If our KRANTENS change to a new web address, should we list those new addresses in the NOTES section of our WCC drafts?>

The time has come, to talk of many things - chief amongst whether you are secretly a carpenter. I discussed this matter for some length with dear Lewis Carrot, and he thinks not - because all the sawdust would mess up your magnificent beard.

On a rare frisky note: I don't think so. Continuously checking and redating links is a lot of work. It sounds like an idea which is started with high hopes and the best of intentions, but slowly withers away until, a year later, no-one bothers anymore. So generally I wouldn't bother.

However it might be worthwhile to link a fraction of articles which are very important c.q. highly likely to be checked. So articles that are a definite foundation for the text, or articles that illustrate something that's often not/wrongfully reported.

Bottomline: I don't think it's feasible to keep links to all articles up to date.

Above all, keep clam.

Remember, if they find the missing link, then it wouldn't be missing, would it. So it'll never happen.

Did KRANTEN die yet? I'm afraid to look...

Anyways you and <thomastonk> really saved the farm there, as far as our purposes here are concerned.

It took me almost 4 hours to download and catalogue all the KRANTENS you two have donated to our project.

Whilst doing it, I was expecting the sky to fall on my head at any minute.

On the topic you just commented on, there wouldn't be any point in me saying a given KRANTEN source was "originally found in KRANTEN," right?

Even if the KRANTENS get relocated to that new 'GREEN GRASS' newspaper website (I can't remember the name), I'd be hesitant to re-track the existing Dutch newspaper sources we have and then list them with the new website URL.

Game Collection: WCC: Botvinnik-Smyslov 1954

Regarding this EDIT suggestion you made:

<EDIT <OhioChessFan>

[Quoting the existing intro to this event:]

< All the games were full of fight, and many of the games were of theoretical significance. >

"All but the final game, maybe. Smyslov's draw offer is inexplicable to me. And I think some mention of the controversy is in order."

Botvinnik vs Smyslov, 1954>

######################

I've just added something related to your idea, but not directly related to a game played in this match.

I just wanted to check the old website, and was linked through to the oracle of Delpher.

So it's good you downloaded them, because the links are probably gone - and all would have to be refound.

<On the topic you just commented on, there wouldn't be any point in me saying a given KRANTEN source was "originally found in KRANTEN," right?>

Only for the Big and Current newspapers and sources. However for the 20th century, the database contains some 3000-5000 Dutch newspapers - of which probably 90% ceased to exist. So it wouldn't be much use to report the article of from the.. Soerabaijasch handelsblad - because it won't have its own online archives. On the other hand, it might be useful to mention it was found at Delpher - and perhaps at that time that database still exists. Or it's retrievable where the database went.

<I don't think anyone does "Website oversight" very well.>

Exactly, I only rarely bother with trying older extern links because they are much too often broken. And if a massive and extremely active site like wiki can't maintain them, I have very little confidence we would. And I mean.. many wiki pages are less than 5 years old. If links are already broken, then it's clearly a losing strategy for anything but the short term.

Thanks for your further thoughts on this vexing issue.

You know what though, since I now "own" those newspapers, having downloaded them, I don't think I need to list any extra "website source" or even name the database I got them from?

Clearly the database didn't mind me or anyone else downloading the material or they wouldn't have listed the little "download button" on each newspaper.

So just as I don't need to list any "extra source" for a chess book I have, I don't think I need to list any "extra source" for the KRANTENS I now have?

Example-

I don't have to list sources in this fashion:

###########################

Andris Fride, <Vladimirs Petrovs: A Chessplayer's Story - From Greatness to the Gulags>, Caissa Editions, 2004.

Originally bought from Tony Peterson at "CHESS BOOKS SECONDHAND - RARE - OUT-OF-PRINT

PLEASE NOTE MY NEW ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE
NUMBER BELOW.

TONY PETERSON, 15 HARBOUR VIEW PARK,
ROPE WALK, LITTLEHAMPTON, WEST SUSSEX, BN17 5DQ, UK.

TEL: 01903 730371 (44 1903 730371 International)
Email: tony@chessbooks.co.uk" http://www.chessbooks.co.uk/

##############

Even though that's who I bought the book from. What a mensch he was about it too. At the time I bought it, the book was temporarily very rare and had a ridiculously high price. So I contacted Tony Peterson and he told me to wait a bit and he would try to find me a reasonably priced copy. And he did! I subsequently bought my "Klaus Jung" biography and my "Milan Vidmar" autobiography from him as well.

I had him in mind just today because he sent out his latest "customer email."

But as a reader I wouldn't know how to get ahold of some obscure article - so then I'd appreciate a first name to search for.

Since I now have a bunch of KRANTEN newspaper titles, I could find out if they appear in a future "web home" just by googling a given newspaper title and date, right?

You know I still remember my university library having old newspapers on "microfiche" that didn't just evaporate at a moment's notice.

As you are currently researching Smyslov and also Zürich 1953, I will introduce Najdorf's point of view, albeit as a quiz. The following excerpts are from Miguel Najdorf, Miguel 'Zürich 1953 - 15 Contenders for the World Chess Championship', 2012, Milford CT USA. I'll give the page number but omit the name of one player - always the same - and you have to guess who Najdorf is talking about.

P. 64: <Averbakh-X was an interesting game in which White, in a classic position of the Nimzo-Indian Defense, played the novelty 11.♖e1. X did not find the correct plan until, at the moment of adjournment, he hit on ... the offer of a draw! Which his rival accepted, to the amazement of the players and spectators.>

P. 108: <Boleslavsky and X played a Ruy Lopez which resulted in a surprising draw, when White had definite chances and should have continued the game.>

Pp. 112-113: <Here X proposed a draw, and to the astonishment of everyone, Boleslavsky accepted! In reality it was a position worth playing. [...] What could be the reason for the Russian master accepting the draw? Probably he took into account more than just the situation on the board: the great renown of his opponent. And this curious denouement occurred again several times in the tournament! [...]>

P. 220: <Petrosian once again essayed a King's Indian with White - a specialty of his - this time against X, who did not continue in the best way, falling into an inferior position. Petrosian sacrificed a pawn for a kingside attack and once again saw that X, even in great time pressure, knew how to find the right defense. However, in this game too the acceptance of the draw by White could be considered premature.>

Pp. 227-228: <As his custom, X offers a draw in a position inferior for him, and once again has the luck to get his proposal accepted. It is interesting to note that X never offers a draw in an equal position and, even more interesting, that there are still grandmasters who keep accepting his "generous" offers. This was the third game of the tournament which presented such a curious problem, which we will call psychological; the other beneficiaries were the Soviets Averbakh and Boleslavsky. Now it is the young master Petrosian who, for no reason, and with time pressure for his opponent but not for himself, accepts the draw in a promising position worth playing out ...>

hhaha Good old <Samuel Reshevsky>, always a "law unto himself."

Remember when you guys (rightly) questioned the lineup for Game Collection: WCC: FIDE WCC Tournament 1948 as being termed the "top contenders of the day?"

Here is <Vasily Smyslov's> own idea of why he was chosen to join this group:

<"The first international tournament in which I participated was in Groningen... in 1946. This event was of great importance: third place in the tournament (behind Botvinnik and Euwe) <<<opened the way>>> for my participation in the battle for the World Championship.">

I think it looks great. I like how if you click on a note number, it automatically takes you to the citation for that note.

Anyways congratulations!

I emailed <crawfb5> and <Daniel> and told them both that I like what they've done with your fine work.

I think this will do fine as a standard template for all of the rest of our promotions.

Anyways that's what I think.

Well spotted. That was one of Wilde's, so we don't have to take the rap for that.

I just emailed the Grand Piano with the correction you found.