Why? I have been very busy with the Gameknot games but 2 days ago there is some piece and quiet on that front as I have now only 5 games going on...

I just read your last(?) post at the W vs GMT page and I could have written it myself! -- I'd need to start motoring behind my own wooden board and run through some ideas that come along, then check them out with my engine... Which would be a lot of fun, but time consuming as well.

But, just like you, that's the way I would go... But I have to be careful to not lose myself in there -- I'd much prefer going through your recent win against the sicilian you mentioned at Dom's and show you one of my recent victories, though I must say it's tempting to have a crack at this juncture in the W vs GMT game this weekend- I'll be in touch Catwoman!

Yes <Dominus>, ponder. But without an engine-- what would you play with white here?

WE need to know.

"Our" ♕ at a3 looks out of place here too and I would probably ponder a b3- or a Rb1-followed-by-b4 kind of move...

This is just my initial impression...

The Queen is not communicating with the other pieces in the present spot.

Black's king is surrounded by weakened dark squares, so the black DSB is surely a target? Optimally?

You'd think so anyway.

1) Yesterday, at the mall, I met an enchanting young woman who was talking to Lars and stroking his beautiful red-brown fur as I walked back from the bakery. We started a conversation as she was very interested in Lars because she has a Dachshund as well. As hers is a girl and I had already told that Lars is a boy, she suggested the possibility of having them mate!

I said that that might be a great idea, as my mother quits working next year and would love to have a little doggy around to keep her company.. So we exchanged emails right there at the spot! Looks like we might get a few little Larsjes next year...

2) <Je bent een topper!> is hard to translate but this is what I came up with, for now...

You rock! I dig you!

Of course, as always, it's the tone with which you say those words that makes all the difference- a literal translation wouldn't cover it at all.

One more thing.. The GMT game is very, very interesting- and your assesment of the position was of very high quality IMO. I will follow the proceedings with more interest than I used to- but will not join in the kibitzing at that page, although I'd love too discuss it with you any time, not being too bothered with those 23 ply comp lines. Maybe I'd need to adjust to that in order to have fun in participating in it.

Last night I posted some of my thoughts at Dom's but later deleted it, because I wasn't sure I agreed with what I said... But <Dom>, as usual, worded it perfectly when he said that his opinion on engine analysis changes regularly...

Here is a user comment on a message board:

<I would say it is obtuse for the same reasons that Pi is, whatever you may think those are, though I think the Fountain reaches further. Its reach, however, might exceed its grasp. Is it better to try for more and fall a little short, or reach conservatively and get exactly where you meant to? Probably depends on who you talk to.>

I'm playing hookey from the gym right now; too damned tired to work out! When I win the lottery I'm going to hire someone to work out for me.

Fascinating thing on identical twins (and I know how interested you are in them!): a friend of mine was telling me he saw a show about several sets twins who'd been separated at their respective births, and all raised under very different circumstances. The investigators found that despite all the differences in terms of environment, pairs of twins would nonetheless often develop very similar tastes, and would even have the same choices in lawn furniture! That's spooky!

No new <lab dog> here, the old one just refuses to die.

Thanks as always for your encouragement of my chess interests.

<Pi> remains my favorite-- actually, the plot and the metaphorical visual leitmotifs have a seamless logic. The idea is that the mathemetician discovers that the <Male principle> is not suited to discovering fundamental truths- only the <Female principle> can do that.

The theme is very similar to Bunuel's <Viridiana> in that respect.

<Requiem for a Dream> is probably the best anti-drug film ever made. Truly horrifying.

<Fountain> is gorgeous, but I think it's a "swing and a miss."

The film doesn't hold together, too ambitious.

I think it would have been better as a 14 hour TV series so there'd be time to develop all the ideas.

There's simply too much to digest in the time format offered.

I look forward to <Aronofsky's> next film.

No telling what he will tackle next, or how he will do it.

That's cuz he is a <bona fide> film artist.

Boiling hot/humid
Freezing cold

So it's still Tropical weather here, and they tell me that sometime in the next two weeks it will suddenly get super cold and stay that way for six months.

Suits me fine. I can't take the humidity and heat.

I don't think I'd be able to survive in a country close to the equator.

Re <monozygotic> hi jinks.

Heh and that's not the half of it.
I saw a documentary where two <Monos> separated at birth and reunited in middle age had:

A. exactly the same weight and body fat ratio

B. wives with the same name

C. a pet dog with the same name.

What happened to free will???

I suppose <Richard Dawkins> would be happy.

Oh check out his two part documentary on why <REligion is the root of all evil>.

It's worth it just to see him being cranky and confrontational with religious maniacs.

Trust me! (and Joe):

This is worth a close look:

It was a Scotch, and I had castled Kingside.

My Queen was on the same diagonal as my King.

I moved a pawn to kick back his Knight in the center, and he made a curious move.

He played b3. This looked curious for a variety of reasons. First, it left his knight en prise.

Second, since our d pawns were already exchanged, it looked awkward cuz it gave him a backward c pawn.

I was so insulted that he bothered to play b3 in order to do this, that I became angry. How stupid does he think I am? I thought.

So I looked at the board for a minute or two, and said "screw it" I'm going to teach him a lesson and go on an adventure.

A knight, bishop and pawn for a queen in the opening.

The Eval has to be like minus 4 or worse.