User Profile: offramp

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offramp
Member since Aug-16-03 · Last seen Jan-16-26

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.>.>

>> Click here to see offramp's game collections.

   Current net-worth: 1,436 chessbucks
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   offramp has kibitzed 25202 times to chessgames [more...]

   Jan-15-26 Julien Song

offramp: The first game is dead level. I reckon Song will win this match easily.

   Jan-15-26 Tata Steel Masters (2026)

offramp: This tournament is going to be one of the best <EVER>. I suddenly had an idea that the World Champion, <Gukesh>, would win it. I think he is going to fully show his huge mettle. I think that he really has gird up his loins to show the Indians, and the whole world, that ...

   Jan-15-26 Giri vs Niemann, 2025

offramp: Giri said... <"Before the game I visualized a victory against Niemann. There's this technique.... I saw myself win. Then I went a bit too far and I started thinking about who would be in my team for the Candidates' - and that's when I realized I had gone too far."

   Jan-15-26 offramp chessforum

offramp: <𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗠𝗣 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗟 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 is taking place HERE from 14:00, 17th January 2026 to 1st February 2026. ...

   Jan-15-26 Dickson

offramp: Someone asked, "What the dickens??" The answer is "No."

   Jan-15-26 S Rosenthal vs Count Isouard, 1871

offramp: "Is You Is or Is You Ain't Isouard?"

   Jan-14-26 Keymer vs Carlsen, 2023

offramp: Keymer Rouge.

   Jan-14-26 Garry Kasparov

offramp: <Petrosianic>. I dislike stories about the 3rd Reich... Kasparov was expounding about Molotov and Stalin and the Germans. I could have followed the details but I <hate> checking WWII facts on Google because you get sucked into a whirlwind of right-wing horror. So I am ...

   Jan-14-26 J Puccini vs J P Gomez, 2015

offramp: Good pun and a good game. The final move is hard-to-spot! I was expecting some hay-maker final blow, but it is a quiet move. In fact, that last move, 19. Qd2, could be a <CREEPING MOVE>. Creeping moves can only made by queens; Spassky specialised in them.

   Jan-13-26 C Gilberg vs Dickson, 1866

offramp: That's a great pun, and the game has a really good ending! BTW, Sally Simpson, instead of referencing the Washington Bridge, would you be interested in buying the Brooklyn Bridge?

indicates a reply to the comment.

Ye Olde Offrampe Predicktions

< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 66 OF 86 · Later Kibitzing>
Apr-01-24		Teyss: Hi offramp, I love this type of silly questionnaire. <1. In Round 1 will Caruana beat Nakamura?> He's strong but not that much. Plus he needs to warm up. <2. Will the Scotch be played; i.e. any C45 game?> Offramp, this is a top GM tournament, they don't play crap openings. <3. Will Firouzja lose 2 or more games?> In case you overlooked, it's a double round robin so 14 games to play. <4. Will a game be 25 moves or less?> Threefold in less than 26 moves? Mmm... don't think so, this will be a bloodthirsty tournament. <5. Will a game go to 100 moves or more?> Yes, the spirit of Carlsen is on the Candidates, someone will be possessed and try to convert a +0.02 advantage into a win. <6. Will Nakamura score 50% against Firouzja?> Mmm... statistically it's only 33% possible at best. <7. Will this ending appear: ♗♗ v ♘♘, and no heavy pieces?> What kind of a silly question it that? <8. Will the 3 Indians (Gukesh, Pragg & Vidit) draw all their games among them?> This is not Curaçao 1962. <9. Will Abasov end up on 50% or more?> Hahahahahahahahahaha. <10. In the final round will Caruana beat Nepomniachtchi?> See question 1. Also by that time he'll be tired. Oh, sorry, here is the right format: 1. No 2. No 3. Yes 4. No 5. Yes 6. No 7. No 8. No 9. No 10. No Thanks for putting the questions again, but next time don't forget to add "\" at the end of the lines, else it's actually more confusing (no need to do it again). One day I'll show you it's possible to open the same page of you browser on two tabs or windows and easily switch between them. Cheers.

Apr-01-24		offramp: <Teyss:....Thanks for putting the questions again, but next time don't forget to add "\"> I <did> put in the <\>s, but they will disappear, owing to the weirdness of <Perl>. <[BTW I suggested a Pun for the Day, "The Perl of Freeman".>, because Freeman used PERL at chessgames.com. What was the question again?]> I think the C45 Scotch might turn up: it'll be a good alternative to the Giuoco Piano. With this Prediction-type - it's hard to know! Paul Gascoigne said, <"I never make predictions, and I never will.">

Apr-02-24		Teyss: Hi offramp, No issue, was just teasing you about the "\" and making a smartass comment about the Scotch. Still don't think it will be played, White commits to soon whilst there are more options for the Giuoco Piano (likelier to be played albeit with small probability). Well, as as I can remember from my playing days. Fun quote from Gascoigne.

Apr-02-24		Messiah: <White commits to soon whilst there are more options for the Giuoco Piano> Kaspy opted for the Scotch when he was afraid of putin's lesser lap dog's Ruy Lopez. <Heck>, even I am playing it sometimes, it must not be that bad then!

Apr-03-24		Teyss: Hi offramp, Yesterday, while enjoying a single malt as quiet music was playing, I wondered about the Scotch vs the Giuoco Piano. Here are the stats rounded for White: C45 Scotch Game (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4): +36% =34% -30% C50 Giuoco Piano (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5, if we stop here): +39% =30% -31% Hence the latter has less draws, attributed a bit more to White wins that to Black but at this level it's not hugely relevant: what's interesting is the 4 point drop in draws so early in the game. For memo the Ruy Lopez (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5) gives even more draws but maybe that's because it's widely played at high level: +36% =39% -25%. Note the big drop for Black. What's also interesting is these two opening are still very popular even if the Ruy Lopez of course dominates, so after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6: 3.Bb5: 94k games 3.Bc4: 31k games 3.d4: 15k games Then 3.Nc3: 10k games, etc. I just knew drinking was good for my mental activity.

Apr-03-24		Teyss: Hi Messiah, Kasparov did play the Scotch a bit when it was out of fashion, but a quick search gives only 31 games which represents 1.3% of all his games, not exactly his pet opening. And then 10 of these are simul or blitz, notably after he "retired". <even I am playing it sometimes>: my point exactly, it's a crap opening ;-) Jokes apart, it can be a good way to get off the trodden path of RL.

Apr-03-24		Fusilli: 1. No 2. No 3. Yes 4. Yes 5. Yes 6. Yes 7. No 8. Yes 9. No 10. No

Apr-03-24		Fusilli: <offramp> Did you mean that <Nakamura> will score 50% or <at least> 50% against <Firouzja>? (The answer doesn't alter my prediction! I'm just mindlessly gambling.)

Apr-03-24		Check It Out: 1. In Round 1 will Caruana beat Nakamura? <no> 2. Will the Scotch be played; i.e. any C45 game? <no> 3. Will Firouzja lose 2 or more games? <yes> 4. Will a game be 25 moves or less? <yes> 5. Will a game go to 100 moves or more? <yes> 6. Will Nakamura score 50% against Firouzja? <no> 7. Will this ending appear: ♗♗ v ♘♘, and no heavy pieces? <no> 8. Will the 3 Indians (Gukesh, Pragg & Vidit) draw all their games among them? <no> 9. Will Abasov end up on 50% or more? <no> 10. In the final round will Caruana beat Nepomniachtchi <no>

Apr-04-24		offramp: <Fusilli: <offramp> Did you mean that <Nakamura> will score 50% or <at least> 50% against <Firouzja>?> I think the meaning was as follows: <Nakamura will play 2 games against Firouzja in this tournament: he could score 0%, 50% or 100%... If you think he will score 50%, then you should answer YES.>

Apr-04-24		offramp: Yikes! The great Tournament is going to start in 40 minutes! I hope we get a live game.

Apr-04-24		Messiah: In fact, he can score 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2. In my understanding 50% means exactly 1 point from the two games.

Apr-04-24		Messiah: <I hope we get a live game.> I am using functioning sites to follow the games.

Apr-04-24		offramp: <Messiah> - that's a good idea. I'll follow this on YouTube.

Apr-04-24		offramp: BTW, the games have started, and no more entries for the contest.

Apr-05-24		Teyss: <Messiah: In fact, he can score 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2. In my understanding 50% means exactly 1 point from the two games.> My understanding also. So 50% is 1/2-1/2 twice or 1-0 and 0-1 or reversed, so 3 possibilities. <<4. Will a game be 25 moves or less?> Threefold in less than 26 moves? Mmm... don't think so, this will be a bloodthirsty tournament.> Damn, damn: D Gukesh vs Vidit S Gujrathi, 2024. My prescience is amazing. 4 draws in the first round, these young ones are not wolves with long teeth, they're new-born sheep. Sissies.

Apr-05-24		offramp: <Teyss> I reckon the three Indians will draw their games.

Apr-06-24		Teyss: <offramp: <Teyss> I reckon the three Indians will draw their games.> Your prescience is twice as good as mine because I was wrong since round 1 and you are only since round 2 ;-) TBH that's one of your questions I was pretty sure about because the Indians will play 6 games together. Let's say the probability is 50% draw (which is quite high) vs 50% decisive: in total there are 2^6=64 possibilities with equal outcome. Hence the probability to have only drawn games is 1/64=1.6%. The other question was "Will Abasov end up on 50% or more?" Still laughing about that one.

Apr-06-24		offramp: Let's have a quick look! 1. In Round 1 will Caruana beat Nakamura? <NO>. .... 8. Will the 3 Indians (Gukesh, Pragg & Vidit) draw all their games among them? <NO>.

Apr-06-24		offramp: Let's have a quick look again! 1. In Round 1 will Caruana beat Nakamura? <NO>. ..... 4. Will a game be 25 moves or less? <YES>. .... 8. Will the 3 Indians (Gukesh, Pragg & Vidit) draw all their games among them? <NO>.

Apr-16-24		offramp: <'He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.'> - Jonathan Swift.

Apr-19-24		thegoodanarchist: < Teyss: Hi offramp, I love this type of silly questionnaire. ..... <<<<2. Will the Scotch be played; i.e. any C45 game?>>>> Offramp, this is a top GM tournament, they don't play crap openings.> Single Malt Scotch is not crap. Sorry for jumping in to your conversation, but I know folks who take their Scotch seriously. I am trying to get back into their good graces.

Apr-19-24		offramp: No Scotch yet... So far, only 4 Berlins out of the 48 games, which is a blessing.

Apr-19-24		offramp: <offramp: No Scotch yet...> I was thinking of the song by Herman's Hermits: imagine a country & western song called "NO SCOTCH TODAY..."

Apr-21-24		Teyss: Hi thegoodanarchist, I didn't say Single Malt Scotch is crap, I said the opening is (which was a smartass comment BTW). See above: "Yesterday, while enjoying a single malt (...)" offramp chessforum (kibitz #1650) You can send the folk you know this post to get back into their good graces. If they are Scottish, you can add we found the people very friendly there. Apart from the fact we couldn't understand what they were saying. (You can skip this last part when sending the post.)

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