 “Life is like a chess. If you lose your queen, you will probably lose the game.” ― Being Caballero “Chess is life in miniature. Chess is a struggle, chess battles.” ― Garry Kasparov "Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly." ― John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, and former Navy Lieutenant “Age brings wisdom to some men, and to others chess.” ― Evan Esar “The soldier is the Army. No army is better than its soldiers. The Soldier is also a citizen. In fact, the highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of bearing arms for one’s country”
― George S. Patton Jr.
"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 * Good Historical Links: https://www.saund.co.uk/britbase/in... * JonathanJ's favorite games 4: Game Collection: JonathanJ's favorite games 4 * elmubarak: my fav games: Game Collection: elmubarak: my fav games * assorted Good games Compiled by rbaglini: Game Collection: assorted Good games * LAST COLLECTION Compiled by Jaredfchess: Game Collection: LAST COLLECTION * Internet tracking: https://www.studysmarter.us/magazin... * YS Tactics: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics * Easy 1.d4: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?... 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. 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. 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’s the dumbest animal in the jungle?
A: A polar bear.
Drive sober or get pulled over.
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. Q: What do you call a man who can’t stand?
A: Neil.
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.
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 …
Wordzie:
507 zb4cr: move 23. zooter Fritz z drivel dope Ke2? trollie pickled hiz puter “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 “Fischer is like Zeus; he is the God of the gods.” — Nigel Short “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” ― Stephen King Here is what Vladimir Kramnik has to say:
"Botvinnik’s example and teaching established the modern approach to preparing for competitive chess: regular but moderate physical exercise; analysing very thoroughly a relatively narrow repertoire of openings; annotating one’s own games, those of past great players and those of competitors; publishing one’s annotations so that others can point out any errors; studying strong opponents to discover their strengths and weaknesses; ruthless objectivity about one’s own strengths and weaknesses." “Reading can take you places you have never been before.” — Dr. Seuss
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11 games, 1889-2006 - JInstructive games exet beginners tzu
Cloned
Many of the games in this collection also appear in
http://www.exeterchessclub.org.uk/i...
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* Morphy pounds Philidor's Defense: Game Collection: White - Philidor: Morphy * Shirov Minis: Game Collection: Shirov miniatures “Every battle is won before it is fought.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War “Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War “Tal develops all his pieces in the center and then sacrifices them somewhere.” ― David Bronstein “Even after losing four games in a row to him I still consider his play unsound. He is always on the lookout for some spectacular sacrifice, that one shot, that dramatic breakthrough to give him the win.” ― Bobby Fischer (on Mikhail Tal) “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” ― Frederick Douglass “Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War “All warfare is based on deception.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War “Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War “Tal was a fearless fighter. Nobody could successfully accomplish so many incorrect maneuvers! He simply smashed his opponents.” ― Bent Larsen “I was surprised by his ability to figure out complex variations. Then the way he sets out the game; he was not interested in the objectivity of the position, whether it's better or worse, he only needed room for his pieces. All you do then is figure out variations which are extremely difficult. He was tactically outplaying me and I made mistakes.” ― Mikhail Botvinnik (on Tal) “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 “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” ― Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States, and former General of the Army “A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality.” ― Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War “One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War Magnus Carlsen, who has been ranked the No. 1 chess player in the world since 2011, announced he will not defend his world championship title. "The conclusion is very simple that I am not motivated to play another match," the five-time world champion said on his podcast, The Magnus Effect. The championship matches are held every two years and the next is scheduled for 2023. "I simply feel that I don't have a lot to gain," Carlsen added. "I don't particularly like it, and although I'm sure a match would be interesting for historical reasons and all of that, I don't have any inclinations to play and I will simply not play the match." * Accidents: Game Collection: Accidents in the opening * Attack: Game Collection: 2012-2015 Attacking Games (Naiditsch/Balogh) * Brilliancies: Game Collection: Modern Chess Brilliancies (Evans) * Chess Terms: https://chessmart.com/pages/chess-t... * Old Cable Matches: Game Collection: Anglo-American Cable Matches, 1896-1911 * 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) * Kasparov's Qkst: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... * Positional: Game Collection: 2012-2015 Positional Games (Naiditsch/Balogh) * POTD: Game Collection: POTD French 2 * Killer Dutch: Game Collection: Bowen Island Dutch Killer Dutch * Teaching Moments: Game Collection: Teaching Moments in Chess * Two Knts Defense: Game Collection: Two Knights Defence by Beliavsky mikhalchisin * Miscellaneous: Game Collection: ! Miscellaneous games Three Consecutive Days:
Riddle: Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday? Answer: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.
Take It Or Leave It:
Riddle: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I? Answer: Footsteps.
Light Switches Riddle: There Are 3 Light Bulbs In Three Separate Rooms...
Riddle: There are 3 light bulbs in three separate rooms. in front of you, there is a panel with 3 separate switches. They only turn on or off. You may look inside each room only once. How can you tell which bulb belongs to which switch? Answer: You turn on any two switches, leave them for a few minutes, and turn one switch off. You enter each room only once. you know that the lightbulb that is lit belongs to the switch that was left on, the bulb that is off, but hot, belongs to the switch you turned off, and the cold bulb belongs to the switch you never touched. “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 “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 “I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
― Michael Jordan
“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.”
― Oprah Winfrey
“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 Rungs Of A Ladder
Riddle: The rungs of a 10 foot ladder attached to a ship are 1 foot apart. If the water is rising at the rate of one foot an hour, how long will it take until the water covers over the ladder? Answer: It will never cover the ladder because as the water rises, so will the floating ship. Rival To The Riddle
Riddle: I can be cracked, I can be made. I can be told, I can be played. What am I? Answer: A Joke!
One Hard Riddle:
Riddle: What 8 letter word can have a letter taken away and it still makes a word. Take another letter away and it still makes a word. Keep on doing that until you have one letter left. What is the word? Answer: The word is starting! starting, staring, string, sting, sing, sin, in, I. Cool, huh? “Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.” ― John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, and former Navy Lieutenant “Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.” ― General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur Canine concerns
A poodle and a collie are walking together when the poodle suddenly unloads on his friend. “My life is a mess,” he says. “My owner is mean, my girlfriend ran away with a schnauzer and I’m as jittery as a cat.” “Why don’t you go see a psychiatrist?” suggests the collie. “I can’t,” says the poodle. “I’m not allowed on the couch.” — Submitted by L.B. Weinstein
Helpmate
A hair’s breadth at the bow is a mile beside the butt. Chinese A golden hammer breaks an iron gate.
I believe in what I hold in my hand. Czech
I don’t want it, but drop it into my hand. Spanish You can’t clap with one hand. Chinese
Where the hand cannot grasp, thought begins. German Without fingers the hand would be a spoon. Sudanic If the hand would do what the tongue says there would be no poverty. Indian A new handle blisters the hands.
(i.e. a new chief through ignorance causes his subjects to suffer.) Bantu Where hands are required words and letters are useless. German He has both hands full of cakes.
(i.e. he’s unable to do anything.) Japanese
A handsaw is a good thing, but not to shave with. English How easily a hair gets into the butter. German
He that is not handsome at twenty, nor strong at thirty, nor rich at forty, nor wise at fifty, will never be handsome, strong, rich or wise. English He that is born to be hanged shall never be drowned. English When a man is happy he does not hear the clock strike. German Hares may pull down dead lions by the beard. English If you run after two hares, you will catch neither. English He that hath a good harvest may be content with some thistles. Scottish He who has not is the enemy of him who has. Bantu The life of an old hat is to cock it. Irish
A hatchet is a key for any lock. French
Send not for a hatchet to break open an egg with. If you hate a man, let him live. Japanese
If a man hates you, give him a fork to drink soup. Negro He who would have the last drop out of a can has the lid fall on his nose. German I am speaking of hay and you of horse corn. Scottish When hay follows the horse it wants to be eaten. German When the head is knocked off, it is all over with dreams. Sudanic He on whose head we would break a coco-nut never stands still. Sudanic If you cannot heal the wound do not tear it open. Danish To hear it told is not equal to experience. Chinese He who will not hear must feel. German
He does not hear what he does not like. Irish
“I heard” is not as good as “I saw.” Chinese Hear-say is half lies. German
A stout heart crushes ill luck. Spanish
What comes from the heart goes to the heart. English When the heart is full the mouth vomits. Maltese Nearest the heart, nearest the mouth. Scottish
When there is room in the heart, there is room in the house. Danish When the heart undertakes, the body is its slave. Hamitic Hearts may agree, though heads differ. English
I like his heels better than his toes.
(i.e. would rather see him go than come.) Walloon Men of a certain height must wear clothes of a certain length. Chinese There are people who will help you get your basket on your head because they want to see what’s in it. Sudanic When one is helping another both are strong. German Three, helping each other, will bear the burden of six. Spanish Pick up the hen and you can gather all her chickens. Sudanic It is no good hen that cackles in your house and lays in another.
English In the eyes of the hen the worm is always in the wrong.
German To the real hero life is a mere straw. Indian
Heroism consists in hanging on one minute longer. Norwegian Don’t cry “herrings” till they are in the net. English Hide mends itself, but cloth has to be mended. Chilean In high society one marries one woman, lives with another, but
leaves only oneself. Italian The hippopotamus that shows itself doesn’t upset the boat.
Bantu Hit him hard; he has no friends. English
If hit, hit back and don’t stop to consider whether you be
committing a sin or a virtue. Indian The hog never looks up to him that threshes down the acorns.
English A hog that has wallowed in the mud seeks a clean person to
rub against. Sudanic A strainer is none the worse for having another hole. Arabic A hole here and there is not the same as a window. Bantu Honest as the cat when the meat is out of reach. An honest man is not the worse because a dog barks at him.
Danish They are all honest men, but my cloak is not to be found.
Spanish Every man is honest till the day they catch him. Negro Honey in the mouth saves the purse. English
Though honey is sweet, do not lick it off a briar. Irish He who shareth honey with the bear hath the least part of it.
English Honor and profit lie not in one sack. English
The post of honor is the post of danger. Roman
He gainst much who loses a vain hope. Italian
He that lives on hope hath a slender diet. Scottish Hope is a good breakfast but a poor supper. Czech Hope is the poor man’s bread. English
Let the horns go with the hide. English
All lay load on the willing horse. English
One should put the saddle on the right horse. German One thing thinketh the horse, and another he that saddles him.
English A horse has four legs, yet it often falls.
(i.e. a man is fallible.) Bantu
A borrowed horse has hard hoofs. Irish
The trotting horse hears not the story-teller’s yarn.
(i.e. busy people are too occupied to listen.) Chinese He who has a good horse in his stable is not ashamed to go on
foot. Italian Who hath no horse may ride on a staff. English
Without horse, no Cossack. Russian
A handsome horse should have a head like a maiden, a chest
like a widow, and a foot like a baby. Polish It is hard to water a horse which does not hold down his head.
Finnish Set a peasant on horseback and he forgets both God and man. Spanish The man on horseback knows nothing of the toil of the traveller on foot. Chinese He who is on horseback no longer knows his own brother. Russian Good horses make short miles. English
Then man who is bad for entertainment or hospitality is good for
directing you on the road. Irish It is a sin against hospitality, to open your doors and shut your
countenance. English An hour may destroy what an age was building. English Since the house is on fire let us warm ourselves. Spanish Thank God that the right side of the house is out. (Said on a stormy day.) Irish He set my house on fire only to roast his eggs. English To throw the house out the window.
(i.e. to raise a commotion.) English
Who else could the housefly take sides with other than the
person afflicted with sores? Sudanic Adjoining houses always burn. Bantu
There is but an hour in a day between a good housewife and a
bad. English The greatest humiliation for a man is to give proofs that he is a man. Spanish False humility is genuine arrogance. Chinese
Too much humility is pride. German
Do not trust a Hungarian unless he has a third eye on his
forehead. Czech Not to empty one’s stomach doesn’t help against hunger.
Sudanic The full belly doesn’t believe in hunger. Italian Hunger and cold deliver a man up to his enemy. English Hunger becomes the teacher of many. Greek
Hunger breaks stone walls. English
Hunger doesn’t say “stale bread,” and cold doesn’t say “old
coat.” Georgian Hunger is a finger which points out the fruit on the tree to the
blind man. Russian Hunger is an infidel. Arabic
Whatever satisfies hunger is good food. Chinese
Hunger makes raw beans into almonds. German
Hunger sees nothing but bread. Bulgarian
A hungry eye sees far. Irish
Hungry gnats sting deep. German
For the hungry “wait” is a hard word.
A hungry man discovers more than a hundred lawyers. Spanish The smile on a hungry man’s face is a lie. Polish The hunt is a masculine ball and the ball is a feminine hunt.
German He who hurries cannot walk with dignity. Chinese Dress slowly when you are in a hurry. French
Hold your hurry in your hand. Irish
Don’t stay long when the husband is not at home. Japanese Don’t show a hyena how well you can bite. Hamitic Isolani
Idle folks have the least leisure. English
A maker of idols is never an idolator. Chinese
“If and “when” were planted and nothing grew up. Turkish “If” was married to “but,” and the offspring was named “Oh,
would that.” Persian It is human ignorance alone which causes the pot to boil for
priests. French He that does you a very ill turn will never forgive you. English An image-maker never worships the Buddha. Chinese The impossible requires no excuse. Dutch
Illness gives you the taste of health. Hungarian The tepid water of incredulity acts as an emetic on secrets.
Spanish An indictment cannot be got up without lies. Chinese One finds but little ingratitude so long as one is in a position to
do good. French He whom it touches nearest always learns his injury last.
Spanish A good memory does not equal pale ink. Chinese
The palest ink is better than the most retentive memory.
Chinese An innkeeper never worries if your appetite is good. Chinese It is a mark of insincerity of purpose to spend one’s time in
looking for the sacred emperor in the low-class tea-shops.
Chinese A man must insult himself before others will. Chinese For an intelligent man, one word, and he understands. Chinese Many have good intentions but something comes across them.
German Interest will not lie. English
Every man is the best interpreter of his own words. German Iron long fired becomes steel. Chinese
Ivory does not grow in the mouth of a dog. Chinese Pawn Majority
In August was the jackal born and in September saw he a flood and said “Never in my life have I seen such a flood.” Indian I have a good jacket in France. Spanish
When you make the jail too nice, you better strengthen the hog pen. Negro Better lose a jest than a friend. English
They that jest with cats must count on scratches. Scottish If you make a jest, you must take a jest. English It is ill jesting with edged tools. English
Jests, like sweetmeats, have often sour sauce. English A joke ought to have sheep’s teeth, not a dog’s. Czech He that jokes confesses. Italian
Conversation on a journey is equal to conveyance. Indian “I am going, I am going,” that is what makes the journey so long. Sudanic In the midst of great joy do not promise to give a man anything; in the midst of great anger do not answer a man’s letter. Chinese He whose father is a judge goes safe to his trial. English When the criminal is acquitted the judge is found guilty. Latin A dealer in onions is a good judge of leeks. French Unless hell be full, no judge will ever be saved. Montenegrin To him of good judgment the sound of a gnat suffices, but to him who lacks it, the noise of an orchestra availeth not. Turkish Money and friendship break the arms of justice. Italian Justice, but not in my house. Spanish
The End
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36 games, 1620-2015 - JJ Syllabusing us
No Queen sac today
by WorstPlayerEver
May-07-18
All my hope has faded away
The lady stands forlorn
A symbol of the dawn
No Queen sac today
It seems a common sight
But people passing by
Don't know the reason why
1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 3.d4 d5
White to move [Opening Explorer] 4.?
1) +0.22 (35 ply) 4.exd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.O-O Nf6 9.Bg5 Be6 10.Nd4 Rc8 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.Nd2 O-O 13.Qe2 Qd6 14.Rad1 Qe5 15.Bh4 Bd6 16.Nf3 Qxe2 17.Bxe2 Nd7 18.Rfe1 Nc5 19.h3 a6 20.c4 Rf5 21.cxd5 exd5 22.b3 Ne6 2) -0.01 (35 ply) 4.e5 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Be2 Nh6 7.a4 cxd4 8.a5 Nxa5 9.b4 Nc6 10.b5 Na5 11.Bxh6 gxh6 12.O-O Bd7 13.Qa4 Nc4 14.Bxc4 dxc4 15.Nxd4 Qc5 16.Nd2 Be7 17.Rfe1 O-O 18.Qd1 a6 19.Qg4+ Kh8 20.Qh5 Bxb5 21.Qxh6 Rfc8 22.Nxb5 axb5 3) -0.14 (35 ply) 4.Nd2 cxd4 5.cxd4 dxe4 6.Nxe4 Nf6 7.Bd3 Nxe4 8.Bxe4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 Nd7 11.Bf3 O-O 12.Ne2 Nf6 13.O-O Rb8 14.Rfd1 b6 15.Nc3 Bb7 16.d5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.Bxd5 exd5 19.Qxd5 Qf6 20.Qb5 Rbd8 21.Qe2 Rde8 22.Qb5 Qg6 23.g3 h6 Cross Checks: Game Collection: Cross-checks Examples, Mixed: Game Collection: Great tactics examples Nine? Game Collection: The Ninth Pawn's Chess Course Sac to Pass the Pawn: Game Collection: Sacrifice to turn advanced into passed pawns Minev's book: Game Collection: mastering Tactical ideas by minev SMG Miniatures: Game Collection: Brrilant ideas MT Facts: https://www.chessjournal.com/facts-... Yasser's Winning Tactics: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics Yasser's Winning Brilliancies: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Brilliancies “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 “Fischer is like Zeus; he is the God of the gods.” — Nigel Short “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” ― Stephen King According to some sources, the term "bald-faced lie" comes from the fact that businessmen in the 18th and 19th century wore beards to make it easier to disguise their facial expressions while making deals (whereas you must be particularly good at lying to do it "bald-faced"). (to the tune of "Did I Remember," hit song from 1936) by beatgiant Did I remember to tell you I play chess,
and I am livin' to kibitz alone?
Did I remember to say I'm here all day,
and just how carried away with GMs' play?
Chess was on my screen and that was all I knew,
Posting a mate in 2, what did I say to you?
Did I remember to tell you I play chess,
And pray forever more the site's online?
“I went frantically mad with chess. I bought a chess-board. I bought Il Calabrese. I shut myself up in my room and spent days and nights there with a will to learn all the games by heart, to cram them into my head willy-nilly, to play alone without end or remission. After two or three months working in that fine way, and after unimaginable endeavours, I went to the Cafe with a lean and sallow face, and nearly stupid. I made a trial, playing with Monsieur Bagueret again. He beat me once, twice, twenty times.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau A weasel walks into a bar and the bartender says, “Wow, I’ve never seen a weasel before. What can I get you?”
“Pop,” goes the weasel.
Simplification
A saddle fits more backs than one.
When the saddle is empty, you can mount. German
Lay the saddle upon the right horse. English
It is safe taking a slice of a cut loaf. English When one has said “A” one must also say “B.” German Hoist your sail when the wind is fair. English
Sailors go round the world without going into it. English To go barefoot does not make the saint. German
Let a saint be ever so humble he will have his wax taper.
Danish Many turn saints for their stomach’s sake. Indian Unhappy people make the saints rich. German
All are not saints that go to church. Italian
They are not all saints who use holy water. English He who ate salt will drink water. Indian
As you salute, you will be saluted. Italian
He dived into a saucer, and his back showed up.
(Said when a man makes a shallow excuse.) Bantu
What you save on the hay you must add to the whip. German Save something for the man that rides on the white horse.
(i.e. for old age.) English
One does not know for whom one saves. Icelandic
He who saves for another day has no trust in God. Chilean Say not all thou knowest, but believe all thou sayest. German Better say nothing than nothing to the purpose. English Nowadays, whatever is not worth saying is sung. French Saying well causes a laugh; doing well produces silence. French He who says “A” at last comes to “Z.” German Scandal is like an egg; when it is hatched it has wings. Malay He laughs at scars that never felt a wound. German Since you have been scolding me, I have counted a hundred and
twenty holes in that nutmeg-grater. Spanish Scotsmen always reckon from an ill hour. Scottish There is no need for a sculptor to be himself made of marble.
French Go to the sea if you would fish well. Italian
No one can complain of the sea who twice suffers a shipwreck.
German Don’t make an enemy of your secret.
(i.e. don’t tell it.) Irish
He that tells a secret is another’s servant. English He who asks does not go wrong, but his secret is dug up.
Hamitic A secret only goes in trousers.
(i.e. women can’t keep one.) Yiddish
I wish to see face and back.
(i.e. both sides of the question.) African
If you see him riding on a bamboo cane say to him, “Good health
to your horse.” No one can see in others further than the teeth. Danish One “see” is worth a thousand “tells.” Chinese A man who stands behind a wall can see nothing else.
(Said of one obsessed with one thing.) Japanese
We can never see the sun rise by looking into the West.
Japanese
One may see through a wall if there is a hole in it. German Mr. “Seeing-for-himself” falls into misfortune. Bantu Seeing’s believing, but feeling’s the naked truth. Scottish He who has seen little marvels much. Chinese
God, what things a man sees when he goes out without a gun!
Boer
Who will sell a blind horse praises the feet. German If it will not sell, it will not sour. Scottish
They that sell kids and have no goats, how came they by them?
Spanish The sensible man understands a half a word. French It is good to strike the serpent’s head with your enemy’s. If you pay not a servant his wages, he will pay himself. English If you have a loitering servant, place his dinner before him, and
send him on an errand. Spanish
A new servant will catch a deer. Indian
He who has servants has unavoidable enemies. Spanish Many servants, many enemies. German
The best served is not he who puts other people’s arms at the
ends of his arms. French He who serves is not free. Spanish
Not all that shakes falls. Italian
When sharpers prey upon one another, there’s no game
abroad. English You do not wish to be shaven, you want to have the hairs
plucked out. Bantu Become a sheep and you will see the wolf. Bulgarian Never fleece two sheep at a time; the other may bite you.
Bantu That sheep has his belly full which butts his companions.
Spanish He that has one sheep in the flock will like all the rest the better
for it. English That is a woeful silly sheep that goes to the wolf to confess. A sheep was never known to climb a tree. Chinese Never give the sheep when you can pay with the wool. German A sheep’s bite is never more than skin deep. Italian When a Sheik dies his friendships die with him.
(i.e. the tribe is free to make new alliances.) Arabic There is more disputing about the shell than the kernel.
German To a crazy ship, all winds are contrary. English @#$%ten luck is good luck.
(i.e. to befoul oneself with ordure is lucky.) English One cannot shoe a running horse. Dutch
Every shoe fits not every foot. English
Only the shoe knows if the stocking has a hole. Negro I know best where the shoe pinches me. English
To him who hath a shoe under his foot it is the same as if the
world was covered with leather. Shoemakers go to mass and pray that sheep may die. Spanish When the shopkeeper has nothing to do he changes the
weights. Arabic Ten who shout obtain much more than ten who remain silent.
Chilean The sick man is vexed with the flies on the wall. German If you intend to give a sick man medicine, let him get very ill first,
so that he may see the benefit of your medicine. Sudanic The sieve says to the needle, “You have a hole in your tail.”
India
Silence answers much. Dutch
Much silence has a mighty noise. Bantu
Silence is also an answer.
Silence was never written down. Italian
He that knows nothing, knows enough if he know how to be
silent. Italian Be silent or say something better than silence. German No simile yet ran on all fours. Latin
A sin concealed is half pardoned. French
True sincerity sends for no witnesses. English
The sinning is the best part of repentance. Arabic He sins as much who holds the bag as he who puts into it.
French Never sit in the place of the man who can say to you, “Rise.”
Arabic It is as cheap sitting as standing. English
One cannot ski so softly that the traces cannot be seen.
Finnish In taking a seat and putting on his hat a man shows much of his
skill. Spanish If the sky fall, we shall catch larks. English
What is said to a man’s face is not slander. Chinese Give a slave a rod, and he’ll beat his master. English If I sleep, I sleep for myself; if I work, I know not for whom.
Italian To sleep in the inn of the stars.
(i.e. out of doors.) Spanish
Take care, the sleep of non-existence will overtake you at last;
for the coming and going of the breath is but the rocking of the
cradle. Persian Sleep to the sick is half health. German
In a small town one knows the other by his nose. German He smells best that smells of nothing. English
To be a smith you must work at the forge. Latin
They who shun the smoke often fall into the fire. Italian Tramp on a snail, and she’ll shoot our her horns. Scottish One year bitten by a snake, for three years afraid of a grass
rope. Chinese Do not whirl a snake in the air when you have killed it; the ones
which remain in their holes see you. Bantu There is no distinction between big and little when you are
talking about snakes. Indian The owner of a soft head takes good care of it. Bantu A soldier, fire, and water, soon make room for themselves.
Italian All are not soldiers who go to the wars. Spanish Through others I am somebody. Bantu
A man likes to be better than everyone else but worse than his
son. Serbian He who pitches too high won’t get through his song. German That is done soon enough which is well done. French That is a prodigious plaster for so small a sore. English Different sores must have different salves. English Sorrow is like a precious treasure; shown only to friends. Malay A good soup draws the chair to it. Sudanic
Sow with the hand, and not with the whole sack. English You can’t dig with a spade handle, but it helps the spade to dig.
Bantu A bad Spaniard makes a good Portuguese. Spanish
A little spark kindles a great fire. Italian
It is one thing to speak much, and another to speak pertinently.
English When all men speak, no man hears. English
Do not speak of rope in the house of the hanged. German It is easier to speak than to say something. Russian He who speaks without being answered, how great is his pain?
Bantu a good spectator also creates. Swiss
If you spit in his eye, he says, “It is raining.”
(Said of one who is difficult to insult.) Polish Who spits against the wind fouls his beard. Dutch A dry spoon doesn’t please. Turkish
That’s a spoon in another man’s mouth.
(Said when an office-holder dies or resigns.) Irish You have put an empty spoon in my mouth. Scottish Said in sport, meant in earnest. German
He that cannot make sport, should mar none. Scottish In sports and in journeys men are known. English One spot spots the whole dress. Flemish
Errands are small on a spring day. Icelandic
If you squeeze a cork, you will get but little juice. English When one goes to a town inhabited by squint-eyed people one
must squint one’s eyes. Siamese The squirrel can beat the rabbit climbing a tree, but then the
rabbit makes the best stew and that sort of equalizes things.
Negro The squirrel is not heard in the forest.
(i.e. too insignificant.) Bantu
Do not fear a stain that disappears with water. Spanish It is hard for a man who stands to talk to one who is seated.
Russian The light of a hundred stars does not equal the light of the
moon. Chinese He that can stay, obtains. English
Once in forty years I set out to steal, and then the moon shone
all night. Oriental If you steal for others you shall be hanged yourself. English Stealing with your eyes is no sin. Russian
He that hides it is no better than he that steals. Danish Not he who steals is hanged, but he who is caught stealing.
Czech He steals the pig, and gives away the feet for God’s sake.
Spanish Mind the step; the bottom one’s the lowest. Irish If you tell every step, you will make a long journey of it.
English With the arrival of the stepmother the father becomes a
stepfather. Afghanistan Stolen waters are sweet. Scottish
He who throws stones in the night kills his brother. Sudanic It is no time to stoop when the head is off. English Stop a little to make an end the sooner. English There is much good sleep in an old story. German He that would rightly understand a man, must read his whole
story. English If you don’t hear the story clearly, don’t carry it off with you
under your arm. Siamese Who wants to straighten a crooked street will have to pull down
many houses. Serbian The third strand makes the cable. Dutch
Who curries a strange horse gets the hairs for his labor.
Finnish What a pleasure to sit in the fire having on strange trousers.
Estonian Strife is the father of all things.
If you lift your hand to strike you are three-tenths lower than
your opponent. Chinese He who strikes first, strikes twice. Walloon
Striking and not making it felt, is anger lost. English A strong man can spin his top in the sand. Japanese He who is stronger than you strikes you with the stick you carry.
Bantu After being struck on the head with an axe, it is a positive
pleasure to be beaten about the body with a wooden club.
Chinese If a man be struck once, people say he was thrashed.
Bulgarian Some study shows the need for more. Chinese
He that stumbles, and falls not quite, gains a step. English He who stumbles twice over one stone deserves to break his
shins. English Who disputes with the stupid must have sharp answers.
German Success has many friends. Greek
For those who do not know how to suffer, any life is death.
Spanish We must suffer much, or die young. Danish
Sugar is sweet from all four corners.
(i.e. wherever you eat it.) Kalmuk
One sprinkles the most sugar where the tart is burnt. Dutch People with wax heads shouldn’t walk in the sun. English Speak not against the sun.
(i.e. argue not against what is clear.) Chinese
If the sun shines on me I care not for the moon. Italian When the sun shines the moon has nothing to do. French The sun should not feel wroth at a firefly. Siamese What’s the good of a sun-dial in the shade? English The sunset is mighty pretty to the plowhand. Negro He who sends charcoal in a snowstorm is the true superior man.
Chinese In hot weather there is no superior man.
(i.e. because nobody stands on ceremony.) Chinese He is truly a superior man who can watch a chess game in
silence. Chinese “May you live and prosper” won’t support the wife and family.
Malay If your mind is free from care, stand surety for a loan! If your
body is free from pain, stamp on a dog’s tail. Tibetan A man surprised is half beaten.
The swallow carries spring on its wings. Czech
It is good to hold the clothes of one who is swimming. Italian While in battle you cannot lend your sword. Bosnian Who draweth his sword against his Prince must throw away the
scabbard. English He runs away from the sword and hides in the scabbard.
Sudanic The sharp sword is given to the brave soldier. Chinese If your sword is short, lengthen it by a step. Hungarian The scabbard of my sword is the liver of my enemy. Tibetan One sword keeps another in the scabbard. English A broken sword must be left in its scabbard. German Scanderberg’s sword must have Scanderberg’s arm. English He who never draws the sword without cause, never lays it
down without honor. Spanish The sword’s fellowship is sweet. Afghanistan
A good swordsman is never quarrelsome. French
The End
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227 games, 1840-2023 - JJAnnotats us
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Russians Play: Game Collection: Chernev: The Russians Play Chess Classic Games: Game Collection: GM RAM Game Selection Evolution: Game Collection: # Chess Evolution Volumes 51-100 Play Stockfish 1-10: https://labinatorsolutions.github.i... 15-year-old Bobby Fischer beats out Samuel Reshevsky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ak... “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 “Fischer is like Zeus; he is the God of the gods.” — Nigel Short “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” ― Stephen King According to some sources, the term "bald-faced lie" comes from the fact that businessmen in the 18th and 19th century wore beards to make it easier to disguise their facial expressions while making deals (whereas you must be particularly good at lying to do it "bald-faced"). (to the tune of "Did I Remember," hit song from 1936) by beatgiant Did I remember to tell you I play chess,
and I am livin' to kibitz alone?
Did I remember to say I'm here all day,
and just how carried away with GMs' play?
Chess was on my screen and that was all I knew,
Posting a mate in 2, what did I say to you?
Did I remember to tell you I play chess,
And pray forever more the site's online?
“I went frantically mad with chess. I bought a chess-board. I bought Il Calabrese. I shut myself up in my room and spent days and nights there with a will to learn all the games by heart, to cram them into my head willy-nilly, to play alone without end or remission. After two or three months working in that fine way, and after unimaginable endeavours, I went to the Cafe with a lean and sallow face, and nearly stupid. I made a trial, playing with Monsieur Bagueret again. He beat me once, twice, twenty times.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau There are three types of people in the world:
Those who can count and those who can’t.
Retro:
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 504 Gateway Time-out
Best Chess Video Games: https://gamerant.com/best-chess-vid... Basics of Calculation: https://takelessons.com/crafts-and-... Computer Engines, Three Pawns Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78T... PIERDE LA CABEZA Y ENTREGA LA TORRE!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3a... Spanish Game for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ2... Two Brilliant Moves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEs... The Hispanic Classic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-X... How to Punish Mistakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-m... Magnus Carlsen Shows How to Play the Ruy Lopez: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN7... Magnus Carlsen Sacrifices his Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJz... Magnus Carlsen Attacks the Sicilian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ka... A Wild Sicilian Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1U... Craziest Move of 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-57... “Rock Me Gently” by Andy Kim (1974): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyJ... “You Make My Dreams (Come True)” By Hall & Oates (1980): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEr... “Celebration” By Kool & The Gang (1980): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gw... “I’m So Excited” By The Pointer Sisters (1982): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iw... “Walking On Sunshine” By Katrina And The Waves (1983): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPU... “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” By Cyndi Lauper (1983): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIb... “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” By Bobby Mcferrin (1988): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-d... “Man! I Feel Like A Woman” By Shania Twain (1997): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJL... “Put Your Records On” By Corinne Bailey Rae (2006): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjO... “I'm Yours” By Jason Mraz (2008): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkH... “I Gotta Feeling” By The Black Eyed Peas (2009): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwd... “Good Life” By One Republic (2009): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZh... “Hey, Soul Sister” By Train (2009): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVp... “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) By Kelly Clarkson (2011): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn6... “Happy” By Pharrell Williams (2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6S... “Best Day Of My Life” By American Authors (2014): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y66... “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” by Joan Baez (1971): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28c... “Dancing Queen” by ABBA (1974): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFr... “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac (1977): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3y... She stopped and turned around... the moment lives on here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J9... Do you play Fischer Random in pubs? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljj... “Troubles will come... but they will pass.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJK... “Havana” by Camila Cabello
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3v...
A la una yo nací. Música Sefardí. Emilio Villalba & Sephardica: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clH... “Quién Será” by Danny Frank: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPh... “La Sonora Santanera” - Pena Negra ft. María José: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWH... Santana's "Una Noche en Napoles" ft. Lilla Downs, Soledad and Niña: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks7... Lila Downs, Niña Pastori, Soledad - Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra4... Natalia Jiménez, Lila Downs - La Cigarra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIi... Sarah Coponat - Némésis ( Live improvisation from the Studio): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Guc... “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufm... “Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVx... “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0c... The Who performing “Happy Jack”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52c... “Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron” by Royal Guardsmen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxz... “The Beat Goes On” by Sonny & Cher:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lk... Jimi Hendrix' “Purple Haze”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJu... “Ain't No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABf... “My Way” by Frank Sinatra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQz... For those who cannot play blindfold chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTS... “Sway (Quien Sera)” by Dean Martin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmU... <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 contolling 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.)>
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104 games, 1867-2020
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Kibitzing
