SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Thankyou, readers!

2012-01-31T19:39:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

January was a record-setting month for this blog! I want thank all of my thousands of loyal readers from the more than 50 countries who regularly visit here for their support and encouragement. SINCERELY! It is a pleasure to serve an intelligent and mature chess community!

Kevin Spraggett

Wednesday's winning puzzle

2012-01-31T19:23:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Good morning, Wednesday! Today's chess study has as its setting a deceptively simple Bishop and pawn ending with equal material. Both sides have a passed a-pawn. However, it is White to play and that makes the entire difference: often the one with the move has the advantage simply because....well....it is his move! Make the most of it. White to play and win. Good luck!

Max Karstedt 1916

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

(Solution later today! Good luck)

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning perspective!

2012-01-31T19:13:00.001-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''It has always been my private conviction that any man who puts his intelligence up against a fish and loses had it coming.''

John Steinbeck

Hou Yifan shares lead in Gibraltar with Adams

2012-01-31T18:53:00.000-08:00

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photo by Ray Morris-Hill

Women's World Champion Hou Yifan, after yesterday's victory over Judit Polgar, has left no doubt in anyone's mind why she is the top female player in the world today when she won yet again, this time against Viet Nam star Le Quang in a sharp Sicilian defence. This puts her in a 2-way tie with England's Mickey Adams.

Yifan played a bit recklessly in the opening and experts felt that she was on the brink of being definitely worse when she wisely embarked on some wild complications. The game should have been a draw towards the end, but the Viet Nam star stumbled and fell into a mating net.

POSITION AFTER BLACK'S 33rd MOVE (33...h6)

LE QUANG

YIFAN

Retreating the Knight would simply leave Black a pawn to the good. Fortunately for the chinese star, she has a perpetual check with a simple Rook sacrifice:

34. Rxh6! gh 35. Qe6 Kg7 36. Qd7 Kg6 37. Ne6

Now the game should end in a perpetual after 37... Rf7! 38. Nf4 Kg7 39. Nh5 Kg8! 40. Qe8 Rf8 41. Qg6 Kh8 42. Qxh6 etc. INSTEAD, Le Quang blundered:

37...Bc5?? 38. Qg7-ch!

It is forced mate!

''I believe in luck: how else can you explain the success of those you dislike?''
John Cocteau

Today's insight into the meaning of LIFE

2012-01-31T05:23:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''To be what you want to be, you must give up being what you are.''

Cat Stevens

Potpourri

2012-01-31T04:53:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Burger King - CHESS Vfx from ONER Vfx on Vimeo.

Gratuitous good looks

Men as Chess from audiovisualufes on Vimeo.

Door matt?

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The party never starts for some...

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning tattoo!

2012-01-30T16:38:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''In order to know virtue, we must first acquaint ourselves with vice.''

Marquis de Sade 1740-1814

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Yifan vs J.Polgar: 1-0

2012-01-30T16:03:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Official Tournament Site

Mickey Adams has a lot to smile about. He leads the tournament after 7 rounds!

PASSING THE TORCH FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT

Round 7 of the Gibraltar tournament saw a rare bird: Judit Polgar up against the teenage whiz from China.

Hou Yifan (ELO 2605) is the reigning Women's World Champion and the youngest ever to win the title, as well as the youngest ever female player to qualify for the title of Grandmaster. Judit Polgar is the strongest female chess player to have appeared in the past 50 years. On the January 2012 FIDE list her rating is 2710. Judit refuses to play in women's tournaments on principle, considering them to be demeaning to women.

Apart from the excitement of seeing both players meet over the board, the match up might also give some indication and insight into why and how much the ELO ratings have become inflated over the years. Refusing to play in ''normal'' tournaments for several decades, and thereby ''protecting'' her rating, Judit has managed to maintain a 2700-plus average rating. Many of the ''2700-club'' do the same. Meanwhile, Yifan has not shied away from open competition with lower rated players, always willing to risk her rating.

While we should not read too much into 1 game, it must be admitted that Polgar did not put up much resistance.

Wijk Aan Zee ends with no big surprises

2012-01-30T06:36:00.000-08:00

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Official Tournament Link

(photos by Fred Lucas)

The 2012 edition of this famous Dutch resort tournament came to an end this past weekend with Armenian superstar Lev Aronian putting in another solid performance to take first place with 9 points in 13 games.

Playing his usual super-solid , well-prepared opening repetoire, Lev never the less lost 2 games. One of them against second place finisher Carlsen of Norway, who is probably the most consistent player on the circuit these days: Carlsen usually either wins the tournament or finishes in second place!

Not to diss the Armenian star's success, I think that none of Aronian's games in Wijk Aan Zee will be included in his best game collection. Rather, his success is more due to his off-form opponents: for example, amongst others, former world champion Topalov was unrecognizable with 4 losses and only 1 win; world champion contender Gelfand fared even worse: 5 losses (!) and just 1 win.

PERHAPS THE MOST MEMORABLE GAME OF THE EVENT TOOK PLACE IN Rd 11

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 20th MOVE (20.Nf5):

Topalov

Carlsen

This game generated a lot of interest in the on-line chess world. In the position before White's 20th move (20.Nf5?!) Topalov even stands a bit better (normally Black is not permitted to play his Knight to c4 with such ease). Everybody was amazed at how the game continued...many thinking that it was just 2 geniuses clashing and therefore quite natural that the goddess of chess--Caissa--would bless us with a masterpiece. The truth is quite different, however.

Hence the rational course of play would have been 20.Rc1, preventing Black's next move.

20...Nxb2!

As natural as a baby's smile! Everyone was wondering what was going on in Carlsen's mind...after all, he is a genius, no? (But then again, so is Topalov!)

''I was over optimistic in the early middle game. I missed his Nxb2 and (then) hallucinated about a mating attack ...''--Carlsen on his blog

It is nice to see a great player admit this kind of thing. White is lost. But not simply, and what follows is Carlsen's attempt to go down fighting. The spectators must admire the Tal-like chaos that the Norwegian is able to drape the board with!

21.Bh4!!

One of the great moves of chess! Too bad it is wasted on a lost position...there followed:

21... Nxd1 22. Bxf6 Nxc3 23. Qg4 Bxe4 24. Nxh6 Kh7!

''I missed his Nxb2 and hallucinated about a mating attack only to find out that he had a safe haven on h7 in the critical variations...''

Being a whole Rook down and with his attack coming to a full stop, Carlsen had only one move if he did not want to resign:

25. Bxf7

Topalov should play 25...Bd3! and White has no threats and no good continuation. INSTEAD, NOW SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENED: a miracle!

Topalov saw that White threatened nothing concrete, but his confidence left him and he started to see ghosts! He decided to give up his Queen to stop the phantom attack with 25...Qxf7, after which the game becomes equal once more.

''Fortunately for me he missed a critical line of defense and when surrounded by four of my pieces he lost patience and went for a queen sacrifice resulting in an imbalanced ending with my queen and four pawns against his rook, two bishops and two pawns.''

In the end, with both sides trying to win a level position, Topalov rejected a forced draw and instead blundered. A great fight that does merit to both champions!

Today's winning c-lick

2012-01-30T03:33:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.''

Albert Einstein

Boris Spassky turns 75 years young !!

2012-01-30T03:07:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Boris Vasilievich Spassky was born January 30, 1937 in Leningrad Boris was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1969 to 1972. Today he celebrates his 75th birthday!

Spassky won the Soviet Chess Championship twice outright (1961, 1973), and twice more lost in playoffs (1956, 1963), after tying for first during the event proper. He was a World Chess Championship candidate on seven occasions (1956, 1965, 1968, 1974, 1977, 1980, and 1985).

The above information is what you would find on WIKI, but what it does not tell you is that Boris Spassky is the most famous chess player alive, the most respected and certainly the best ambassador that chess could ever want. Now long retired from active competition, Boris is a most welcome guest where ever he goes. The millions of friends and fans that he has made in his life all feel honoured to have him in their presence.

It is hard for me to pick which one of his games is my favourite--he has played so many brilliant and unforgettable games--but undoubtedly his victory over David Bronstein in the Soviet Championship in 1960 has a very special place. When Fischer saw this game he was blown away. Left speachless! In his very next interview he said that Spassky was one of the 10 best players in history!

Spassky B. - Bronstein D.

Leningrad 1960.

1. e4 e5 2. f4!

A universal player, Boris was very fond of the romantic King's Gambit, having won many games with it, including against the legendary Bobby Fischer. Spassky has a special feeling for the initiative and was , next to Tal, the greatest attacker of his generation.

2... ef 3. Nf3 d5 4. ed Bd6 5. Nc3 Ne7 6. d4 O-O 7. Bd3 Nd7 8. O-O h6 9. Ne4 Nxd5 10. c4 Ne3 11. Bxe3 fe 12. c5 Be7

Black pieces are momentarily uncoordinated, and Spassky takes full advantage of this by immediately creating threats

13. Bc2! Re8 14. Qd3 e2

15. Nd6!!?!

One of the most remarkable moves in history! Rather than just move the rook (a good move!) Boris strikes immediately, creating head-spinning complications almost impossible to work out over the board! To add to the spectators' amazement, Bronstein does not immediately take the rook, even though it is check(!!).

15... Nf8!!?!

White gets a strong attack no matter how Black defends: 15... Bxd6 16. Qh7 Kf8 17. cd efQ 18. Rxf1 cd 19. Qh8 Ke7 20. Re1 Ne5 21. Qxg7 Rg8 22. Qxh6 Qb6 23. Kh1 Be6 24. de; or if 15... efQ 16. Rxf1 will most likely transpose into the previous note.

16. Nxf7!

Pirate chess!! Now Bronstein can not refuse Spassky's gifts...

16... efQ 17. Rxf1 Bf5 18. Qxf5 Qd7

For the exchange White has a dangerous initiative.

19. Qf4 (Also good is 19. Qd3) 19... Bf6 20. N3e5

White is attacking with his entire army!

20... Qe7 21. Bb3 ouch!

21... Bxe5 There is nothing better

22. Nxe5 Kh7 23. Qe4! ouch!

Bronstein resigns. A likely finish is 23... g6 24. Rxf8! Rxf8 25. Qxg6 Kh8 26. Qxh6 Qh7 27. Ng6#

The chess game between "Kronsteen" and "McAdams" in the early part of the James Bond movie From Russia With Love is based on this same game!! Here we can see ''Kronstein'' taking back the Bishop with his Knight (move 22)

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Last year I wrote a blog entry (Spassky according to Spassky) , and for the occasion of Boris' 75th birthday I reproduce it here.

''The place of chess in society is closely related to the attitude of young people towards our game. Nowadays young people have great choice of occupations, hobbies, etc, so chess is experiencing difficulties because of the high competition... so our profession does not attract young people.''

''I later told Botvinnik that the best example of the Soviet School of Chess was...Bobby Fischer... He was not amused...''

''... I gave a simultaneous chess display at the Officers' House in Minsk. I was eleven at the time. In game I checkmated one officer. He asked to take back his move. After two moves I was checkmated. I began to cry bitterly and the game was stopped for 15 minutes... since that time I never allow taking back moves. It was a very sad experience.''

1958 Soviet Championship; the decisive game

''The game was adjourned, and I had a good position; but I was very tired from analyzing and went to resume next morning unshaven.

Before I played important games I usually tried to bathe, to put on a good shirt and suit, and to look comme il faut. But on this occasion I had analyzed incessantly and came to the board looking very disheveled and fatigued.

Then I was a like a stubborn mule. I remembered that Tal offered me a draw, but I refused. Then I felt my strength ebb away, and I lost the thread of the game. My position deteriorated, I proposed a draw, but Tal refused.

When I resigned there was a thunder of applause, but I was in a daze and hardly understood what was happening.

I was certain the world went down; I felt that there was something terribly wrong. After this game I went on the street and cried like a child.

I remembered that in 1951 when I lost to Smyslov in his clock simultaneous was the last time I cried, and I promised myself then never to cry again, but after losing to Tal I couldn’t keep my word.”

''When I am in form, my style is a little bit stubborn, almost brutal. Sometimes I feel a great spirit of fight which drives me on''

On Bronstein in the 1956 Candidates Tournament:

''It was a revelation to me how seriously and nervously the other candidates took their tournament work. I remember especially Bronstein one evening wanted to reassure himself about his prospects. He took three dice and threw them three times. Each time three fives came up, and Bronstein decided this was a lucky omen. Next round he had to play against Smyslov and he lost, completely killed. I tried to understand this situation; I was very young and I saw that the other candidates were very nervous and excited. I felt quite calm, and I understood that I was a very weak player in this company but had to fight-attack.''

After Spassky lost a highly publicized game to the American William Lombardy on first board in the 1960 Student Olympiad he was left off the 1961 team and was eventually suspended from foreign travel three times...a typical Sports Committee humiliation... ''My nervous energy was completely destroyed for three years.'' Spassky said of this period.''

Spassky and his first gm trainer, Tolush (on the right)

''It was then that I met Tolush, and it seemed natural that we should work together. He continued as my trainer from 1952 to 1960. It became hard for me, because I didn't find a good personal contact with Tolush. He was a rather brutal man and he liked very much to give advice to me...it was terrible! Eight years is a very long time, you know. I had nobody to turn to at that time except my mother. I didn't have contact with my brother and sister and was alone. That man...I still had respect for him, of course....Also I made the mistake of leaving Tolush at the time of my divorce, when I was in a very nervous state. I should have had a special meeting with him to explain what I was doing, but instead I refused to speak to him.''

Spassky then met GM Bondarevsky in 1961:

''Bondarevsky did a lot not only for my chess knowledge and understanding of positions, but also for my character. I admired him less as a grandmaster than I did Tolush. Bondarevsky used to be a combination player, but then he decided to become like Capablanca and now his chess is rather dull. But when I first got to know him well, I was drawn to him, felt a great respect and saw that this man was a very interesting man.''

''When we played a Candidate's match with Larsen in Malmo in 1968, the total prize fund was something like $250! I protested to the FIDE President Rogard then. But he reasonably replied that it was according to the wishes of the Soviet Chess Federation, to which he had to listen. The Soviet Chess Federation, of course, did not care about the players, for the communists chess was only an instrument.''

On fighting to become World Champion: ''I don't believe that I ever considered the possibility. I used to play from tournament to tournament and from game to game. My outlook only changed much later, in 1964, when I was a main referee of the match Russian Republic vs Budapest. I decided to make a joke and told Bondarevsky ''I shall be world champion.'' Then I saw that my joke was coming rather good, and that I had a strong position. That was the first time I thought seriously about the title.''

''In chess we must fight...''

''Ocasionally I looked at my games which I played at age of 30, 40, 45 and looked my present games when I was 60 or 62 and I said: 'Ohhh, I'm crazy...to play such a bad chess after showing such beautiful quality.'So I think I stopped playing very late.''

''I believe that the Marshall is good enough for a draw, which was of course all I aimed for with Black. After this match (with Tal,1965) Bondarevsky and I thought we should erect a statue to Frank Marshall; a very sympathetic player!''

Spassky on Karpov:

''He [Karpov] was eating me like crocodile eating small animal."

Spassky's heroes :

"My heroes were all tragic!".

''When I play chess probablyI seem rather unruffled,but this is not really so. It is like a clown's face which is put on specially for the occasion; when I appear particularly calm I am really feeling specially nervous.''

''Chigorin was probably the first 'computer-like' Grandmaster. He always gave lots of concrete variations and looked at positions without pre-justice.''

" I don't want ever to be champion again.''

''In my country, at that time, being a champion of chess was like being a King. At that time I was a King - and when you are King you feel a lot of responsibility, but there is nobody there to help you. ''

On Spassky's technique for encouraging players to resign in the simul:

"... his rival is two pawns down in an endgame (king and six pawns v king and four) ... Spassky would approach the board, look at it with a frown for 30 seconds as if it was the hardest position he'd ever seen, then look up at his opponent and say in that lovely, lilting Russian voice: 'But where is your army?'

Worked every time. I think he scored 15 wins and 5 draws in the simul."

''The talent of coach is a special one. You can be an excellent chess player, but at the same time an absolutely untalented coach...I said recently to Garry: 'Garry if you come back to chess, I'm ready to be your coach. Gratis [for free]'"

''Sometimes I play through games with computer. From time to time computer comes up with very interesting moves...But I think that modern players should learn how to control computer, as otherwise it would be bad for the game. ''

''When I played Bobby Fischer, my opponent fought against organizations - the television producers and the match organizers. But he never fought against me personally. I lost to Bobby before the match because he was already stronger than I. He won normally.''

On Spassky's preparation against Petrosian:

''Together with Bondarevsky and Krogius, I came to the conclusion that the World Champion, for all his great positional mastery, was not a player of a strict, classical profile. His style, directed towards limiting the opponent's possibilities, is unique and, particularly in match play, extraordinarily effective.

It is not accidental that Petrosian is a phenomenal match player. All the same, his unsurpassed skill at manoeuvring and tacking is sometimes dictated not only by the requirements of the position but rather by prophylactic tasks.

On the whole, our idea justified itself: in the Tarrasch Defence, for example, Petrosian was not able even once in five attempts to seize the isolated queen's pawn.''

''Nowadays the dynamic element is more important in chess - players more often sacrifice material to obtain dynamic compensation. Of course, such players were in my generation too and they existed before (for example, Alekhine) but then fewer people played like that than now. When I spoke with Alexander Nikitin (former coach of Garry Kasparov - A.B.), he said that players of my generation had very good understanding of chess, but the game was slower then. Nowadays there is more dynamism in chess, modern players like to take the initiative. Usually they are poor defenders though.''

'' I was always fond of the history of chess, and it was very interesting to learn more about the chess world, the first World Champion, the conditions which existed at that time. And what do we have now: if your phone rings you lose the game. I wish I had lived in the 19th century.''

"Now I'm preparing myself to die very peacefully."

“Do you think the spot next to him is available?”

Boris on Korchnoi

I remember fondly one conversation I had a few years back with Boris Spassky. We were discussing Victor Korchnoi ('Victor the Terrible'). Boris and Victor had been bitter adversaries for more than 40 years at the time of this conversation, and they had played more than 60 times in official competitions..(including 2 candidates finals)... only Karpov can boast to have played Victor more times.

Boris, at one point, came up with the incredible statement that Korchnoi had every quality necessary to become world champion BUT lacked ONE very essential quality...and it was precisely this quality that prevented him from attaining chess' highest title. I coaxed Boris on...

He began to list Korchnoi's many qualities:

...Killer Instinct (nobody can even compare with Victor's 'gift')
...Phenomenal capacity to work (both on the board and off the board)
...Iron nerves (even with seconds left on the clock)
...Ability to Calculate (maybe only Fischer was better in this department)
...Tenacity and perseverance in Defense (unmatched by anyone)
...The ability to counterattack (unrivaled in chess history)
...Impeccable Technique (Flawless, even better than Capa's)
...Capacity to concentrate (unreal)
...Impervious to distractions during the game
...Brilliant understanding of strategy
...Superb tactian (only a few in history an compare with Victor)
...Possessing the most profound opening preparation of any GM of his generation
...Subtle Psychologist
...Super-human will to win (matched only by Fischer)
...Deep knowledge of all of his adversaries
...Enormous energy and self-discipline

Then Boris stopped, and just looked at me, begging for me to ask the question that needed to be asked....I asked: 'But, Boris, what does Victor lack to become world champion?' Boris' answer floored me:''He has no chess talent !''

And then Spassky roared with laughter...

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Magic!

2012-01-29T21:13:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

You have to see this to believe it! INCREDIBLE!!

Today's winning devil

2012-01-29T20:18:00.001-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

“Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face.”

Nelson Demille

Ivan is having a problem with his shirt

2012-01-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

MEET IVAN AND HIS SHIRT

IVAN IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH HIS SHIRT from theAMIGOunit on Vimeo.

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I believe in...

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Just a little bit of paranoia is good for you....

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ASS TIME!

(Thankyou, Lilly!)

Lilly Sexy Dance from sextoys739 on Vimeo.

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AND FINALLY SOME CHESS...

Patrick K.-H. "Tommy D" series: Chess from Patrick K.-H. on Vimeo.

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Hilarious!

2012-01-27T20:20:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

You will have a lot of fun with this! Thankyou Raja and Marc!

Saturday's 30-second chess tactic

2012-01-27T20:11:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

The annual Gibraltar chess festival got underway this past week. Many of the world's top players have braved the traditionally poor January weather and crowded playing conditions for a chance at winning one of the biggest cash prizes on the European open circuit.

The chess is excellent! Below is the position after 25 moves from the game between GMs Kualots and Laznicka. Black had just started chopping wood along the c-file and his last move was 25...Rc8, which turns out to be a decisive error.

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

gm KUALOTS

gm LAZNICKA

Potpourri

2012-01-27T03:19:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

DO CHESS, NOT CRIME!

The January meeting of the Cooperative Chess Coalition ? No! But close...it is Attica Prison 1972. More here (Thx, Mark!) PS: The CCC is Toronto's first organization that tries to bring together amateur chessplayers with mental health issues.

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He said, she said...she threatened him, he defended himself...

The youtube video below is beginning to go viral. FUN TO WATCH! Reminds me of some of the Irish pubs I have been in around 3 a.m....

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click on to enlarge

The gentlemanly rules of engagement

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After hours bar....you were not invited? PITY!
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link

JUST NICE TO LOOK AT

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This guy needs anger-management classes! You would think that he was married to his bike!
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The only pub open after the Irish Pub closed?! No it is San Francisco's Adult Entertainment Expo.
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EVER SEE ONE OF THESE?

(FUN THINGS YOU CAN SEE AT MUSEUMS...)

A rectum showing the effects of both haemorrhoids and bowel cancer. The patient in this case was Thomas Thurlow (1737-1791), the Bishop of Durham. Thurlow had suffered from some time from a bowel complaint, which he initially thought was the result of piles. He consulted John Hunter after a number of other physicians and surgeons had failed to provide him with a satisfactory diagnosis. Hunter successfully identified the tumour through rectal examination, but recognised that it was incurable. Thurlow died 10 months later. Link to story

Thomas Thurlow, Bishop of Durham was directly associated with the slave trade and as such was one of the Bishops who sat on the Society for the Propagation of The Gospel Abroad, which owned a plantation on Codrington Estate in Barbados. The mortality rate among slaves on this plantation was unusually high. 40% within three years of arrival died and they were branded with the word "society" using a red hot iron. The Church continued to own the plantation until 1833 and several clergymen were compensated when the slave trade was finally abolished.

NOW HIS PRESERVED RECTUM STANDS AS PROOF THAT THERE IS A JUST GOD

Today's winning smile

2012-01-27T03:17:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

“What holds the world together, as I have learned from bitter experience, is sexual intercourse.”

Henry Miller 1891-1980

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Bobby Fischer at 15

2012-01-26T20:31:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

I had not seen this video before. A 15-year old Fischer appeared on TV: ''I've Got a Secret'', a popular program that ran from 1952 to 1967. Bobby comes across as being very, very shy!

Wijk Aan Zee tidbits

2012-01-26T18:26:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

gm Bruzon (by Fred Lucas)

Cuba's Bruzon is having a good tournament. In the 9th round he crushed the European Champion Potkin with the Black pieces when the latter's sense of danger completely betrayed him. Bruzon crashed thru on the Kingside with a brutal Queen move:

POSITION AFTER 23 MOVES:

BRUZON

POTKIN

Black stands a bit better. His Knight is more active (and dangerous!) than the White Bishop. At the same time, the open a-file and c-file will require some attention should Black want to penetrate into the White camp. Not withstanding these observations, White is quite solid and Black has no immediate threats.

Correct now is 24.Qb3!, planning to play 25.f3 should Black play 24...Ng5. INSTEAD, Potkin overestimated the ...Ng5 idea and unnecessarily weakens himself.

24. h4?! Rfc8 25. Qd3?!

Once more, b3 was a better square.

25... Ra2 ofcourse!

Bruzon does not need to be asked twice to put his rook on the 7th rank!

Black now has serious threats, such as ...Rc3 , or doubling on the 7th rank. White is probably not yet lost, though he must not play any more imprecisions. The best chance is 26.f3, and if Black takes the pawn with [26...Rc3 27. Qd4 Nxd2 28. Rxd2 Rxd2 29. Qxd2 Rxe3 then after 30. Kf2! Re5 31. Ra1! White gets annoying counterplay.

INSTEAD, Potkin jumped from the pan into the fire and finds himself immediately lost:

26. Be1??

White must have completely overlooked Bruzon's next move

26... Qg4 !

The threat is to simply take the g-pawn! Now 27.Bd2 Rc-c2! 28.Qxd5 h5! will win the Bishop.

27. Kg1 Rcc2

Black has some pretty impressive firepower in play!

28. Qxd5 what else? 28... Qxg3!

Ouch! White can not take it without getting immediately mated. Now is a good time to resign, but Potkin played on for a few more moves before throwing in the towel...

POSITION AFTER 20 MOVES:

ERNST

VOCATURA

Ofcourse White is completely winning! His attack on the Kingside can not be stopped as the Black pieces are all stuck over on the other side of the board. And Black must never take the Knight on f5 as he will surely get mated in a couple of moves.

BUT what the sadist in me really finds appealing about the finish is how Black is forced , after the next move, to make the last move he would have wanted to make!

21. Bd5!

Threatening to just take the Knight off!

21... Ndb8 !

The only move to avoid losing immediately

SUCH a picturesque position! Now that Black is mangled on the Queenside, White turns his attention to the King:

22. Nh5!

Threatening mate in 2 moves starting with Nf6-ch. Black's next is forced as 22...gf5 goes off to 23.Qf3 with a quick mate.

22... Bxf5 23.exf5

The Knight can still not be taken and taking the Bishop on d5 allows 24.Nf6

23... Qxc3 24. fg hg 25. Qf3!

Now is the time to throw in the towel, but nobody wants to resign in 25 moves!

Black resigned on move 28, two moves shy of mate!

Today's winning red-head

2012-01-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

"You'd find it easier to be bad than good if you had red hair," said Anne reproachfully. "People who haven't red hair don't know what trouble is."

Anne of Green Gables

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A picture is worth a 1,000 words...

2012-01-25T19:31:00.000-08:00

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(Fred Lucas photography)

The Wijk Aan Zee chess festival. Spectators. Above and below. The kid in front is voted the most likely to succeed in life (by this blog).

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FAMILY PORTRAIT

Yes, I know what you are thinking: ''Fuck! Haven't they heard of birthcontrol?''. But hell, take a good luck at Spot, the family croc! Things really grow BIG in Africa...

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Sex Machine Adult Entertainment Expo this week in San Francisco attracts hundreds of porn-stars from all over. With a tongue like that...she could have had a great career in the Post Office.

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Jodie Foster (playing a child prostitute), Robert Deniro and Martin Scorsese in TAXI DRIVER. (1976)

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CHEMISTRY; REAL PASSION!

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. HOT STUFF! On the film and off of it. Believe it or not, they got married to each other TWICE (in real life)!

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MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT EXPO...

things are beginning to become interesting...

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They shoot turkeys, don't they?
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Be careful what you wish for...

Destined for greatness. He went on to become President of the USA. Fat lot of good that did for him, as he was assassinated on November 22, 1963. Jacqueline, was seated beside him at the time and took home a momento of part of his brain. She died of cancer much, much later...

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FAMILY VALUES

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How the human race propagates...or the party that you were never invited to!

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BEST CREATIVE ARGUMENT THIS YEAR (SO FAR...)

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MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE ADULT-ENTERTAINMENT EXPO....

Bill re-unites with his mother. Both of them!

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Everyone loves New York!

Wow!!

2012-01-25T13:07:00.000-08:00

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How often is White ass the best ASS? Check this out!

Today's golden moment!

2012-01-25T00:48:00.000-08:00

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''Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.''

Henry Miller

Today's winning tactic!

2012-01-25T00:27:00.000-08:00

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Today's teaser (below) is from a game between Canadian IM Raja Panjwani and American expert M.Pinto in the 2009 National Open in Las Vegas. There is no doubt that White must stand better (look at the traffic jam on the Queenside), but what to do? It is a closed position! If White now takes the Rook on b8, then after recapturing Black will follow up with ...Bxf6 with considerable counterplay. Who knows, maybe even Black would be doing better than White!

But wait! Chess is a logical game: advantages don't just vanish into the air on their own. Sometimes, however, one must look DEEP into the position to find the key. ARE YOU UP TO IT TODAY?

Pinto,M

I.M. Panjwani,R

(Solution : 1.RxB-ch! pxR 2.Bf5!! pxB 3.f7 Be7 forced 4.NxB! Rf8 5. Nf5-ch Kd7 6. Re7-ch etc )

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2012: will the party fizzle out?

2012-01-24T16:51:00.000-08:00

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Today's winning smile

2012-01-24T06:10:00.000-08:00

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It's good to be just plain happy. It's a little better to know that you're happy; but to understand that you're happy and to know why and how and still be happy-be happy in the being and the knowing---well, that is beyond happiness, that is bliss.

Henry Miller

Wijk Aan Zee Tidbits after 8 rounds...

2012-01-24T05:24:00.000-08:00

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Link

With 5 rounds remaining, Carlsen and Aronian lead the field with 5.5 points, half a point ahead of Radjabov. Ivanchuk, Caruana and Nakamura follow with 4.5 points. Former world champion Topalov disappoints with 3.5 points. Even worse is world champion challenger Gelfand--he has just 3 points and can even count himself lucky!

Gelfand and Kamsky embarrassed themselves in round 8 with a blunderful draw.

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 24th MOVE

KAMSKY

GELFAND

After some imprecise play in the early middlegame, Gelfand finds himself with his major pieces misplaced. The Knight sacrifice on f2 has been hovering in the air for the past couple of moves and finally Kamsky gathered the courage to play it

24... Nxf2!

Really there is absolutely no risk invoved as the White pieces must return the material . To boot, the White King is forced out of its shelter and soon finds himself a sitting target.

25. Kxf2 e4 26. h3?!

Condemned by Gelfand himself after the game. Weaker are 26. Ng1? Qxh2; or 26. Ne1? Qxh2; when the White King finds its retreat blocked. The only try to hold things together is 26. Qf6!, but even then White must keep his fingers crossed...

26... ef 27. Bxf3 Bxf3 28. Kxf3 Rae8

A remarkable position! White's King seems to be leading the attack...(!) Even more remarkable is that a grandmaster of Kamsky's experience and strength fails to find any of a number of knock-out blows.

At first Gelfand succeeds in avoiding immediate disaster:

29. Qd4 [29. Kf2? Qf4 30. Kg1 Re1 is forced mate] 29... Re6 30. c5 [30. Kf2? Qh2] 30... h5

The advance of the h-pawn should be decisive. Gelfand's next move does not help

31. Rcd2? bc 32. bc h4! 33. Qxh4

Now Kamsky can force Gelfand's resignation with 33... Re3! 34. Kf2 Qh2! 35. c6 R3e4 36. Qg5 Rf4 etc.

33... Qxc5?!

Needlessly extending Gelfand's suffering...

34. Kg3

Now there is still business to do: 34... Qc7! 35. Kf2 Qh2 when the White King can not retreat.

Kamsky played the nervous 34... Re4?, throwing away most of his advantage, which allowed Gelfand back into the game. I leave it to the reader to find out how things ended (Kamsky still missed a win or two before finally agreeing to a draw on move 44.) I simply don't have the stomach for it!

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The game between Caruana and Ivanchuk was a good example of attack and defence in a balanced position: some sharp tactics lead to a draw by perpetual check. Neither side could avoid the draw without incurring extreme risks.

POSITION AFTER 17 MOVES:

IVANCHUK

CARUANA

White is more coordinated and, before Ivanchuk can bring in his Rooks, decides to grab an opportunity to see if his opponent will go wrong in the ensuing blitz...

18. Rd7 !
A shock move! Black must not take the bait he would then go under in a fireball:
18... Nxd7? 19. Rxd7 Qc8 20. Bxe6!! fe 21. Qg4 Qxd7 22. Nxd7 Rf5 23. Qc4 Bd5 24. Qc7 and the ending is quite hopeless for Black. Not only are Black's Rooks unable to coordinate, but the White Queen and Knight dominate the game.
18... Qc8!

A cool headed defence! Now if the Rook retreats to d4 then the Black Queen will return to c7, repeating the position.
19. Nxf7!?
Once more the bait can not be eaten: 19...Rxf7? 20.Qxe6 is curtains.
19... Nxd7! 20. Nxh6 !? (Deserving consideration is 20. Nd6!? Qc7 21. Bxe6 Kh8 22. Nxb7 Nc5! 23. Nxc5 Qxc5, though Black is ok.)

Caruana was hoping for 20... Kh8?? 21. Nf7 Kg8 22. Nd6 Qc7 23. Bxe6 when White wins!
20...Kh7!

Precise to the end! Down a Rook, Caruana must give perpetual check

21. Qh5 Nf6

Draw agreed. White has a perpetual starting with Bd3-ch.

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Today's quiet moment of reflection....

2012-01-23T13:45:00.000-08:00

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"It happens to everyone as they grow up. You find out who you are and what you want, and then you realize that people you’ve known forever don’t see things the way you do. So you keep the wonderful memories, but find yourself moving on."

Nicholas Sparks

Unique experiences, Magnus Carlsen and 1000 Passions

2012-01-23T02:27:00.000-08:00

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Web site

Facebook

Twitter

''I don't want to live. I want to love first, and live incidentally.'' With this Zelda Fitzgerald captured the essence of LIFE. Passion. Above all, a PASSION for LIFE. A series of unique, exceptional experiences; lined up one after the other. Defining one's LIFE

This idea has been captured by a New York couple and turned into a business concept for those seeking unique, exceptional experiences. Live a fantasy, even if for a short time. Want to be DJ at Woodstock for a day? Done! Want to meet the world's number one chess player--Magnus Carlsen--have him analyze your game and then have a private dinner? Done! Want to learn how to make pizza exactly as in the world's number one pizza restaurant? Done. Or hundreds of other truly unique experiences .. .can do!

click on to enlarge

It all started when Sharon Draghi and her husband Eric had the chance to spend the day in the kitchen of a New York restaurant helping the chef and his team prepare an evening dinner service. That episode led Sharon and Eric to bring together a founding team of six people about a year ago to create unique private encounters and trips for small personal groups and 1000 Passions was born.

click on to enlarge

My favourite is to be a DJ for a day at legendary Woodstock!

click on to enlarge

BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER UNIQUE EXPERIENCES TO CHOOSE FROM:

Go visit 1000 Passions!

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Today's winning samurai

2012-01-22T19:59:00.000-08:00

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''The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.''
Sun Tzu (544 BC --496 BC)

(Or in modern talk, ''Make love,not war!'')

''Shut up, Patzer!''

2012-01-22T19:53:00.000-08:00

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I got today's idea for a blog article after reading the Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog's article about the late Bill Hook. Bill, whom I had the pleasure to meet numerous times --and I even played him in the 1976 World Open in New York--knew the old New York like the back of his hand.

In anycase, the now defunct New York Checkers Club (The Flea House), situated near Times Square, attracted many checkers and chess players, including Stanley Kubrick, who included the club in one of his first films.

''I love this fascinating scene from Stanley Kubrick's second feature, "The Killing'' (1956), a powerful "noir" heist picture starring the wonderful Sterling Hayden. The dialog is dymanite stuff. David Mamet himself called this scene, "one of the great talk scenes in movies.

The scene takes place in a New York City chess club, based on a place on 42nd St. that Kubrick (himself an avid chess player) used to hang out at. It was known as The Flea House. This scene is a between Johnny (Sterling Hayden), brains in the heist , and Maurice (Kola Kwariani) who is to be the brawn. Though it is intereresting that the dialog clearly flips these roles about who's who.

Kola was an acquaintance of Kubricks from the old days at the Flea House. Kola was an avid chess player and had been a champion wrestler. As you will see watching this, Kola had an incredible screen presence, thick Georgian accent and all. His accent is so thick it makes this scene a bit hard to understand, so I also put up a version with subtitles. The dialog in this scene is wonderful stuff. You must understand every word to get how good it is.

Enjoy this snippet, and if you havent seen THE KILLING, search it out; Its Top-notch Kubrick. Easily missed, even the camera move with the mirror at the start is a brilliant solution Kubrick came up with. Here is a later scene showing Maurice doing what he was hired to do; start a bar fight and be a distraction for the heist.''

Link

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ABOUT THE FLEA HOUSE

You can find out a great deal about this historic site at Batgirl's great site (link). There is even a facebook site: link

What I did not know is that this club (and several others in the Times Square area) was opened by a Toronto checker champion, Harold Fisher, who later lived in New York for decades before finally selling shop and returning to Toronto.

Fisher died soon after selling his chess club.

MORE TID BITS

The fire. New York Times, Feb. 16, 1960
link

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A picture is worth a 1,000 words

2012-01-22T15:07:00.000-08:00

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My world for a glimpse of greatness...

PHoto by Joaquim Schulze. Wonder Kid Carlsen Magnus doing the postmortem with opponent Radjabov in Wijk Aan Zee's TATA STEEL tournament.

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Sunday's laugh

2012-01-22T11:59:00.000-08:00

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Good 'Ole Bessy

A Newfoundland farmer named Angus had a car accident. He was hit by a truck owned by the Eversweet Company.In court, the Eversweet Company's hot-shot solicitor was questioning Angus.

'Didn't you say to the RCMP at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine?'asked the solicitor.

Angus responded: 'Well, I'll tell you what happened. I'd just loaded my fav'rit cow, Bessie, into da... '

''I didn't ask for any details', the solicitor interrupted. 'Just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'?'

Angus said, 'Well, I'd just got Bessie into da trailer and I was drivin' down da road.... '

The solicitor interrupted again and said,'Your Honour, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the police on the scene that he was fine. Now several weeks after the accident, he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question. '

By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Angus' answer and said to the solicitor: 'I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favourite cow, Bessie'.

Angus thanked the Judge and proceeded. 'Well as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my fav'rit cow, into de trailer and was drivin' her down de road when this huge Eversweet truck and trailer came tundering tru a stop sign and hit me trailer right in da side. I was trown into one ditch and Bessie was trown into da udder. By Jaysus I was hurt, very bad like, and didn't want to move. However, I could hear old Bessie moanin' and groanin'. I knew she was in terrible pain just by her groans.

Shortly after da accident, a policeman on a motorbike turned up. He could hear Bessie moanin' and groanin' too, so he went over to her. After he looked at her, and saw her condition, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes.

Den da policeman came across de road, gun still in hand, looked at me, and said,'How are you feelin'?'

'Now wot da fock would you say?'

(Thx, Grant!)

Tidbits from Wijk Aan Zee

2012-01-21T00:39:00.000-08:00

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Jan Timman, aging superstar (Fred Lucas)

Jan Timman, perhaps the most successful Dutch chess player after Max Euwe, is playing in the 'B' tournament in Wijk Aan Zee. A bit rusty from not having played much top level chess in recent years, Jan has never the less played some very nice chess and has scored important victories. Especially nice is his victory over Ernst.

Yesterday, however, luck was not on Jan's side as he misplayed the opening and just barely managed to survive a very difficult middlegame when his Indian adversary let him off the hook for just one moment:

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 38th MOVE (38.Bd2)

gm TIMMAN

gm HARIKRISHNA

Here Timman could equalize completely with the accurate 38...Nf6!, which forces exchanges, the Bishop on d2, especially, requiring some attention

INSTEAD, probably short of time, Jan blundered with 38...Nf4?, and after 39.Be3 came 39...a4?? 40.Nc5! Timman resigned as he loses significant material

With this victory Harikrishna solidifies his lead in the 'B' tournament.

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 26th MOVE (26.Re1)

gm POTKIN

gm ERNST

Here Potkin should defend against any unpleasantness on e6 with 26...Bd5!, when it is not clear why Ernst got out of bed in the morning (!) let alone play with such reckless abandon against the current European Champion.

BUT fortunate favours the brave (so I have learned the hard way!) when Potkin's sense of danger failed him:

26...Rd2? 27.Qxh7 Kf8

No doubt Potkin overlooked the next

28.Nxe6!! PxN 29.Qh6

Followed by taking the undefended Rook on d2. The advantage immediately passed to the White pieces....

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The art of falling panties...

2012-01-20T23:13:00.000-08:00

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Art Frahm (1907 to 1981)

Who am I to say what is art and what is not art. Any thing that pleases my senses is a simple enough rule of thumb for most occasions. Or anything that provokes a reaction...and if it makes sense then even better!

Art Frahm helped extend the definition of what is art. An American painter of campy pin-up girls and advertising. Frahm lived in Chicago, and was active from the 1940s to 1960s. Today he is best known for his “ladies in distress” pictures involving beautiful young women whose panties mysteriously flutter to the ground in public situations, often causing them to spill their bag of groceries.

1950

1951

1952

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

Date uncertain

Frahm was commercially successful. His falling-panties paintings were later imitated by other pin-up artists. The falling-panties art has a small cult following as mid-20th century kitsch, or even as fetish art. The works are best described with plenty of irony; James Lileks' analysis of Frahm's work has brought it to the attention of many on the Internet.

In addition to pin-ups, Frahm created a series of humorous hobo-themed calendar illustrations. Another set of paintings celebrated traffic safety, complete with smiling, chubby crossing guards and schoolchildren (one such painting appears as a calendar print in the background of a bar scene in the movie Hud). His advertising art included works for Coca-Cola and Coppertone.

http://www.thepinupfiles.com/frahm.html

http://www.lileks.com/institute/frahm/

Art Frahm imitation

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HERE IS AN INTERESTING BLOG ARTICLE

http://bytesdaily.blogspot.com/2010/04/art-of-art-frahm-pinups-and-1950s.html

To us in the year 2010 it must seem strange that sex was not discussed in the 1950’s and that pornography was not available at the press of a keystroke. Furthermore, the concepts of equality of women, sexual discrimination and sexual harassment were as absent from daily life as the concept of political correctness.

Playboy was the leader in a field of magazines referred to as “men’s magazines”. Women had their women’s mags, such as The Women’s Weekly and Woman’s Day, featuring recipes and knitting patterns, and men had their magazines, featuring… women. The women were often depicted in erotic artworks in sexy poses and clothing, if they wore clothing at all. One of the more renowned artists is Alberto Vargas, whose work can be seen at an interesting website called The Pin-up Files at: http://www.thepinupfiles.com/vargas1.html

Vargas

As an aside, the term “pin-up” was first used in 1941 although the practice goes back to the 1890’s. It refers to mass produced photographs of women and to drawings and other illustrations emulating those photographs. Originally the pictures were cut out and pinned up, later they came to be used in calendars and were specifically made for pinning up. During WW2 photos of celebrities such as Betty Grable were distributed to troops as pin-ups.

Betty Garble

The popularity of the pin-up gave a boost to artists such as Alberto Vargas, whose work was a staple of Playboy. The depictions were of a uniform nature: beautiful, sexual, provocative. I have previously written of Anne Summer’s book Damned Whores and God’s Police. In the context of 1950’s society, God’s police read the Women’s Weekly; damned whores were depicted in the pinups in the pages of Playboy and Esquire.

Amongst this group of pin-up erotica artists was a chap by the name of Art Frahm. Now one would think that being named Art, the Universe may have predestined him for talent in that field. Regrettably that was not the case.

From Wikipedia:

Art Frahm (1907–1981) was an an American painter of campy pin-up girls and advertsising.. Frahm lived in Chicago, and was active from the 1940s to 1960s. Today he is best known for his “ladies in distress” pictures involving beautiful young women whose panties mysteriously flutter to the ground in public situations, often causing them to spill their bag of groceries. In one of Frahm’s noted idiosyncratic touches, celery is often depicted.

Frahm had adequate technical competence for his medium, with a style somewhat reminiscent of Norman Rockwell's, though more cartoony. He was mostly influenced by commercial artist Hadden Sundblom, with whom Frahm may have worked as an assistant early in his career. Frahm’s forte was depicting beautiful young white women, taking in rendering their legs and figures. Frahm’s depictions of the women's faces are less successful, often tending towards plastic doll-like expressions. Minor problems with perspective and unrealistic depiction of subsidiary figures and objects are common in Frahm’s work. Some of his artistic touches were deliberately unrealistic and artistically daring — for instance his coloring of a city street lemon-yellow in an otherwise realist painting.

Unlike Vargas’s models, who are sultry, seductive and provocative, the subjects of Frahm’s artworks are innocent and shy, although with sexy outfits, stockings and knickers. The ladies in the paintings of the “ladies in distress” genre all have shocked, startled expressions. They appear helpless, vulnerable, usually with one or more leering males present, taking delight in the situation. The women look into the eyes of the viewer. In most of the series the woman is holding a shopping bag of groceries, hence the everpresent stick of celery. Whether the grocery bag is meant to indicate homely virtues or that the woman lives in the real world is a mystery, as much as whether one would go to the grocery store dressed like that. On the whole, the images are a mixed confusion of the roles of damned whores and God’s police.

James Lilleks has a superb analysis and commentary on the art of Art Frahm and it is well worth a look. He examines quite a number of Frahm’s paintings at “Art Frahm: A study of the effects of celery on loose elastic” at: http://www.lileks.com/institute/frahm/indexmain.html

The Pin-up Files, the site referred to earlier, also has a collection of Frahm’s works at: http://www.thepinupfiles.com/frahm.html

They are a look back at the past, before sex was openly discussed, when attitudes were different and when women were seen and treated quite differently. It reminds me of the quotation by George Burns: “I can remember when the air was clean and sex was dirty”.

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Bullying, censorship and Chesstalk

2012-01-20T04:35:00.000-08:00

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Over the past 3 years--when this blog first went online--I have covered on numerous occasions (more than a dozen times, if memory serves) the history of CMA executive director Larry Bevand's practice of censorship on his message board ChessTalk. A sordid history of ruthless and self-serving control over the message board readers and contributers. A paranoid effort to distort the truth about the corruption that runs amuck in the Canadian chess community.

I invite my readers to type in the word ''chesstalk'' into the search box on the left and investigate for themselves what I wrote in the years 2009 and 2010 about censorship on the message board. The practice is arbitrary and indiscriminate. And at times totally irrational: Bevand this past summer even censored the moderator of the message board ( Chris Mallon) for no good reason at all!

But there are many other episodes to choose from. In particular, the Peter Stockhausen scandal stands out: soon after news of Stockhausen's disappearance first broke Bevand tried to block the discussion threads , no doubt fearing that his close relationship with the disgraced CFC politician might come back to haunt him. To seal lips, Bevand even banned Stockhausen's wife from posting!

Or there is the time when atleast one writer was threatened with being banned should he continue to write fair and , at times, glowing commentary of my blog! The list goes on and on...I invite my readers to discover the dark history of ChessTalk.

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THE LATEST EPISODE

After the censorship all that remains are 'x's

LINK

The latest episode of Larry Bevand's censorship can be seen of Montrealer Neil Sullivan's post (on the French chesstalk board) about the recent publishing of a French language book on the life and death of Alexander Alekhine by Guy Gignac. Neil Sullivan often writes book reviews on chesstalk and is considered a respected and authoritative voice in the Montreal chess community.

A more than pissed-off Sullivan wrote back:

''Today I posted a message on the French board on the new Alekhine book. I am more than a little upset to see that the body and title have been edited without my knowledge.

As I am unaware of having contravened any rule, I don't understand the reason for this. Why would any admin feel they had a right to change a poster's words?

If I did something wrong, please let me know. But, just changing what people write unilaterally is completely unacceptable! What country is this?''

Bevand responded with something incoherent about ''blatant advertising'' .... to give an idea of just how arbitrary and random Bevand's behaviour is : he only censored the French board(!!), leaving Mr. Sullivan's posts about the book untouched on the English board! You go figure that out...

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However, it would be unfair to Mr. Bevand to single him out in the Canadian chess community for being the only figure to use censorship as a daily tool in his dealings with others. The current CFC leadership also follows in Mr. Bevand's footsteps....consider the following example taken from this past summer.

ChessTalk LINK

Victor Itkine is one of the most respected organizers in Ontario and this past July he and his organization did a splendid job with the CYCC, making a profit just under $20,000. When he and his group decided to not give the CFC Executive the proceeds (they have this right) but instead to award it as prizes to CYCC winners, the CFC asked for Mr. Itkine posts to be censored!

Victor later wrote:

''I just posted the decision of 2011 CYCC Organizing Committee how to distribute the cash-prizes among the CYCC winners. This decision was taken by the vote of the majority of the Organizing Committee.

The CFC has not only requested to remove my post from the ChessTalk, but has also terminated my access to post at the CFC Forum.''

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RESUMING...

Adding to this farce, it transpired that the moderator of both the CFC's message board and Chesstalk--Chris Mallon--did NOT ask for Mr. Bevand's permission before taking this action. When Mr. Bevand found out , he was furious and then immediately telephoned Mallon and unceremoniously fucked him over the phone! Mr. Mallon, obviously distraught at Mr. Bevand not using vaseline, did not waste much time before replying:

___________________________________

Larry

I really did not appreciate you calling me, swearing at me and talking to me like I'm a little child.I've run YOUR chess board for years at absolutely NO COST to you.

It's not MY fault you didn't take the three seconds to notice that the posts were moved into the original thread and not deleted. This is NOT something that requires special permission, this is NORMAL MODERATION and is practiced on every major forum in the world.

If that is the way you want to treat volunteers who have put hundreds of hours into your organization, so be it. But I will have no part of that.

Enjoy running your own board from now on. Link

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Making a long story short, eventually Mr. Itkine gave the CFC the money, but with strings attached . He is now free to post on ChessTalk and the CFC message board...atleast, up until the next time he will be censored and banned!

AND WHAT OF MR. BEVAND AND MR. MALLON?

When Bevand finally realized what an ass he was, he issued a public apology (!) and both gentlemen kissed and made up! Apparently, there is a photo of this somewhere....

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Today's winning smile

2012-01-20T04:32:00.000-08:00

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''The first symptom of love in a young man is shyness; the first symptom in a woman, it's boldness.''

Victor Hugo

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Today's chess quotation

2012-01-20T01:39:00.000-08:00

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Judit Polgar on draws

Photo of Judit, husband Gustav, and a fan.

''We have to make a distinction between a short draw and a great fighting draw, for example Aronian - Carlsen or Nepomniachtchi - Aronian. A draw is a normal result in chess but sometimes drawn games can be more interesting than decisive ones! If you at least play at an amateur level where you can also follow the moves and ideas and not only the result then you can enjoy many of the drawn games.

Chess is a fight where both players would like to win and both of them want to avoid losing. To lose a game is a really bad feeling, especially seeing as you might sit there for 6 hours and the next day there’s another challenge ahead. Players don’t see only one game but also think about the next rounds. Actually, if someone can hold a worse position it might give the player almost the same feeling as if he’d won the game.

Don’t forget that it’s much easier to lose than to make a fighting draw!''

Link

Bobby Fischer : 4th year after the King is dead

2012-01-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

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Just a couple of days ago, on January 17, we marked the 4th anniversary of the death of the greatest chess player that has ever walked the earth. That is high praise, and only a truly worthy champion can be put ahead of such magnificent giants the chess world has produced: Philidor, Staunton, Morphy, Steinitz, Lasker, Capablanca, Rubinstein, Alekhine, Botvinnik, Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian, Spassky, Keres, Karpov and Kasparov. Exalted company.

But Bobby showed his great potential when, as just a young kid, he was immediately pushed into the lime-light and became a national icon;

THE GAME OF THE 20th CENTURY?

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Bobby Fischer soon became the most photographed player of modern times. On the internet literally, thousands of photos have been archived. A google search reveals millions of hits Today I checked and found more than 19 million hits. Kasparov, the wanna be Fischer, has less than 2 million hits.

Bobby was the most exciting player the game has seen since Morphy. People who have met him often use the word 'electrifying' to describe his presence when he walked into a room. His games , ever since a young lad, attracted multitudes of spectators and admirers. Superstar magnetism.

Fischer ,barely a teen, already showing superstar greatness

No chessplayer that I have ever heard of has received mail from hundreds of female fans , many with marriage proposals! Bobby Fischer was idolized around the world ever since he burst on to the scene at the age of 13.

A mega star almost all of his life

Fischer, just a boy, arriving for his first European tournament

Fischer became the youngest US champion at the age of 14. At 15 he was already an elite grandmaster and candidate for the highest title in the chess world. But he had to deal with reality: the cold war was raging and the Soviet political leaders especially refused to allow an American (no matter how talented) threaten their national game. Much talk of collusion between Fischer's Soviet opponents to try to stop him , of the KGB stalking Fischer all of his career and of a FIDE world championship structure deliberately designed to thwart any threat to the Soviets coloured Fischer's long march to become the 11th World Champion. Much has been proven to be true since secret documents have been made public recently.

Fischer's genius apart, Bobby was a normal American like any other. A decent person. Likeable and charitable. Even the Soviet superstars found his boyish charm disarming.

Fischer visiting Tal in the hospital in 1962

Fischer, Tal, Polugaevsky and Spassky analyzing in Havana 1966. He was respected and admired by all

Fischer playing the Serbian legend S.Gligoric. Curiously, Gligoric had a very good score against Bobby before 1965.

Fischer playing the reigning World Champion, Botvinnik, in 1962. Botvinnik managed to draw a lost game, but came away immensely impressed by the talented American

When the Soviet authorities caught a glimpse of Botvinnik's positive comments about the talented American, they understood that there was an ideological contradiction in the works. So soon afterwards, Botvinnik was more careful in his remarks, and rarely let any Fischer success go unpunished: either his opponents were 'sick' or Bobby 'lucky', or Fischer won only because of his fabulous memory and once he turned 30 he would go downhill quickly ! Botvinnik knew that there was no point in fighting the politicians...

When Fischer briefly withdrew from competition because of 'Soviet cheating' in the early 60's, he toured the US and Canada , giving simuls and lectures. I remember when he came to Montreal : I was not playing chess at the time, but Fischer appeared on TV playing a blitz game with Lazlo Witt. (Witt won!)

From a discussion I had with Zvonko Vranesic (who attended a Fischer lecture in Toronto), Bobby's lectures were filled with profound thoughts and ideas. One of them was that the Queen's real prowess could only be realized by drawing upon her the firepower of the enemy, and just when it seems she is about to be captured...she uses her power to jump to the other side of the board!

Ofcourse Bobby could be a difficult person. Fischer developed an ego to go along with his superstar status. He demanded the best conditions from organizers. He walked out if something was not perfect. He represented something that was the beginning of the professionalization of chess.

In 1967 , the US chess federation received an invitation from the Prince of Monaco for three American chess players to play in the Monaco Internation Chess Tournament....but with the condition that one of those three player must be Fischer. Fischer participated and won the tournament, but proved to be a bit difficult. The following year, the US chess federation received another invitation from the Prince for 3 players to participate in the tournament, but with the condition that NONE of the players be Fischer!

Fischer disappeared from international competition for about 18 months in the late 60's, making a comeback in the spring of 1970. Shortly before this, he authored a best selling book of his games. I remember this period very well since I had just recently started getting involved in school tournaments in Montreal and the excitement that Fischer generated in the chess community was palpable! I have never seen anything like it since: he was a god to chess amateurs! The living legend had descended from the clouds to settle business with the Soviets...

Spassky vs Fischer, Siegen Olympiad 1970

Bobby won everything he played in in 1970, and he played a lot! His games were amazing. If Mozart was a chessplayer, then he surely would be Fischer. Bobby was quickly nearing his peak. It was especially for this reason that there was unparalleled interest when he met Fischer at the Siegen Olympiad. (Spassky won!)

Then in 1971 began Fischer's run up to Mount Olympus. 6-0 scores against both Tajmanov and Larsen. Nobody could believe it! The American media started to take notice. The Soviets' attempts at thwarting the American genius were doomed: Fischer had pressured FIDE to put in place a qualification structure where collusion and cheating were next to impossible.

Larsen complained of high blood pressure during his match, and had to be hospitalized for a brief time. But his defeat was deserved! I think it was the great S.Tartakower who said that in all of his life he had never beaten a truly healthy opponent!

When Fischer met the Armenian grandmaster and former World Champion Tigran Petrosian in Buenos Aires in late 1971, thousands of spectators showed up every game. There was pandomonium in the streets! Hundreds of journalists from all over the world flew into the Argentine capital to watch history unfold.

If you are attentive, then you will have noticed that Fischer at the board always leaned forward. And what a great match it was ! Fischer won the first game. Petrosian the second. After 5 games, the match stood even. But then Fischer won 4 games in a row!! Petrosian had never lost 4 games in a row in his whole life...he also called the doctors! But what could medicine do against historical destiny?

Fischer in the final game of the match. He had just played his king pawn forward,and Petrosian was on the move. He looked worried. Undoubtedly he was more concerned about how the Soviet authorities would react when he returned home than on trying to win the game. He was a defeated man. Fischer had earned the right to play for the World Championship!!

When I was in Buenos Aires in August/September 2005, I made a point to visit the theatre where the Fischer - Petrosian match was held. It had little changed since then! I was reminded of the photos published in magazines showing thousands of spectators crowding the street infront of the theatre...curiously the theatre is only 5 minutes walk from the location of the famous Capablanca vs Alekhine match of 1927!

And we all know how history turned out. Spassky saved his honour, but could not stop what had been destined by the gods.

It is known that in the run up to the 1972 negotiations for the Fischer-Spassky match there were grave obstacles that had to be overcome. Fischer wanted more prize money. The Soviets refused to give an inch in the negotiations. Fischer more than once backed away. But the world in 1972 was still at the height of the Cold War, 'detente' was being constructed, and it was important for both the Americans and the Soviets that the match be held. In the end, high level politicians saved the day: Henry Kissinger had to phone Bobby to convince the American genius to go to Iceland. Fischer was a patriot.

In 1975 the much anticipated Karpov vs Fischer match never took place, even though a 5 million dollar prize fund was fully guaranteed, and Fischer never played again until 1992 (and then just as quickly disappeared). I suppose any good story of the life of a rebel genius must end in tragedy! The gods need reasons to cry. I believe that it was for political reasons that the 1972 match was saved by the White House, and that by the time 1975 came around the world was already a very different place. Nixon had been forced out of the White House the previous summer. Helinski was already done, the Viet Nam war was over and chess/Fischer was simply no longer a priority.

Fischer was already a lving legend, and had nothing to gain. He had won the World Championship, chess was popular and booming, and we should not let escape that the chess politicians in FIDE saw little to be gained by having Fischer risk losing his title to a Russian... today it is every chessplayer who is nostalgic of those times and all wish they could turn back the clock and re-write the fateful decisions made.

Sitting by the original board from the historic 1972 match

Fischer has found peace in Iceland

What does Bobby Fischer mean to me personally? I never met him, but as a chessplayer he represents something that is bigger than the game itself. Chess , the game, can never have a very big appeal (compared to poker or tennis or soccer) by itself. It is , after all, a very difficult game that requires hard work and dedication. It requires an unusual combination of passion and craziness to be a chess fan.

Undoubtedly, in my lifetime, Bobby Fischer will have been the only individual to have made chess universally appealing. And probably will be the only one to do so in all of human history.

What was it that made Fischer great? What was it that made him a living legend, and now that he is dead...will he become the 'Elvis Presley' of the chess culture? I am not sure, but I think that we must remember that Fischer was only too human. He had to deal with the pressures of superstardom alone. He had no real family, and few friends. He was a fragile human being.

And like every true genius, there must be some element of tragedy, something that makes us feel sad within when the story is complete. Is the tragedy of Bobby Fischer that he never played again after winning the World Championship, or is the tragedy about his final years in disgrace (before finding a friendly haven in Iceland)? I don't know, and your answer is as good as mine.

In all of my years as a chessplayer (fan), I have to say that I have never seen anything like the fever that Bobby Fischer created. Chess is supposed to be dull! Bobby generated excitement and controversy. The champions that came later (Kasparov, Karpov, Kramnik , Anand, etc) had the misfortune to have to measure themselves against Fischer. And since Fischer had disappeared, he was untouchable. Unbeatable. Try as they may (especially Kasparov), there will only be one Bobby Fischer in the history books long after they are gone.

I am truely thankful to bear witness to Fischer's great achievements. Thankyou, Bobby!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning touch

2012-01-18T20:40:00.000-08:00

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''It's all right for a woman to be, above all, human. I am a woman first of all.''

Anais Nin

Tidbits from Wijk Aan Zee

2012-01-18T04:58:00.000-08:00

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GM Katerina Lahno, playing in the 'B'-tournament, won a nice attacking game against Sipke Ernst

POSITION AFTER 25 MOVES:

gm SIPKE ERNST

gm LAHNO

With Black's ...Nf7 coming soon, the indicated continuation is the rational retreat 26.Be3 (26.Bd2!?) , though after 26...Nf7 chances appear to be balanced. While Black's Queenside play is easier to execute than White's Kingside initative, White's play is more dangerous, given the residence of the Black majesty. If I had to choose which side I had to play, I would take the White pieces, though with some reservations.

Lahno has other ideas and prefers to push forward immediately. From the practical point of view, there is much to say in favour of this approach (''Fortune favours the brave.'' comes to mind), but there are consequences.

26. g5!? fg

Now 27.Bxg5 allows Black to push back the White Queen from her active post with 27...Rf8, considerably easing Black's defence. However, there is an argument in favour of the flashy 27. Nf5!? gf 28. ef when White does not really appear to be worse, for example 28... Nxf5 29. Bxf5 Bxf5 30. Qxf5. While this would appear to offer some justification to Lahno's previous decision, it does not call into question the soundness of Black's Kingside defences.

Lahno disregards this possibility and played instead

27. hg

The White Bishop on h6 is blocked from retreat. Furthermore, White does not really threaten anything at the present; Black should probably just maintain his position with the flexible 27...Qb7, for instance. It is not clear what Lahno had in mind here...INSTEAD, Black plays walks into a storm and immediately finds himself under a strong attack:

27... Rf8?!

This natural move works well had White recaptured on g5 with the Bishop, but here is quite weak, as Lahno's play soon proves. No doubt Black did not perceive the difference...

28. Nf5!!

A spectacular move. The Knight can be taken 4-ways , but none of them are satisfactory! In the meantime, White simply threatens to take off the Knight on g7, so Black must do something or perish...

28... gf 29. ef !

The threat is simply 30.f6

29... Bxf5 there appears to be nothing better : 30... Nxf5 31. Bxf8 Nh4 32. Qh3 Ng6 33. Bxe7 Qxe7 34. Qc8 30. Bxf5

30... Nf7

Black defends as well as he can, but he can not prevent the attack from gaining momentum

31. Bxg7! Kxg7 32. Qh5!

Threatening mate in one move!

32... Rh8 33. Be6 !

Lahno is merciless!

Black soon threw in the towel (33... Bd8 34. g6 Ng5 35. gh [1:0])

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Ooops!

Photo of Elisabeth Paehtz (Fred Lucas). The 'Paris Hilton' of European chess?

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 36th MOVE (36.Be6??):

gm Tikkanen

Paehtz

I suppose that White simply overlooked Black's next move. In any case, it leads to a pretty finish

36...Rxf3! 37.RxR Rg1 38.Ka1 Rc1! the point

If the Queen moves away then ...Qxa4 is mate! White must now part with her Queen , but the game is quite hopeless. Black won a handful of moves later.

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning smile

2012-01-17T13:57:00.000-08:00

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Today's laughs

2012-01-17T10:41:00.000-08:00

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THE NEWFIE CHRISTENING

Patrick's pregnant sister was in a terrible car accident and went into a deep coma. After being in the coma for nearly six months, she wakes up and sees that she is no longer pregnant.

Frantically, she asks the doctor about her baby.

The doctor replies, 'Ma'am, you had twins ... a boy and a girl. The babies are fine, however, they were poorly at birth, and had to be christened immediately so your brother Patrick came in and named them.''

The woman thinks to herself, ' Oh suffering Jesus, no, not me brother, he's a clueless idiot ...

Expecting the worst, she asks the doctor,' Well, what's my daughter's name?

‘Denise' says the doctor.

The new mother is somewhat relieved, 'Wow, that's a beautiful name, I guess I was wrong about my brother', she thought ...'I really like Denise '

Then she asks, ' What's the boy's name?'

The doctor replies ' Denephew '

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SCOTTISH BLOOD

An Arab Sheik was admitted to the hospital for open heart surgery, but prior to the surgery, the doctors needed to store several pints of his blood in case the need arose. As the gentleman had a rare AB negative blood type, it couldn't be found locally, so the call went out to numerous hospitals and citizens, even in other countries.

Finally a Scotsman was located who had the same blood type. The Scot willingly donated his blood for the Arab. After the surgery, the Arab sent the Scotsman a new BMW, several brilliantly-cut top grade diamonds and $10,000 US dollars as appreciation for giving his blood.

A couple of months later, once again the Arab had to go through a corrective surgery. His doctor telephoned the same Scotsman who was more than happy to donate his blood again.

After the second surgery, the Arab sent the Scotsman a thank-you card and a jar of assorted candies.

The Scotsman was shocked that this time the Arab did not reciprocate his kind gesture as he had anticipated. He phoned the Arab and said to him: "I thought you would be very generous again, that you would give me another nice car, gemstones and cash money, but you merely sent a thank-you card and a jar of candy.”

To this the Arab replied: "Aye, but I now have Scottish blood in me veins".

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A picture is worth a thousand words...

2012-01-17T02:01:00.000-08:00

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''The above photograph was on the front cover of the November 1944 Chess Review, with the following note on page 1:

‘Paul Whiteman, King of Jazz, wields his famous baton in defense of his king, attacked by Chess Review Postalite Leo Kahn, first violinist of the Whiteman orchestra. Looking on are violinist Sylvan Shulman (pipe in mouth) and viola player Ralph Hersh. These and other members of the orchestra are ardent chess fans and play during intermissions. This striking pose was taken at a rehearsal for the Blue Network's Radio Hall of Fame program.’ ''

Chess History Link

Listen to this!

Today's painting

2012-01-17T01:50:00.000-08:00

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''Flores''

Doris Helena Soares da Silva Giacomolli

Today's winning legs !

2012-01-16T20:48:00.000-08:00

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Photo by Kacper Kaspryzkh

''It has ever been since time began, and ever will be, till time lose breath, that love is a mood /no more/to man, and love to a woman is life and death.''

Ella Wheeler Wilcox
1850-1919

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Light humour

2012-01-16T04:30:00.000-08:00

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Well, atleast it gets the point across!

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In this time of financial crisis, perhaps a reasonable investment...

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Baby it is cold outside...

The San Francisco metro system is known as BART. One day every January the commuters are encouraged to use the system without wearing any pants! Believe it or not! Link

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Strip-checkers??

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BOATS AND DISASTERS ....

The real world....

The CFC....

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Wijk Aan Zee in progress

2012-01-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

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Tournament link

Today known as the Tata Steel Chess , the traditional Wijk Aan Zee chess festival got underway this past weekend and promises keep all chess afficionados glued to their computer screens for the better part of the next 2 weeks. I will occasionally report on the event , especially providing some of the more appealing snippets of play.

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NICE ATTACKING MOMENT

Caruana photo by Fred Lucas

The Italian star Caruana (photo above) played a really nice game against Karjakin yesterday in the 2nd round. I especially liked how White subtlety built up an attacking position over on the Kingside. The key word is subtle. Before Karjakin knew what was happening, it was already too late and the only defence was to shed material, which was efficiently exploited by the Italian.

POSITION AFTER 26 MOVES:

gm KARJAKIN

gm CARUANA

Both sides have been going thru the motions of trying to gain and occupy valuable squares. Black seems content with his firm control over c4 and Queenside pressure. White has managed to place his Knight on the important square f5, which my blog readers will no doubt recognize as a motif that occurs more often in the Spanish Opening. The presence of a weakness on h6 must have been underestimated by Karjakin.

27. Qd1 !!

A nice quiet move that effectively decides the game. The Queen can not be stopped from going to g4 (or h5, depending on how Black reacts) where she will join the armada (Knight on f5, Bishops on f4 and d3) and mount a decisive attack.

Black must not be tempted by 27...Nb2 (?) as after 28.Nxh6-ch! PxN 29.Qg4-ch Black will not see the endgame, as the readers can easily enough verify.
Karjakin therefore takes immediate defensive measures with the next moves, but it is already too late.

27... Rfe8 28. Qg4 Kf8

Not sufficient , either, was trying to go the other way: 28... Kh8 29. Rxe8 Rxe8 30. Nxh6 gh 31. Qf5 when Black collapses.

29. Bd6 [ Also good enough is the immediate 29. Rxe8 Rxe8 30. Bd6! Nxd6 31. Nxd6] 29... Nxd6 30. Nxd6 Rxe1 31. Rxe1 Qc7

32. Qxc8!

Pretty! The mate threat on e8 forces Black to exchange Queens after which the ending is a relatively boring technical exercise. Curiously, 32.Nxc8 might have won faster! But who can fault the Italian star from wanting to please the spectators?

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Tiny tactic!

2012-01-15T15:42:00.000-08:00

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WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

(Solution: 1.Nf5-ch! wins the Queen. Taking the Knight gets mated after 2.Qg5-ch, as the reader can easily verify.)

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Today's winning eye

2012-01-15T13:16:00.001-08:00

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Sunday training session!

2012-01-15T00:10:00.000-08:00

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Practice makes perfect.

The following 20 exercises are from actual games played at the 2010 Chess Olympiad in Russia. Unless indicated otherwise, the side to move (see the dot!) wins. Good luck!

Solutions: http://www.wtharvey.com/ol10.html

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Claudia Amura vs Afamia Mir Mahmoud, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

Namhai Battulga vs Amadou Toure, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

White Mates in 4

Kanwal Bhatia vs Hisako Wakabayashi, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

White Mates in 3.

Sebastian Bogner vs G Bwalya, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

Bu Xiangzhi vs Semetey Tologontegin, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

Alvaro Guerrero vs Samuel Agbaje, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

Sarah Hoolt vs Damaris Abarca Gonzalez, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

White Mates in 8.

Ilia Iljiushenok vs Ahmed Shbaita, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

White Mates in 6.

Irina Krush vs Ariella Adames, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

White Mates in 2.

Liem Le Quang vs Phemelo Khetho, Khanty Mansyisk, 201

White Mates in 9.

Luke McShane vs Tze-Meng Mok, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

White Mates in 4.

Elshan Moradiabadi vs Shaun Press, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

Ivan Morovic Fernandez vs Mahmood Lodhi, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

Hikaru Nakamura vs Helgi Dam Ziska, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

Tomas Petrik vs Martyn Del Castilho, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

White Mates in 3.

Anna Ryvova vs Loyce Kapila, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

White Mates in 5.

Bartosz Socko vs Michael Wiedenkeller, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

White Mates in 4.

Diego Valerga vs Ryuji Nakamura, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

White Mates in 3.

B Adhiban vs Sergei Salov, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

Rainer Buhmann vs Viktor Bologan, Khanty Mansyisk, 2010

Today's insight into the meaning of life...

2012-01-14T00:31:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

It is all fun and games until someone loses an eye...

A pirate walked into a bar, and the bartender said, "Hey, I haven't seen you in a while. What happened? You look terrible."

"What do you mean?" said the pirate, "I feel fine."

"What about the wooden leg? You didn't have that before."

"Well," said the pirate, "We were in a battle, and I got hit with a cannon ball, but I'm fine now."

The bartender replied, "Well, OK, but what about that hook? What happened to your hand?"

The pirate explained, "We were in another battle. I boarded a ship and got into a sword fight. My hand was cut off. I got fitted with a hook but I'm fine, really."

"What about that eye patch?"

"Oh," said the pirate, "One day we were at sea, and a flock of birds flew over. I looked up, and one of them sh!t in my eye."

"You're kidding," said the bartender. "You couldn't lose an eye just from bird shit."

"It was my first day with the hook."

Thx Dennis! ...................................................................................

Weird Photos

Some sort of mating dance...

Self criticism?!

Francis Clalin or Clatin or Clayton: Woman who disguised herself as a man and fought in the Civil War, found out only after being wounded. Apparently she could spit, swear and drink as well as any other soldier
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PROOF POSITIVE THAT HUMOUR CAN BE GOOD FOR YOUR SEX LIFE:

'ATTA BOY, BENNY!

Dr. Seuss for Older Kids:

Just in case you weren't feeling too old today .........

The people who are starting college this fall w ere born in 1993.

They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.

Their lifetime has always included AIDS.

The CD was introduced two years before they were born.

They have always had an answering machine.

They have always had cable..Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.

Popcorn has always been microwaved .

They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.

They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.

They never heard: 'Where's the Beef?', 'I'd walk a mile for a Camel ' or 'de plane Boss, de plane'.

McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers.

They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.

Thx Linda!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Post 9-11 deja-vu

2012-01-13T01:25:00.000-08:00

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Do you trust your government to act in your best interests? Or do you expect your government to act in their best interests? Either way, 9-11 changed the world. Our world. Especially how the government looks at each of us. We are still trying to come to grips with the massive changes in civil liberties and laws affecting our privacy.

National security is an excuse for anything. Have you ever wondered how it is that the government was all too prepared to act as it did in the aftermath? Paranoia? Conspiracy theories? Or just good, old-fashioned science fiction?

You decide! The truth is out there somewhere. Maybe...

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"More stringent security measures. Universal electronic surveillance. No-knock laws. Stop and frisk laws. Government inspection of first-class mail. Automatic fingerprinting, photographing, blood tests, and urinalysis of any person arrested before he is charged with a crime. A law making it unlawful to resist even unlawful arrest. Laws establishing detention camps for potential subversives. Gun control laws. Restrictions on travel.

The assassinations, you see, establish the need for such laws in the public mind. Instead of realizing that there is a conspiracy, conducted by a handful of men, the people reason -- or are manipulated into reasoning -- that the entire population must have its freedom restricted in order to protect the leaders. The people agree that they themselves can't be trusted.”

― Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea, They Eye in the Pyramid, 1975

''The Illuminatus! Trilogy is a series of three novels written by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson first published in 1975. The trilogy is a satirical, postmodern, science fiction-influenced adventure story; a drug-, sex-, and magic-laden trek through a number of conspiracy theories, both historical and imaginary, related to the authors' version of the Illuminati.'' (Wikipedia)

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Friday's 5-minute tactical challenge!

2012-01-12T19:23:00.000-08:00

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Five minutes! That is all you have and that is all you need to solve the 4 chess puzzles below. That and a bit of natural talent.

Genius not required!

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Solutions later today. Good luck!

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POSITION 1

Black was expecting White to recapture the Pawn on b4. White had a surprise for Black: how does White win?

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POSITION 2

Black to play and win!

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POSITION 3

A messy position. Fortunately for Black, it is his move. How does Black win?

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POSITION 4

White to play and win!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning smile!

2012-01-12T19:03:00.000-08:00

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TO A CHILD DANCING IN THE WIND

by: W. B. Yeats (1865-1939)

ANCE there upon the shore;
What need have you to care
For wind or water's roar?
And tumble out your hair
That the salt drops have wet;
Being young you have not known
The fool's triumph, nor yet
Love lost as soon as won,
Nor the best labourer dead
And all the sheaves to bind.
What need have you to dread
The monstrous crying of wind?

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Dumb ass quotation of the day

2012-01-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

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CANADA TO BE DOWN-SIZED?

It is now official. Just ask Bob Armstrong. ''Canada is a big country.'' (Maybe even too big.) All this according to the prominent member of the CFC leadership and self-appointed guru of the break-away Canadian Chess Coalition. Canadian chess might never be the same again...

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Ofcourse, this does not mean Canadian chess players should panic, yet: Canada is exactly the same size as it was when the Europeans first started to inhabit the Americas some 500 years ago. But in recent years the CFC has had increasing difficulty to manage chess in Canada. The country refuses to get any smaller. Or cheaper. Especially cheaper.

ISN'T REALITY A BITCH!

Making things worse, to justify the short sightedness of a relatively new policy of promoting chess at exactly zero cost , the CFC has let its national championships go to hell and fend for themselves. In the past the CFC was responsible for ensuring that these championships were prestigious and met with respectable standards. Today if the best players want to participate, then they still can-- but they not only have to pay all of their expenses -- they also have to pay entry fees of several hundreds of dollars. If not, then any lowly rated player who is willing to pay can become our champion!

DEMOCRATIZING CHESS, YEAH!

The result is entirely predictable: in recent years most of the elite (top-ten) players in both the junior and adult categories have boycotted the national championships. For example, the recently held Canadian Junior Championship had just 1 player from the top-ten list. And only one player from east of Winnipeg (which is situated exactly in the middle of Canada) bothered to play in the championship which was located in Calgary.

Is the CFC going to reverse its failed policy? No way! Why do that if the chess politicians are happy! Canada's FIDE rep and past CFC president was enthusiastic with the Calgary event and wrote ''Well done all!!''

The apparent contradiction between the acknowledgement of rising costs (for everyone) and the simultaneous,dramatic reduction (zero-cost) of investment in the promotion of chess in Canada is something the top chess players have been trying to make known to the CFC leadership.

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But...the players' opinions are...well...irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Better to find ever creative solutions....

The solution

''Have both a Western Junior Chess Championship and an Eastern Junior Chess Championship with the two winners eventually squaring off in an old fashioned match tournament for the national title...Canada's a big country .... only one player each year would have to go to the expense of making a long trip ...''

Bob Armstrong

Today's 5-minute tactical challenge!

2012-01-11T03:05:00.000-08:00

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ARE YOU UP TO IT? THEN TRY THESE PUZZLES!

You should not require more than 5-minutes to solve all of the problems below. Atleast, if you have been following this blog since 2009: then you must certainly have learned the 'trick' to analyzing quickly and efficiently! My pupils are hard-nosed competitors!

''Ah! A piece of cake!''

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Solutions below!

White to play and win!

Black to play! What is the best continuation?

Black to play! What would you do?

White to play! Good luck!

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CLICK HERE FOR THE SOLUTIONS

Courtesy of the great website ''Xadrez Vivo'' MUITO OBRIGADO!!

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Today's winning recipe!

2012-01-11T01:30:00.000-08:00

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''Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.''

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Super duet

2012-01-10T22:46:00.000-08:00

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Wow! I had not seen this Eros/Anastacia version of ''I belong to you'' before today. Definitely the best on the net.

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How to fake French

2012-01-09T22:59:00.000-08:00

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This is a super cute video that anglophones can easily relate to! Enjoy...

Today's winning wall paper

2012-01-09T22:54:00.000-08:00

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''So rare is the union of beauty with modesty.''

Decimus Juvenal

Roman Poet of the 1st century A.D.

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Wang Yue wins Hastings

2012-01-09T22:51:00.000-08:00

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Official tournament site

The pre-tournament favourite, Wang Yue, won easily the 2011-12 edition of the Hastings International tournament with 7.5 points in 9 games. He lead from the beginning to the very end. The traditional English event took place between December 28 and January 5. The 24 year old chinese superstar is still developing as a player and it would not surprise me if he becomes a world championship contender sometime in the near future.

Wang's style of play is like many of the other chinese grandmasters: based on a very profound knowledge of endgames and possessing tremendous patience and poise. However, he seems to have taken this endgame school a step further by developing a penchant for coming up with surprising tactical twists.

Witness Wang's performance against the Ukranian gm Vovk:

POSITION AFTER 28 MOVES:

Black seems to have contained the Chinese star's initiative and is about to play ...Rc7 followed by a lot of wood chopping. However, Wang had a very unpleasant surprise waiting for his opponent:

29. c6! (threatening Bc5 winning the exchange) 29...b6 30.Ng5!

Ouch! Perhaps Vovk overlooked this. In anycase, the move is decisive. Not only does White now win a pawn, but he maintains the strong passed c-pawn. Black fought on bravely but could not keep up with Wang's energetic play:

30...Rc-c7 31.Nxh7-ch Kg7 32.RxRe7 RxR 33.Rd7! Bd6 34.Ng5 Bb4

White now has a forced win

35.Bd4-ch!

Black can not retreat to the back rank because of 36.Rd8! So he quietly played the feeble 35...f6. Find out how Wang finished off the Ukranian star!

The amazing speed-finger artist!

2012-01-09T21:54:00.000-08:00

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We all know what speed chess is. Now it is time to learn about speed finger-painting!

What would you say if I told you the above painting took just 3 minutes to create and the artist only used his fingers as a paintbrush? 'Impossible' say you? You would be wrong!

Chilean artist Fabian Gaete Maureira does this for a living, on the street. The youtube video below has been making the rounds today. Watch it and weep! Then go an check out this to see more of Fabian's work...

David Zhang wins Canadian Junior

2012-01-09T06:25:00.000-08:00

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The Calgary organizers knew that most of the elite Junior players in Canada would boycott the 2012 Junior Championship if the tournament were to be held out west without travel-subsidies for players from central and eastern Canada. Never the less, they went ahead and organized it! Twelve players participated. Only 1 of the top -10 rated juniors played. Only 1 player east of Winnipeg showed up! Bravo!

Canadian Master David Zhang (pictured above at the 2011 World Subs in Brazil) won the Canadian Junior (Calgary) over the weekend, with 6.5 points. Half a point behind was Richard Wang. Congratulations to both youngsters!

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Today's laughs

2012-01-09T05:57:00.000-08:00

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The USA House Minority Leader is pictured standing, far right, speaking while colleagues play solitaire ... as they debate a new budget. Further down, the guy sitting in the row in front of these two....he's on Facebook, and the guy behind Hennessy is checking out the baseball scores.

They make $179,000 per annum.
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Today's winning smile

2012-01-09T05:43:00.000-08:00

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There is something irresistible about her smile.

''Thou art to me a delicious torment.''
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Monday's tactics training

2012-01-09T05:36:00.000-08:00

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TODAY'S TRAINING SESSION!

''Through my illness I learned rejection. I was written off. That was the moment I thought, 'Okay, game on. No prisoners. Everybody's going down'.''

Lance Armstrong

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(Solutions later this evening. Good luck!)

2

3

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Today's quotation

2012-01-08T03:35:00.000-08:00

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“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Calvin Coolidge 30th President of the USA

There is an interesting news article about some recent studies on the influence of IQ and success here.

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Today's quiet moment of reflection

2012-01-07T20:52:00.000-08:00

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January 2012 Issue of Budapest Chess News!

2012-01-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

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My readers will be pleased to learn that Michael Yip has not been kidnapped by Santa's little helpers and has just put out the January 2012 issue of Budapest Chess News! My apologies for the delay (usually the first of the month the link is already up and available!) and you can download the new issue on the link on the left.

Early in the coming week I will publish more extensively on the excellent content of this magazine.

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