offramp Member since Aug-16-03 · Last seen Jan-10-26 Some chess books that I think are outstanding: 1. <Fundamental Chess Endgames>, by Müller & Lamprecht, reprinted 2020. 400pp+, £25. 2. <Secrets of Practical Chess>, by Dr Nunn. 256pp (the USUAL 256pp!, i.e. the usual 2^8). £20. 3. <Capablanca's Best Chess Endings>, Irving Chernev's best work. 300pp. £15. 4. <107 Great Chess Battles 1939-1945>, written by Alexander Alekhine, but edited by Edward Winter. 256pp, £15. 5 (a) <Petrosian Year by Year Volume 1 (1942-1962)>, and - Karolyi & Gyozalyan, 484pp. (b) <Petrosian Year by Year Volume 2 (1963-1984)> - Karolyi & Gyozalyan, 516pp. They are £34 each. I bought one, then a few months later, the other volume. They are available in Kindle format! 6. <The Queen's Gambit Accepted: A Sharp and Sound Response to 1. d4> by Chris Ward. Ward wrote a superb book about the QGD, many years ago. I think this is useful for a book about the QGA. A total antidote to 1. d4, 2. c4. And now some total clinkers. NOT those well-known garbage chess books. The following are really bad chess books. 1. <Capablanca: A Compendium of Games, Notes, Articles, Correspondence, Illustrations and Other Rare Archival Materials on the Cuban Chess Genius Jose Raul Capablanca, 1888-1942> by Edward Winter. 360pp. c. £35. The title is the best thing. 2. <Larsen: Move by Move> - Cyrus Lakdawala Paperback, 488pp. 3. <Emanuel Lasker Volumes 1, 2 & 3 - Forster, Negele & Tischbierek>. £55 each. This book is unbelievably boring and tedious. Just look through it, then forget about it. AT THIS SAME TIME a totally superb book has just come out: <Emanuel Lasker All Games Volume 1 & 2: 1889-1940 (2 books)>, £55 for two books: Volume 1 covers the time Lasker became World Champion and played matches against Steinitz (twice for the World Championship), Bird and Blackburne amongst others. He also took part several famous tournaments including Hastings 1895, St Petersburg 1895-96 and Nuremberg 1896. Volume 2 covers the time Lasker played matches against Marshall, Tarrasch, Janowski, Schlechter and Capablanca for the World Championship. He also took part several famous tournaments including St Petersburg 1914, New York 1924, Moscow 1935 & 1936 and Nottingham 1936. Hardbacks, 388 and 342 pages, Russian Chess House. A real bargain. 4. <Pal Benko : My Life, Games and Compositions>, £140. Who is the most famous chess player out of Benko and Fischer? Who published the most plush, most opulent book? Benko. ..... Here are another 7 books: <He received a letter from his bookseller, informing him that only seven copies had been sold, and concluding with a polite request for the balance. Scythrop <[SKI-throp]> did not despair. <Seven copies,> he thought, <have been sold. Seven is a mystical number, and the omen is good. Let me find the seven purchasers of my seven copies, and they shall be the seven golden candlesticks with which I will illuminate the world.>.>

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Jan-10-26 J Hu vs S Badacsonyi, 2025   offramp: 14...Nb7. [DIAGRAM] White does not want to castle. It looks risky. White wasn't sure what to do. Instead, he played a2-a4, then a5 and a6, creating an important outpost for his knight at b7. 20. Nb7. [DIAGRAM] 20...e3 21. f3. Mate in 3.      Jan-10-26 Firouzja vs D Lazavik, 2025   offramp: I was drawn to this game from the home page. Some other people were discussing Two Knights (C58) . In a blitz game GM Firouija played the 2♘ opening. I was interested to see the modern ideas in this very ancient opening. Here is a new one: White had played 4. Ng5, that is      Jan-09-26 Tata Steel Masters (2026)    offramp: It's wonderful to see this ancient tournament. This year this will be the 87th top-class Dutch tournament. The town has no actual name: <Wijk aan Zee> means, "town on the sea". <Time to getta proppa name dudezz👾!!> Giri has real chances of winning this one because he ...      Jan-09-26 Kasparov vs Nunn, 1989    offramp: It's a really good game, mainly because Kasparov is White against the King's Indian, which he normally played as Black. White had a big shock but managed to defend.      Jan-09-26 Mackenzie - Reichhelm US Championship (1867)    offramp: I have played through these games and I have found them interesting, but not setting the world on fire. I think that MacKenzie was <professional>, but not exciting. He did not really give his opponent a chance, he outclassed him.      Jan-09-26 Mackenzie vs G Reichhelm, 1867   offramp: The French Defense (C15). MacKenzie kept the position in control. Mainly, he did everything he could do to keep that dratted black QB in a prison. 34...Bxd7. [DIAGRAM] Black was in real trouble.      Jan-08-26 P Wells vs K Hanache, 2025   offramp: I've been pondering about this game. <Are you pondering what I am pondering?> (Brain & Pinky.) The whole game is interesting, right from the start. E.g., Black was 13. Wells was 60. Wells played in the traditional English weekend circuit style. That style includes Kim ...      Jan-08-26 Tata Steel India Rapid (2026)   offramp: Good old Niemann. He is a globe-trotter. I have seen his suitcase. It is pretty small, and it is covered in stickers: <London>, <Tashkent>, <Beijing> and many others. Now he is in <Kolktata>. My Indian friend told me that Niemann was a bit <funky>. And ...      Jan-08-26 G Reichhelm vs Mackenzie, 1867   offramp: The powerful Evans Gambit might resurface in the 2030s. Many players might get fed up with the Joko Piano. I don't know the Evans. I don't know how far the theory goes down. In that era they played 1000s of the Evans. Oh blimey! 19. Nfd5. [DIAGRAM] There was available to Black a      Jan-08-26 G Reichhelm vs Mackenzie, 1867   offramp: This was similar to the first game: both players were happy to accept every exchange. 16. Rxc3. [DIAGRAM] Now plays very well. It's interesting to see that Black did <not> give a <luft> square for the black king until he <had> to do it. 22...g6. [DIAGRAM] ...

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Ye Olde Offrampe Predicktions

< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 86 ·  Later Kibitzing> Jun-03-06    offramp: Poor Gormally - he shouldn't have done it, and I think it might end his chess career. Seriously I do, and that's a great shame. Jun-03-06    Open Defence: <offramp> maybe you can hang a "WHY?" sign around his neck ? Jun-03-06    offramp: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/... Jun-04-06    hitman84: Rofl! You forgot to blacken his eye :) Jun-04-06    Open Defence: I've never had men fighting over me... they would probably lump me into the garage sale..... Jun-06-06    offramp: Calling all Armenians! I went to Sutton Masonic Hall today and a Lodge was having a meeting; Mount Ararat Lodge No 9237. It's a Lodge comprised of mainly Armenians - it has 44 members and only 13 have a name that doesn't end in -ian or -yan. I congratulated them on their Olympic victory! Jun-07-06    Stevens: <offramp> are you in england? are you talking about Sutton in Surrey? Jun-07-06    offramp: Yes, Sutton in Surrey. Jun-07-06    offramp: Not a very good picture: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/... The photo is a bit blurred. The lodge crest is a golden eagle and laurel wreath surmounted by a square and compasses in which is an all-seeing eye. In the centre is a picture of Mount Ararat above what might look like a chessboard but is in fact a masonic chequered carpet. Jun-11-06    offramp: Proof of the link between Queen Elizabeth and the Cthulhu vult http://petrosiansunderpants.blogspo... Jun-12-06    Benzol: <offramp> What is the Cthulhu vult? I'm aware of the stories by H. P. Lovecraft and others. Jun-12-06    offramp: I meant 'cult'. Sorry about that! With Lovecraft it is hard to spot misspellings. Jun-12-06    offramp: The government wants immigrants to be forced to learn English to show that they intend to assimilate. I think it's a trap. In order to show that they are truly English, immigrants should refuse to learn a second language. Jun-12-06    offramp: I like the idea of these red & white 'dangerous driver' flags that the DVLA is issuing. Jun-13-06    offramp: Does ♖+♘♘ defeat a lone ♖? Jun-13-06    offramp: [Event "ts21"] [Site "?"] [Date "1981.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Sidorov, B."] [Black "[=1252.80b8d8]"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN " click for larger view "] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "1981.??.??"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2000.10.30"] 1. Bh2 Bxh2 2. g3 Bxg3 3. Rf4 Bxf4 4. d6 Bxd6 5. Qh2 Bxh2 6. Re5 Bxe5 7. Nab5 Bh2 8. f6 Bxc7+ 9. Nxc7 1/2-1/2 Jun-13-06    offramp: I suppose my biggest regret in my life so far is that I have suffered a lot from splinters. It won't happen again though. Touch wood. Jun-18-06    offramp: I am doing a beginner's course on dogs called Dalmations 101. Jun-18-06    Open Defence: what would you call your cookbook "101 Hotdogs?" Jun-20-06    offramp: Just before he died, I rubbed butter all over my Dad's back. After that he went downhill very fast. Jun-21-06    offramp: As soon as blues singers start repeating themselves I sort of lose interest. Jun-21-06    sneaky pete: Woke up this morning, blues fallin' down like rain Went back to sleep, not to lose <offramp>s interest Jun-21-06    Open Defence: <blues> 'sure got cold after the rain fell down... not from the sky... from my eyes... Jun-27-06    offramp: "Man with nightcap, in bed, fore. Woman, with curlpins, hind. Discovered. Side point of view. First position of harmony. Say! Eh? Ha! Check action. Matt. Male partly masking female. Man looking round, beastly expression, fishy eyes, paralleliped homoplatts, ghazometron pondus, exhibits rage. Business. Ruddy blond, Armenian bole, black patch, beer wig, gross build, episcopalian, any age. Woman, sitting, looks at ceiling, haggish expression, peaky nose, trekant mouth, fithery wight, exhibits fear. Welshrabbit teint, Nubian shine, nasal fossette, turfy tuft, undersized, free kirk, no age. Closeup. Play! Callboy. Cry off Tabler. Her move. Footage. By the sinewy forequarters of the mare Pocahontas and by the white shoulders of Finnuala you should have seen how that smart sallowlass just hopped a nanny's gambit out of bunk like old mother Mesopotomac and in eight and eight sixtyfour she was off, door, knightlamp with her, billy's largelimbs prodgering after to queen's lead. Promiscuous Omebound to Fiammelle la Diva. Huff! His move. Blackout. Circus. Corridor. Shifting scene. Wall flats: sink and fly. Spotlight working wall cloths. Spill playing rake and bridges. Room to sink: stairs to sink behind room. Two pieces. Haying after queue. Replay. The old humburgh looks a thing incomplete so. It is so. On its dead. But it will pawn up a fine head of porter when it is finished. In the quicktime. The castle arkwright put in a chequered staircase certainly. It has only one square step, to be steady,yet notwithstumbling are they stalemating backgammoner supstairs by skips and trestles tiltop double corner. Whist while and game. What scenic artist! It is ideal residence for realtar. By hims ingang tilt tinkt a tunning bell that Limen Mr, that Boggey Godde, be airwaked. Lingling, lingling. Be their maggies in all. Chump, do your ephort. Shop! Please shop! Shop ado please! O ado please shop! How hominous his house, haunt it? Yesses indead it be ! Nogen, of imperial measure,is begraved beneadher. Here are his naggins poured, his alladim lamps. Around the bloombiered, booty with the bedst. For them whom he have fordone make we newly thankful !" Jun-27-06    offramp: Someone has pointed out that the above piece by James Joyce reads "somewhat like the afteramble to a porn site..." Jump to page #   (enter # from 1 to 86) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 86 ·  Later Kibitzing>

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