Re the voting [I feel a bit awkward speaking about it at all, because the personal stake I supposedly had in this might make everything I say suspect, but still] – a bit ironically, I actually got considerably more votes than the last couple of years when I won the category, or for that matter more than other people who won the category in previous years. In 2007, <Mateo> won with only 5 people voting for him (I’m not even saying he got 5 votes, because some of them were split), in 2008 I won with 6 (ditto about the splitting – in "full" votes it hardly reached 4…), in 2009 with 7. This year, I see that 14 people voted for me (and thanks to all who did, btw), so in a way it’s actually more gratifying.

It's a shame that the voting shenanigans have tended to dominate this year. I suppose we need to recognise that this is not just one site but that there are several different groups who peacefully co-existing and usually don't noticing each other. And concerted lobbying for a favoured candidate is a fact of life and nothing new.

Thanks, everyone. I genuinely didn't expect this, mainly because <Once> has so many admirers. Including me -- so *there*, Annie & Jess. Perhaps you are letting your distaste for some of the posts on the POTD blind you to how well constructed his tales really are?

Anyway, I'd have been very happy to *share* it.

<Eyal> is right, too, to say that the golden age of widespread Caissar participation is a myth. It seemed *bigger* in the past, which I guess is what makes it a myth.

Was 2007 *really* four years ago?
*Heaves theatrical artificial sigh*.
Oy.

Anyhoo, thanks again. This isn't the time for that socio-phenomenology stuff.

I would like to thank ... well, no, not exactly *thank* ... but perhaps demonstrate that a certain good influence is working, by ending with a smiley.

;)

<Eyal> yes, numerically, you are correct.

"There were never any good old days"
-- Jack Beauregard

And yet. You should take into consideration that the site membership - and more specifically, the number of members active in the community - has grown since 2004, hugely.

This means that, all else being equal, the number of voters should have grown hugely as well. There are many more people following the posts, the live games, the forums, the Cafe. (And therefore are aware of the Caissars, and surely have their own opinions and preferences.) Why, then, hasn't the number of voters grown proportionally to the general membership growth?

The fact that it hasn't, is what shows that all else has not been equal. That there are and were, indeed, off-putting factors at work.

<Once: <And concerted lobbying for a favoured candidate is a fact of life and nothing new.>>

Factor in those Tagalog posts, and the even stranger language that is Rogoffian ... I'm surprised there isn't more Klingon.

The Caissars once functioned as an integrating factor in a small-ish community. Now areas formerly thought peripheral (like fans of a particular player) discover that they have the numbers - and the muscle - to influence matters elsewhere.

I suppose we can be thankful that the voters in the Pogo game aren't required to stick to moves that have been sanctified by the touch of a Wesleyan.

Is there a line? What if the best written post is in Norwegian, or Spanish, or....? Is that ok? What if the funniest kibitzer isn't <TD> after all, but some one who only posts in German?

I would like to pay more attention to such posters, but clearly won't be able to do so without a lot of study of languages on my part.

Denn <RemisTechnisch> ist Kaput, nicht wahr?

After that, I'd say participation started "falling off" by not growing as it statistically should have.

Also, I see that everyone voted today. Really he/she did- and you voted for everyone else today.

Just saying.

Also, I seem to have kidnapped the Caissar discussion that started here - and if you wanted it yourself then I apologize and will direct it back here - but it looked like maybe you wanted some peace, or something like that, while I wanted to take it further, and thought it may not be polite of me to "volunteer" *your* forum for it. ;s

On other matters, here's a game I just played, that I thought was cute. :)

I have no clue if it was at all sound. It's the hour of the night when I have forgotten any "book" I know, and play purely for move-by-move opportunities and tactics.

I also think it demonstrates nicely a completely pointless metaphorical idea I have, ;p that playing classical chess is sortof like fencing, with a sword and a shield, while playing blitz is more like two swords and no shield - each side just looks to their own offensive plans, and pays minimal attention to self defense...

[Event "FICS rated blitz game"]
[Date "2011.01.09"]
[White "NN"]
[Black "AnnieK"]
[WhiteElo "1307"]
[BlackElo "1487"]
[TimeControl "600+0"]
[Mode "ICS"]
[Result "0-1"]

Before I go any further:

"No".

This "no" is for demonstration purposes only, and should not be taken to imply a negative response to anything whatsoever.

Four Score™ and seven™ years ago™ ...

<craw> goodness, what's *that*?! ;)

The 20th century (remember *that*?) is ending. Over-population, fuelled by rampant breeding, is depleting every resource in sight. Rates of insanity are going through the roof ...

... and some bright spark figures out that the whole planet is a laboratory experiment, which began (with a faked history) in 1901, with the funeral of Queen Victoria.

- At least the bitch has a sense of humour, starting the experiment with her own funeral!

So our hero breaks into the crypt in London, and finds a godlike alien.

<She was huge, regal, imperious. She was Queen Victoria. And she was not amused.>

The dummy? Something to do with the insanity rate, I think. Maybe the premise was sound, but out by a decade or so.

We are lab rats.

This sense of labratology (labratontology?) is brought on by playing in chess tournaments. I'm currently halfway thru the Mulcahy weekender, having started loss-win-win against various sub-1400s. You don't want to hear about that first round loss.

At least I won R3 in 19 moves as Black, deploying one of the crazier lines of the Winawer French, where both players are worse.

Back later, if I survive. I'll tell you about the venue, should be worth a few larfs.

Before The Revolution - well, one of'em - I posted this here:

<But not recently, as I pretty much stopped playing 4.Ng5 in the Two Knights mainline since I started playing the Ulvestad <against> it. ;)>

Ah, the Ulvestad. Where razors go to learn about "sharp". :D Here's a game I played just now, but that's after just one coffee, so I can't guarantee it's sound in any way - ok, not that otherwise I could... :p

[Event "FICS rated blitz game"]
[Date "2011.01.15"]
[White "NN"]
[Black "AnnieK"]
[WhiteElo "1168"]
[BlackElo "1467"]
[TimeControl "600+0"]
[Mode "ICS"]
[Result "0-1"]