Dum spiro, spero

"The game might be divided into three parts: the opening, the middle-game and the end-game. There is one thing you must strive for, to be equally efficient in the three parts." ― Jose Raul Capablanca

"Unfortunately, many regard the critic as an enemy, instead of seeing him as a guide to the truth." ― Wilhelm Steinitz

"My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist. Drive is considered aggression today; I knew it then as purpose." ― Bette Davis

"Chess is a matter of vanity." ― Alexander Alekhine

"As a chess player one has to be able to control one's feelings, one has to be as cold as a machine." ― Levon Aronian

"Sometimes it happens that the computer's assessment is very abstract. It's correct, but it's not useful for a practical game. You have to prove the assessment with very strong moves and if you don't find all of these strong moves you may lose very quickly. For a computer this is not a problem, but for humans it is not so easy." ― Vassily Ivanchuk

"A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit." ― John Milton

"Chess is a sport. The main object in the game of chess remains the achievement of victory." ― Max Euwe

"A sport, a struggle for results and a fight for prizes. I think that the discussion about "chess is science or chess is art" is already inappropriate. The purpose of modern chess is to reach a result." ― Alexander Morozevich

"No one man is superior to the game." ― A. Bartlett Giamatti, in reference to Pete Rose, the all-time MLB hits leader banned for gambling.

"To err is human; to forgive, divine." ― Alexander Pope

"I consider Mr. Morphy the finest chess player who ever existed. He is far superior to any now living, and would doubtless have beaten Labourdonnais himself. In all his games with me, he has not only played, in every instance, the exact move, but the most exact. He never makes a mistake; but, if his adversary commits the slightest error, he is lost." ― Adolf Anderssen

"After white's reply to 1.e4 e5 with 2.f4 the game is in its last throes" ― Howard Staunton

"I have added these principles to the law: get the Knights into action before both Bishops are developed." ― Emanuel Lasker

"With opposite coloured bishops the attacking side has in effect an extra piece in the shape of his bishop." ― Mikhail Botvinnik

"A pawn, when separated from his fellows, will seldom or never make a fortune." ― Francois-Andre Danican Philidor

Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. — Alfred Lord Tennyson

"Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances." ― Thomas Jefferson

"The human element, the human flaw and the human nobility - those are the reasons that chess matches are won or lost." ― Viktor Korchnoi

"Faulty execution of a winning combination has lost many a game on the very brink of victory. In such cases, a player sees the winning idea, plays the winning sacrifice, and then inverts the order of their follow-up moves or misses the really clinching point of their combination." ― Fred Reinfeld

"In chess, you should be as cool as a cucumber." ― Yuliya Snigir

"Be warned! From Satan's viewpoint you are a pawn in his game of cosmic chess." ― Adrian Rogers

"Pawns not only create the sketch for the whole painting, they are also the soil, the foundation, of any position." ― Anatoly Karpov

"The object of the state is always the same: to limit the individual, to tame him, to subordinate him, to subjugate him." ― Max Stirner

"It is a profound mistake to imagine that the art of combination depends only on natural talent, and that it cannot be learned." ― Richard Reti

"A Queen's sacrifice, even when fairly obvious, always rejoices the heart of the chess-lover." ― Savielly Tartakower

"Everyone makes mistakes. The wise are not people who never make mistakes, but those who forgive themselves and learn from their mistakes." ― Ajahn Brahm

"As a rule, so-called "positional" sacrifices are considered more difficult, and therefore more praise-worthy, than those which are based exclusively on an exact calculation of tactical possibilities." ― Alexander Alekhine

"It would be idle, and presumptuous, to wish to imitate the achievements of a Morphy or an Alekhine; but their methods and their manner of expressing themselves are within the reach of all." ― Eugene Znosko-Borovsky

"The most powerful weapon in chess is to have the next move." ― David Bronstein

It's never too late to lose. - Ben Finegold

"Get there firstest with the mostest." ― Nathan Bedford Forrest

"If the defender is forced to give up the center, then every possible attack follows almost of itself." ― Siegbert Tarrasch

"Erudition, like a bloodhound, is a charming thing when held firmly in leash, but it is not so attractive when turned loose upon a defenseless and unerudite public." ― Agnes Repplier

"If you watch it, you should watch it with other players and try to find moves, like it was before. Now on many sites you watch together with the computer and the pleasure is gone." ― Boris Gelfand

777

"I believe that chess possesses a magic that is also a help in advanced age. A rheumatic knee is forgotten during a game of chess and other events can seem quite unimportant in comparison with a catastrophe on the chessboard." ― Vlastimil Hort

"It's funny, but many people don't understand why I draw so many games nowadays. They think my style must have changed but this is not the case at all. The answer to this drawing disease is that my favorite squares are e6, f7, g7 and h7 and everyone now knows this. They protect these squares not once but four times!" ― Mikhail Tal

"Having spent alarmingly large chunks of my life studying the white side of the Open Sicilian, I find myself asking, why did I bother?" ― Daniel J. King

"Apart from direct mistakes, there is nothing more ruinous than routine play, the aim of which is mechanical development." ― Alexey Suetin

"Not infrequently ... the theoretical is a synonym of the stereotyped. For the 'theoretical' in chess is nothing more than that which can be found in the textbooks and to which players try to conform because they cannot think up anything better or equal, anything original." ― Mikhail Chigorin

"The choice of opening, whether to aim for quiet or risky play, depends not only on the style of a player, but also on the disposition with which he sits down at the board." ― Efim Geller

"Despite the development of chess theory, there is much that remains secret and unexplored in chess." ― Vasily Smyslov

"No matter how much theory progresses, how radically styles change, chess play is inconceivable without tactics." ― Samuel Reshevsky

"Collect as precious pearls the words of the wise and virtuous." ― Abdelkader El Djezairi

"Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and diligence." ― Abigail Adams

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." ― Winston Churchill

"When I was preparing for one term's work in the Botvinnik school I had to spend a lot of time on king and pawn endings. So when I came to a tricky position in my own games, I knew the winning method." ― Garry Kasparov

"As a rule, pawn endings have a forced character, and they can be worked out conclusively." ― Mark Dvoretsky

"It is a gross overstatement, but in chess, it can be said I play against my opponent over the board and against myself on the clock." ― Viktor Korchnoi

"The fact that the 7 hours time control allows us to play a great deep game is not of great importance for mass-media." ― Alexei Shirov

"For me, each game is a new challenge, which has to be dealt with rationally and systematically. At that time, every other thought fades into oblivion." ― Viswanathan Anand

Ne kadar bilirsen bil, o kadar azdır.

"Any fool can know. The point is to understand." ― Albert Einstein

"To be content with what we possess is the greatest and most secure of riches." ― Marcus Tullius Cicero

"One bad move nullifies forty good ones."
― Israel Albert Horowitz

"It is a well-known phenomenon that the same amateur who can conduct the middle game quite creditably, is usually perfectly helpless in the end game. One of the principal requisites of good chess is the ability to treat both the middle and end game equally well." ― Aron Nimzowitsch

"My hard work and excellent training entitled me to be a better actress than some of my competitors." ― Pola Negri

"Endings of one rook and pawns are about the most common sort of endings arising on the chess board. Yet though they do occur so often, few have mastered them thoroughly. They are often of a very difficult nature, and sometimes while apparently very simple they are in reality extremely intricate." ― Jose Raul Capablanca

"Capablanca used to talk calmly and moderately about everything. However, when our conversation turned to the problems of the battle for the world championship, in front of me was a quite different person: an enraged lion, although with the fervour typical only of a southerner, with his temperamental patter, which made it hard to follow the torrent of his indignant exclamations and words." ― Alexander Koblencs

"A player is said to have the opposition when he can place his King directly in front of the adverse King, with only one square between them. This is often an important advantage in ending games." ― Howard Staunton

"A player can sometimes afford the luxury of an inaccurate move, or even a definite error, in the opening or middlegame without necessarily obtaining a lost position. In the endgame ... an error can be decisive, and we are rarely presented with a second chance." ― Paul Keres

"Never trust a government that doesn't trust its own citizens with guns." ― Benjamin Franklin

"The Soviet Union was an exception, but even there chess players were not rich. Only Fischer changed that." ― Boris Spassky

"Chess never has been and never can be aught but a recreation. It should not be indulged in to the detriment of other and more serious avocations - should not absorb or engross the thoughts of those who worship at its shrine, but should be kept in the background, and restrained within its proper province. As a mere game, a relaxation from the severe pursuits of life, it is deserving of high commendation." ― Paul Morphy

"Incidentally, when we're faced with a "prove or disprove," we're usually better off trying first to disprove with a counterexample, for two reasons: A disproof is potentially easier (we need just one counterexample); and nitpicking arouses our creative juices. Even if the given assertion is true, our search for a counterexample often leads to a proof, as soon as we see why a counterexample is impossible. Besides, it's healthy to be skeptical." ― Ronald Graham

"Even though chess isn't the toughest thing that computers will tackle for centuries, it stood as a handy symbol for human intelligence. No matter what human-like feat computers perform in the future, the Deep Blue match demands an indelible dot on all timelines of AI progress." ― Steven Levy

"Attackers may sometimes regret bad movez, but it's much worse to forever regret an opportunity you allowed to pass you by." ― Garry Kasparov

"Even the laziest king flees wildly in the face of a double check." ― Aron Nimzowitzch

"When you see a good move – WAIT! – look for a better one." ― Emanuel Lasker The Portuguese chess player and author Pedro Damiano (1480–1544) first wrote this in his book "Questo libro e da imparare giocare a scachi et de li partiti" published in Rome, Italy, in 1512.

Proverbs 29:25
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

"Winning is about commitment, discipline, hard work, dedication, determination, courage and sometimes even luck!" ― Susan Polgar

"Every defeat is an opportunity to learn from our mistakes! Every victory is a confirmation of our hard work!" ― Susan Polgar

"A chess player uses his/her knowledge to prepare for next game while a passionate coach preparez for next generation!" ― Susan Polgar

Games from "Positional Chess Handbook" by Israel Gelfer

French Proverb: "Ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire la grimace." ― (There's no substitute for experience.)

<The Three Wise Men of Gotham

Three wise men of Gotham
Went to sea in a bowl;
And if the bowl had been stronger
My song would have been longer.>

‘May your Departures equal your Landfalls!'

Old Russian Proverb: "If you are given something, take it; if you are being beaten, run. (Дают — бери, а бьют — беги.)"

* Arabian Checkmate Pattern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejh...

* Back rankers: Game Collection: Back Rank Mate Examples

* Basic Checkmates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y-...

* Blowing Away the Castled King: Game Collection: Attack The King's Pocket

* KingG has collected brilliant miniatures:
Game Collection: Brilliant Miniatures

* H2B Black Bart: Game Collection: tpstar KG

* Black Licorice: Game Collection: repertorio gaston

* Black B-G Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAI...

* More slow QP answers for Black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK2...

* Diagrammed Checkmate Patterns Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns

* Deflection/Undermining the Defender: Game Collection: Deflection/Undermining Tactics-- OTB Examples

* Devin's Doughnuts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goK...

* Dutch Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAo...

* Short Draws: Game Collection: Short Forced Draws

* For now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fik...

* Colle System: Game Collection: The Colle System: Koltanowski, Phoenix, Zukertor

* Colle book Introduction: Game Collection: Games from "The Ultimate Colle" by Gary Lane

* Copy the Colle 5.c3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3N...

* Club 1.d4 Nf6 2...e6 3...as you please. Symmetrical English ...c5, Qc7, a6, form a hut/small center. Much the same w/the QGA dxc4 and cxd4: D Kryakvin vs Evgeni Kuligin, 2008

Also, Lasker's NY System fighting for e4 is good against slow QP openings w/a pawn on e3.

* G Boogie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSL...

* Gambits & stuff: https://gambitchessplayer.com/page/3/

* More Gs: https://saintlouischessclub.org/blo...

* King's English: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che...

* Reti/English 0-1: Game Collection: Reti/English systems: Black's viewpoint

* Bg2 vs Bg7 English: Game Collection: Inglesa 3

* Common Mistakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI1...

* Snipe Hunting: https://temposchlucker.blogspot.com...

* Zwischenzug! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-q...

* A Brief History of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeB...

* A Brief History of the Game of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2a...

* Chess for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU6...

* Learn Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adY...

* Learn Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGu...

* Learn ALL the Rules of the Royal Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej_...

* Ladder Checkmate with Two Rooks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaQ...

* Checkmate with King and Rook vs lone King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yf...

* Checkmate with Two Bishops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN7...

* Chess Equipment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLA...

* Common Checkmate Patterns:
http://gambiter.com/chess/Checkmate...

* Famous Chess Photos: https://tr.pinterest.com/pin/585256...

* Glossary P: https://www.peoriachess.com/Glossar...

* Malaguena: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxD...

* Nimzowitsch Defense: https://www.chessable.com/blog/nimz...

* The Opposition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52y...

* King and Pawn vs King (both kings want to be in front of the pawn to affect it's progress): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvB...

* White - Sicilian: Bb2 by gabon: Game Collection: White - Sicilian: Bb2

* Winning 1.d4: Game Collection: Winning with 1 d4!

* 1.d4 Response: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ-...

* Ben Kaspa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dh... Benoni Indian.

* Old Ben T: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYK... Old Benoni Trap.

* Old Ben Volclus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6z... Old Benoni D.

* Old Ben The Chess Giant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNo... Old Benoni D.

* Overworked! Game Collection: Overworked Piece

* Opening Tree: https://www.shredderchess.com/onlin...

Encyclopedia of Chess Opening codes:
Anderssen's Opening: 1. a3
Anderssen's Opening, Polish Gambit: 1. a3 a5 2. b4 Anderssen's Opening, Creepy Crawly Formation: 1. a3 e5 2. h3 d5 Anderssen's Opening, Andersspike: 1. a3 g6 2. g4 Ware Opening: 1. a4
Ware Opening, Wing Gambit: 1. a4 b5 2. axb5 Bb7 Ware Opening, Ware Gambit: 1. a4 e5 2. a5 d5 3. e3 f5 4. a6 Ware Opening, Crab Variation: 1. a4 e5 2. h4
Durkin Opening: 1. Na3
Sokolsky Opening: 1. b4
Sokolsky Opening, Birmingham Gambit: 1. b4 c5
Sokolsky Opening, Outflank Variation: 1. b4 c6
Sokolsky Opening, Schuhler Gambit: 1. b4 c6 2. Bb2 a5 3. b5 cxb5 4. e4 Sokolsky Opening, Myers Variation: 1. b4 d5 2. Bb2 c6 3. a4 Sokolsky Opening, Bugayev Attack: 1. b4 e5 2. a3 Sokolsky Opening, Wolferts Gambit: 1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 c5 Saragossa Opening: 1.c3
Dunst Opening: 1. Nc3
Van 't Kruijs Opening: 1.e3
Mieses Opening: 1. d3
Barnes Opening: 1. f3
Benko's Opening: 1. g3
Grob's Attack: 1. g4
Clemenz Opening: 1. h3
Desprez Opening: 1. h4
Amar Opening: 1. Nh3
A01 Larsen's Opening
A02 Bird's Opening
A03 Bird's Opening, 1...d5
A04 Réti Opening, 1. Nf3
A05 Reti Opening, 2...Nf6
A06 Reti Opening, 2...d5
A07 Reti Opening, King's Indian attack (Barcza system) A08 Reti Opening, King's Indian attack
A09 Reti Opening, 2...d5 3.c4
A10 English Opening
A11 English, Caro-Kann defensive system
A12 English, Caro-Kann defensive system
A13 English Opening
A14 English, Neo-Catalan declined
A15 English, 1...Nf6 (Anglo-Indian defence)
A16 English Opening
A17 English Opening, Hedgehog Defence
A18 English, Mikenas-Carls variation
A19 English, Mikenas-Carls, Sicilian variation
A20 English Opening
A21 English Opening
A22 English Opening
A23 English Opening, Bremen system, Keres variation A24 English Opening, Bremen system with 3...g6
A25 English Opening, Sicilian Reversed
A26 English Opening, Closed system
A27 English Opening, Three knights system
A28 English Opening, Four knights system
A29 English Opening, Four knights, kingside Fianchetto A30 English Opening, Symmetrical variation
A31 English Opening, Symmetrical, Benoni formation A32 English Opening, Symmetrical
A33 English Opening, Symmetrical
A34 English Opening, Symmetrical
A35 English Opening, Symmetrical
A36 English Opening, Symmetrical
A37 English Opening, Symmetrical
A38 English Opening, Symmetrical
A39 English Opening, Symmetrical, Main line with d4 A40 Queen's Pawn Game (including English Defence, Englund Gambit, Queen's Knight Defence, Polish Defence and Keres Defence) A41 Queen's Pawn Game, Wade Defence
A42 Modern defence, Averbakh system also Wade Defence A43 Old Benoni defence
A44 Old Benoni defence
A45 Queen's Pawn Game
A46 Queen's Pawn Game
A47 Queen's Indian Defence
A48 King's Indian, East Indian defence
A49 King's Indian, Fianchetto without c4
A50 Queen's Pawn Game, Black Knights' Tango
A51 Budapest Gambit declined
A52 Budapest Gambit
A53 Old Indian Defence
A54 Old Indian, Ukrainian variation
A55 Old Indian, Main line
A56 Benoni Defence
A57 Benko gambit
A58 Benko gambit accepted
A59 Benko gambit, 7.e4
A60 Benoni defence
A61 Benoni defence
A62 Benoni, Fianchetto variation
A63 Benoni, Fianchetto variation, 9...Nbd7
A64 Benoni, Fianchetto variation, 11...Re8
A65 Benoni, 6.e4
A66 Benoni, pawn storm variation
A67 Benoni, Taimanov variation
A68 Benoni, Four pawns attack
A69 Benoni, Four pawns attack, Main line
A70 Benoni, Classical with e4 and Nf3
A71 Benoni, Classical, 8.Bg5
A72 Benoni, Classical without 9.O-O
A73 Benoni, Classical, 9.O-O
A74 Benoni, Classical, 9...a6, 10.a4
A75 Benoni, Classical with ...a6 and 10...Bg4
A76 Benoni, Classical, 9...Re8
A77 Benoni, Classical, 9...Re8, 10.Nd2
A78 Benoni, Classical with ...Re8 and ...Na6
A79 Benoni, Classical, 11.f3
A80 Dutch Defence
A81 Dutch defence
A82 Dutch, Staunton gambit, also includes Balogh Defence A83 Dutch, Staunton gambit, Staunton's line
A84 Dutch defence
A85 Dutch with 2.c4 & 3.Nc3
A86 Dutch with 2.c4 & 3.g3
A87 Dutch, Leningrad, Main variation
A88 Dutch, Leningrad, Main variation with 7...c6 A89 Dutch, Leningrad, Main variation with Nc6
A90 Dutch defence
A91 Dutch defence
A92 Dutch defence
A93 Dutch, Stonewall, Botwinnik variation
A94 Dutch, Stonewall with Ba3
A95 Dutch, Stonewall with Nc3
A96 Dutch, Classical variation
A97 Dutch, Ilyin-Genevsky variation
A98 Dutch, Ilyin-Genevsky variation with Qc2
A99 Dutch, Ilyin-Genevsky variation with b3
B00 King's pawn Opening without 1... e5, 1... d5, 1... Nf6, 1... g6, 1... d6, 1... c6, 1... c5. (includes Nimzowitsch Defence, St. George Defence, Owen's Defence, Hippopotamus Defence, Fred Defence and others) B01 Scandinavian Defence (Center Counter Defence) B02 Alekhine's Defence
B03 Alekhine's Defence 3.d4
B04 Alekhine's defence, Modern variation
B05 Alekhine's defence, Modern variation, 4...Bg4 B06 Robatsch (Modern) defence, including Monkey's Bum B07 Pirc defence
B08 Pirc, Classical (Two knights) system
B09 Pirc, Austrian attack
B10 Caro-Kann Defence
B11 Caro-Kann, Two knights, 3...Bg4
B12 Caro-Kann defence
B13 Caro-Kann, Exchange variation
B14 Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik attack, 5...e6
B15 Caro-Kann defence
B16 Caro-Kann, Bronstein-Larsen variation
B17 Caro-Kann, Steinitz variation
B18 Caro-Kann, Classical variation
B19 Caro-Kann, Classical, 7...Nd7
B20 Sicilian defence
B21 Sicilian, Grand Prix attack and Smith-Morra Gambit, including the Siberian Trap B22 Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation (2.c3)
B23 Sicilian, Closed
B24 Sicilian, Closed
B25 Sicilian, Closed
B26 Sicilian, Closed, 6.Be3
B27 Sicilian defence
B28 Sicilian, O'Kelly variation
B29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein variation
B30 Sicilian defence
B31 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rossolimo attack (with ...g6, without ...d6) B32 Sicilian defence
B33 Sicilian, Sveshnikov (Lasker-Pelikan) variation B34 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Exchange variation B35 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Modern variation with Bc4 B36 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Maroczy bind B37 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Maroczy bind, 5...Bg7 B38 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Maroczy bind, 6.Be3 B39 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Breyer variation B40 Sicilian defence
B41 Sicilian, Kan variation
B42 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Bd3
B43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
B44 Sicilian defence
B45 Sicilian, Taimanov variation
B46 Sicilian, Taimanov variation
B47 Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov) variation
B48 Sicilian, Taimanov variation
B49 Sicilian, Taimanov variation
B50 Sicilian
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky attack
B52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky attack, 3...Bd7
B53 Sicilian, Chekhover variation
B54 Sicilian
B55 Sicilian, Prins variation, Venice attack
B56 Sicilian
B57 Sicilian, Sozin (not Scheveningen) including Magnus Smith Trap B58 Sicilian, Classical
B59 Sicilian, Boleslavsky variation, 7.Nb3
B60 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer
B61 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Larsen variation, 7.Qd2 B62 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, 6...e6
B63 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack
B64 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...Be7 defence, 9.f4 B65 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...Be7 defence, 9...Nxd4 B66 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...a6 B67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...a6 defence, 8...Bd7 B68 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...a6 defence, 9...Be7 B69 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...a6 defence, 11.Bxf6 B70 Sicilian, Dragon variation
B71 Sicilian, Dragon, Levenfish variation
B72 Sicilian, Dragon, 6.Be3
B73 Sicilian, Dragon, Classical, 8.O-O
B74 Sicilian, Dragon, Classical, 9.Nb3
B75 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav attack
B76 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav attack, 7...O-O
B77 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav attack, 9.Bc4
B78 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav attack, 10.O-O-O B79 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav attack, 12.h4
B80 Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation
B81 Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres attack
B82 Sicilian, Scheveningen, 6.f4
B83 Sicilian, Scheveningen, 6.Be2
B84 Sicilian, Scheveningen (Paulsen), Classical variation B85 Sicilian, Scheveningen, Classical variation with ...Qc7 and ...Nc6 B86 Sicilian, Sozin attack
B87 Sozin with ...a6 and ...b5
B88 Sicilian, Sozin, Leonhardt variation
B89 Sicilian, Sozin, 7.Be3
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf
B91 Sicilian, Najdorf, Zagreb (Fianchetto) variation B92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Zagreb (Fianchetto) variation B93 Sicilian, Najdorf, 6.f4
B94 Sicilian, Najdorf, 6.Bg5
B95 Sicilian, Najdorf, 6...e6
B96 Sicilian, Najdorf, 7.f4
B97 Sicilian, Najdorf, 7...Qb6 including Poisoned Pawn Variation B98 Sicilian, Najdorf, 7...Be7
B99 Sicilian, Najdorf, 7...Be7 Main line
C00 French Defence
C01 French, Exchange Variation, Kingston Defence C02 French, Advance Variation
C03 French, Tarrasch
C04 French, Tarrasch, Guimard Main line
C05 French, Tarrasch, Closed Variation
C06 French, Tarrasch, Closed Variation, Main line C07 French, Tarrasch, Open Variation
C08 French, Tarrasch, Open, 4.exd5 exd5
C09 French, Tarrasch, Open Variation, Main line C10 French, Paulsen Variation
C11 French Defence
C12 French, MacCutcheon Variation
C13 French, Classical
C14 French, Classical Variation
C15 French, Winawer (Nimzovich) Variation
C16 French, Winawer, Advance Variation
C17 French, Winawer, Advance Variation
C18 French, Winawer, Advance Variation
C19 French, Winawer, Advance, 6...Ne7
C20 King's Pawn Game (includes Alapin's Opening, Lopez Opening, Napoleon Opening, Portuguese Opening and Parham Attack) C21 Center Game (includes Danish Gambit)
C22 Center Game
C23 Bishop's Opening
C24 Bishop's Opening, Berlin Defence
C25 Vienna Game
C26 Vienna Game, Falkbeer Variation
C27 Vienna Game, Frankenstein-Dracula Variation C28 Vienna Game
C29 Vienna Gambit, Kaufmann Variation including Würzburger Trap C30 King's Gambit
C31 King's Gambit Declined, Falkbeer Countergambit C32 King's Gambit Declined, Falkbeer, 5. dxe4
C33 King's Gambit Accepted
C34 King's Gambit Accepted, including Fischer Defence C35 King's Gambit Accepted, Cunningham Defence
C36 King's Gambit Accepted, Abbazia Defence (Classical Defence, Modern Defence) C37 King's Gambit Accepted, Quaade Gambit
C38 King's Gambit Accepted
C39 KGA, Allagier & Kiesertisky Gambits including Rice Gambit C40 King's Knight Opening (includes Gunderam Defence, Greco Defence, Damiano Defence, Elephant Gambit, and Latvian Gambit.) C41 Philidor Defence
C42 Petrov's Defence, including Marshall Trap
C43 Petrov's Defence, Modern (Steinitz) Attack
C44 King's Pawn Game (includes Ponziani Opening, Inverted Hungarian Opening, Irish Gambit, Konstantinopolsky Opening and some Scotch Game) C45 Scotch Game
C46 Three Knights Game including Müller-Schulze Gambit C47 Four Knights Game, Scotch Variation
C48 Four Knights Game, Spanish Variation
C49 Four Knights Game, Double Ruy Lopez
C50 King's Pawn Game (includes Blackburne Shilling Gambit, Hungarian Defence, Italian Gambit, Légal Trap, Rousseau Gambit and Giuoco Pianissimo) C51 Evans Gambit
C52 Evans Gambit with 4...Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5
C53 Giuoco Piano
C54 Giuoco Piano
C55 Two Knights Defence
C56 Two Knights Defence
C57 Two Knights Defence, including the Fried Liver Attack C58 Two Knights Defence
C59 Two Knights Defence
C60 Ruy Lopez
C61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defence
C62 Ruy Lopez, Old Steinitz Defence
C63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defence
C64 Ruy Lopez, Classical (Cordel) Defence
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence including Mortimer Trap C66 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, 4.O-O, d6
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, Open variation
C68 Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation
C69 Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation, 5.O-O
C70 Ruy Lopez
C71 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence including Noah's Ark Trap C72 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence 5.0-0
C73 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence, Richter variation C74 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence
C75 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence
C76 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence, Fianchetto (Bronstein) variation C77 Ruy Lopez, Morphy Defence
C78 Ruy Lopez, 5.O-O
C79 Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defence Deferred (Russian Defence) C80 Ruy Lopez, Open (Tarrasch) Defence
C81 Ruy Lopez, Open, Howell Attack
C82 Ruy Lopez, Open, 9.c3
C83 Ruy Lopez, Open, Classical Defence
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed Defence
C85 Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation Doubly Deferred C86 Ruy Lopez, Worrall Attack
C87 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Averbach Variation
C88 Ruy Lopez, Closed
C89 Ruy Lopez, Marshall Counterattack
C90 Ruy Lopez, Closed (with ...d6)
C91 Ruy Lopez, Closed, 9.d4
C92 Ruy Lopez, Closed, 9.h3
C93 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Smyslov Defence
C94 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer Defence
C95 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer, 10.d4
C96 Ruy Lopez, Closed, 8...Na5
C97 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin Defence
C98 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...Nc6
C99 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...c5d4
D00 Queen's Pawn Game (including Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, Halosar Trap and others) D01 Richter-Veresov Attack
D02 Queen's Pawn Game, 2. Nf3
D03 Torre Attack, Tartakower variation
D04 Queen's Pawn Game
D05 Queen's Pawn Game, Zukertort variation (including Colle system) D06 Queen's Gambit (including the Baltic Defence, Marshall Defence and Symmetrical Defence) D07 QGD; Chigorin defence
D08 QGD; Albin Countergambit and Lasker Trap
D09 QGD; Albin Countergambit, 5.g3
D10 QGD; Slav Defence
D11 QGD; Slav defence, 3.Nf3
D12 QGD; Slav defence, 4.e3 Bf5
D13 QGD; Slav defence, Exchange variation
D14 QGD; Slav defence, Exchange variation
D15 QGD; Slav, 4.Nc3
D16 QGD; Slav accepted, Alapin variation
D17 QGD; Slav defence, Czech defence
D18 QGD; Dutch variation
D19 QGD; Dutch variation
D20 Queen's Gambit Accepted
D21 QGA, 3.Nf3
D22 QGA; Alekhine defence
D23 Queen's gambit accepted
D24 QGA, 4.Nc3
D25 QGA, 4.e3
D26 QGA; classical variation
D27 QGA; classical variation
D28 QGA; Classical variation 7.Qe2
D29 QGA; Classical variation 8...Bb7
D30 Queen's Gambit Declined
D31 QGD, 3.Nc3
D32 QGD; Tarrasch Defence
D33 QGD; Tarrasch, Schlechter-Rubinstein system D34 QGD; Tarrasch, 7...Be7
D35 QGD; Exchange Variation
D36 QGD; Exchange, positional line, 6.Qc2
D37 QGD; 4.Nf3
D38 QGD; Ragozin variation
D39 QGD; Ragozin, Vienna variation
D40 QGD; Semi-Tarrasch defence
D41 QGD; Semi-Tarrasch, 5.cd
D42 QGD; Semi-Tarrasch, 7.Bd3
D43 QGD; Semi-Slav Defence
D44 QGD; Semi-Slav 5.Bg5 dxc4
D45 QGD; Semi-Slav 5.e3
D46 QGD; Semi-Slav 6.Bd3
D47 QGD; Semi-Slav 7.Bc4
D48 QGD; Meran, 8...a6
D49 QGD; Meran, 11.Nxb5
D50 QGD; 4.Bg5
D51 QGD; 4.Bg5 Nbd7 (Cambridge Springs Defence and Elephant Trap) D52 QGD
D53 QGD; 4.Bg5 Be7
D54 QGD; Anti-neo-Orthodox variation
D55 QGD; 6.Nf3
D56 QGD; Lasker defence
D57 QGD; Lasker defence, Main line
D58 QGD; Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) system D59 QGD; Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) system, 8.cd Nxd5 D60 QGD; Orthodox defence
D61 QGD; Orthodox defence, Rubinstein variation D62 QGD; Orthodox defence, 7.Qc2 c5, 8.cd (Rubinstein) D63 QGD; Orthodox defence, 7.Rc1
D64 QGD; Orthodox defence, Rubinstein attack (with Rc1) D65 QGD; Orthodox defence, Rubinstein attack, Main line D66 QGD; Orthodox defence, Bd3 line including Rubinstein Trap D67 QGD; Orthodox defence, Bd3 line, Capablanca freeing manoeuver D68 QGD; Orthodox defence, Classical variation
D69 QGD; Orthodox defence, Classical, 13.dxe5
D70 Neo-Grünfeld Defence
D71 Neo-Grünfeld, 5.cd
D72 Neo-Grünfeld, 5.cd, Main line
D73 Neo-Grünfeld, 5.Nf3
D74 Neo-Grünfeld, 6.cd Nxd5, 7.O-O
D75 Neo-Grünfeld, 6.cd Nxd5, 7.O-O c5, 8.Nc3
D76 Neo-Grünfeld, 6.cd Nxd5, 7.O-O Nb6
D77 Neo-Grünfeld, 6.O-O
D78 Neo-Grünfeld, 6.O-O c6
D79 Neo-Grünfeld, 6.O-O, Main line
D80 Grünfeld Defence
D81 Grünfeld; Russian variation
D82 Grünfeld 4.Bf4
D83 Grünfeld gambit
D84 Grünfeld gambit accepted
D85 Grünfeld, exchange variation
D86 Grünfeld, Exchange, Classical variation
D87 Grünfeld, Exchange, Spassky variation
D88 Grünfeld, Spassky variation, Main line, 10...cd, 11.cd D89 Grünfeld, Spassky variation, Main line, 13.Bd3 D90 Grünfeld, Three knights variation
D91 Grünfeld, Three knights variation
D92 Grünfeld, 5.Bf4
D93 Grünfeld with 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3
D94 Grünfeld, 5.e3
D95 Grünfeld with 5.e3 O-O 6.Qb3
D96 Grünfeld, Russian variation
D97 Grünfeld, Russian variation with 7.e4
D98 Grünfeld, Russian, Smyslov variation
D99 Grünfeld Defence, Smyslov, Main line
E00 Queen's Pawn Game (including Neo-Indian Attack, Trompowski Attack, Catalan Opening and others) E01 Catalan, closed
E02 Catalan, open, 5.Qa4
E03 Catalan, open, Alekhine variation
E04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
E05 Catalan, Open, Classical line
E06 Catalan, Closed, 5.Nf3
E07 Catalan, Closed, 6...Nbd7
E08 Catalan, Closed, 7.Qc2
E09 Catalan, Closed, Main line
E10 Queen's Pawn Game 3.Nf3
E11 Bogo-Indian Defence
E12 Queen's Indian Defence
E13 Queen's Indian, 4.Nc3, Main line
E14 Queen's Indian, 4.e3
E15 Queen's Indian, 4.g3
E16 Queen's Indian, Capablanca variation
E17 Queen's Indian, 5.Bg2 Be7
E18 Queen's Indian, Old Main line, 7.Nc3
E19 Queen's Indian, Old Main line, 9.Qxc3
E20 Nimzo-Indian Defence
E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three knights variation
E22 Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann Variation
E23 Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann, 4...c5, 5.dc Nc6
E24 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch variation
E25 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch variation, Keres variation E26 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch variation, 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 c5 6.e3 E27 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch variation, 5...0-0
E28 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch variation, 6.e3
E29 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch variation, Main line E30 Nimzo-Indian, Leningrad variation,
E31 Nimzo-Indian, Leningrad variation, main line E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation
E33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation, 4...Nc6
E34 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa variation
E35 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa variation, 5.cxd5 exd5 E36 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa variation, 5.a3 E37 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa variation, Main line, 7.Qc2 E38 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 4...c5
E39 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Pirc variation
E40 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3
E41 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 c5
E42 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 c5, 5.Ne2 (Rubinstein)
E43 Nimzo-Indian, Fischer variation
E44 Nimzo-Indian, Fischer variation, 5.Ne2
E45 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Bronstein (Byrne) variation E46 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O
E47 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O, 5.Bd3
E48 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O, 5.Bd3 d5
E49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik system
E50 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 e8g8, 5.Nf3, without ...d5 E51 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 e8g8, 5.Nf3 d7d5
E52 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with ...b6
E53 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with ...c5
E54 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric system with 7...dc E55 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric system, Bronstein variation E56 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with 7...Nc6
E57 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with 8...dxc4 and 9...Bxc4 cxd4 E58 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with 8...Bxc3 E59 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line
E60 King's Indian Defence
E61 King's Indian Defence, 3.Nc3
E62 King's Indian, Fianchetto variation
E63 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Panno variation
E64 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Yugoslav system
E65 King's Indian, Yugoslav, 7.O-O
E66 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Yugoslav Panno
E67 King's Indian, Fianchetto with ...Nd7
E68 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical variation, 8.e4 E69 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical Main line E70 King's Indian, 4.e4
E71 King's Indian, Makagonov system (5.h3)
E72 King's Indian with e4 & g3
E73 King's Indian, 5.Be2
E74 King's Indian, Averbakh, 6...c5
E75 King's Indian, Averbakh, Main line
E76 King's Indian Defence, Four Pawns Attack
E77 King's Indian, Four pawns attack, 6.Be2
E78 King's Indian, Four pawns attack, with Be2 and Nf3 E79 King's Indian, Four pawns attack, Main line E80 King's Indian, Sämisch variation
E81 King's Indian, Sämisch, 5...O-O
E82 King's Indian, Sämisch, double Fianchetto variation E83 King's Indian, Sämisch, 6...Nc6
E84 King's Indian, Sämisch, Panno Main line
E85 King's Indian, Sämisch, Orthodox variation E86 King's Indian, Sämisch, Orthodox, 7.Nge2 c6 E87 King's Indian, Sämisch, Orthodox, 7.d5
E88 King's Indian, Sämisch, Orthodox, 7.d5 c6
E89 King's Indian, Sämisch, Orthodox Main line E90 King's Indian, 5.Nf3
E91 King's Indian, 6.Be2
E92 King's Indian, Classical variation
E93 King's Indian, Petrosian system, Main line
E94 King's Indian, Orthodox variation
E95 King's Indian, Orthodox, 7...Nbd7, 8.Re1
E96 King's Indian, Orthodox, 7...Nbd7, Main line E97 King's Indian, Orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov variation (Yugoslav attack / Mar del Plata variation) E98 King's Indian, Orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov, 9.Ne1 E99 King's Indian, Orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov, Main By ManUtdForever12

Acts 20:35 "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Old Russian Proverb: "Measure seven times, cut once. (Семь раз отмерь — один отрежь.)" Be careful before you do something that cannot be changed.

The Cobbler and the Financier

A cobbler sang from morn till night;
It was sweet and marvellous to hear,
His trills and quavers told the ear
Of more contentment and delight,
Enjoyed by that laborious wight
Than ever enjoyed the sages seven,
Or any mortals short of heaven.
His neighbour, on the other hand,
With gold in plenty at command,
But little sang, and slumbered less –
A financier of great success.
If ever he dozed, at break of day,
The cobbler's song drove sleep away;
And much he wished that Heaven had made
Sleep a commodity of trade,
In market sold, like food and drink,
So much an hour, so much a wink.
At last, our songster did he call
To meet him in his princely hall.
Said he, "Now, honest Gregory,
What may your yearly earnings be?"
"My yearly earnings! faith, good sir,
I never go, at once, so far,"
The cheerful cobbler said,
And queerly scratched his head, –
"I never reckon in that way,
But cobble on from day to day,
Content with daily bread."
"Indeed! Well, Gregory, pray,
What may your earnings be per day?"
"Why, sometimes more and sometimes less.
The worst of all, I must confess,
(And but for which our gains would be
A pretty sight, indeed, to see,)
Is that the days are made so many
In which we cannot earn a penny –
The sorest ill the poor man feels:
They tread on each other's heels,
Those idle days of holy saints!
And though the year is shingled over,
The parson keeps a-finding more!'2
With smiles provoked by these complaints,
Replied the lordly financier,
"I'll give you better cause to sing.
These hundred pounds I hand you here
Will make you happy as a king.
Go, spend them with a frugal heed;
They'll long supply your every need."
The cobbler thought the silver more
Than he had ever dreamed before,
The mines for ages could produce,
Or world, with all its people, use.
He took it home, and there did hide –
And with it laid his joy aside.
No more of song, no more of sleep,
But cares, suspicions in their stead,
And false alarms, by fancy fed.
His eyes and ears their vigils keep,
And not a cat can tread the floor
But seems a thief slipped through the door.
At last, poor man!
Up to the financier he ran, –
Then in his morning nap profound:
"O, give me back my songs," cried he,
"And sleep, that used so sweet to be,
And take the money, every pound!"

<Below is a Morphy acrostic by C.V. Grinfield from page 334 of the Chess Player's Chronicle, 1861: Mightiest of masters of the chequer'd board,
Of early genius high its boasted lord!
Rising in youth's bright morn to loftiest fame, Princeliest of players held with one acclaim;
Host in thyself – all-conquering in fight: – Yankees exult! – in your great champion's might.>

The Dancing Bear
by James Russell Lowell

Far over Elf-land poets stretch their sway,
And win their dearest crowns beyond the goal
Of their own conscious purpose; they control
With gossamer threads wide-flown our fancy's play, And so our action. On my walk to-day,
A wallowing bear begged clumsily his toll,
When straight a vision rose of Atta Troll,
And scenes ideal witched mine eyes away.
'Merci, Mossieu!' the astonished bear-ward cried, Grateful for thrice his hope to me, the slave
Of partial memory, seeing at his side
A bear immortal. The glad dole I gave
Was none of mine; poor Heine o'er the wide
Atlantic welter stretched it from his grave.

<The Essential Sosonko: Collected Portraits and Tales of a Bygone Chess Era by Genna Sosonko

Genna Sosonko is widely acclaimed as the most prominent chronicler of a unique era in chess history. In the Soviet Union chess was developed into an ideological weapon that was actively promoted by the country's leadership during the Cold War. Starting with Mikhail Botvinnik, their best chess players grew into symbols of socialist excellence. Sosonko writes from a privileged dual perspective, combining an insider's nostalgia with the detachment of a critical observer. He grew up with legendary champions such as Mikhail Tal and Viktor Korchnoi and spent countless hours with most of the other greats and lesser chess mortals he portrays.

Sosonko was born in Leningrad, where he lived for 29 years and worked as a chess coach. After emigrating to the Netherlands, he became a world-class chess grandmaster, participating in the strongest competitions around the globe. In the late 1980s he began to write about the champions he knew and their remarkable lives in New In Chess Magazine. First, he wrote primarily about Soviet players and personalities, and later, he also began to portray other chess celebrities with whom he had crossed paths. They all vividly come to life as the reader is transported to their time and world. Once you've read Sosonko, you will feel you know Capablanca, Max Euwe and Tony Miles. And you will never forget Sergey Nikolaev.

This monumental book is a collection of the portraits and profiles Genna Sosonko wrote for New in Chess magazine. The stories have been published in his books: Russian Silhouettes, The Reliable Past, Smart Chip From St. Petersburg and The World Champion I Knew. They are supplemented with further writings on legends such as David Bronstein, Garry Kasparov and Boris Spassky. They paint an enthralling and unforgettable picture of a largely vanished age and, indirectly, a portrait of one of the greatest writers on the world of chess. Garry Kasparov wrote the Foreword.> ― Amazon

CHESS

Meet me then, within this grid,
this little wooden battlefield as equals,
as we forget our bodies to inhabit these pieces, control these spaces, trade threats and responses, send our thoughts out into possible positions, our eyes imagining nothing but sweet forks and lancing fianchettoes. We chessplayers, pretend enemies, bound to our miniature war inexplicably & inescapably: when did we find ourselves so obsessed, insidiously seduced to advances and exchanges, lost inside this abyss of infinite moves, willing servants of it's rules?

- Rael

"As a species, octopuses are very old, and it's speculated that the first octopuses appeared roughly 296 million years ago.

Their long existence has made them masters of camouflage and evasion, able to change their skin to match their environment. Octopuses also have the defensive mechanism of spewing ink and poison on enemies.

They are also smart enough to use tools to solve everyday problems in the deep sea, and some species even hide in coconut shells and carry coconuts with them if they need to hide.

With a short lifespan of anywhere from 3-5 years, it seems logical that octopuses would need such advanced defensive capabilities.

Octopuses are also semelparous, meaning they are a species that only breeds once in their lifetime, shortly dying after doing so." ― Planet Explore

The Human Seasons
by John Keats

Four Seasons fill the measure of the year;
There are four seasons in the mind of man:
He has his lusty Spring, when fancy clear
Takes in all beauty with an easy span:
He has his Summer, when luxuriously
Spring's honied cud of youthful thought he loves

To ruminate, and by such dreaming high
Is nearest unto heaven: quiet coves
His soul has in its Autumn, when his wings
He furleth close; contented so to look
On mists in idleness—to let fair things
Pass by unheeded as a threshold brook.
He has his Winter too of pale misfeature,
Or else he would forego his mortal nature.

Near the surface, Earth has an atmosphere that consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases such as argon, carbon dioxide, and neon. The atmosphere affects Earth's long-term climate and short-term local weather and shields us from much of the harmful radiation coming from the Sun. It also protects us from meteoroids, most of which burn up in the atmosphere, seen as meteors in the night sky, before they can strike the surface as meteorites.

* Weird is what you're not used to: https://chessentials.com/weird-ches...

<limerick, entitled ‘The Solver's Plight' was by ‘A.J.F.' A.J. Fink and was published on page 22 of Chess Potpourri by Alfred C. Klahre (Middletown, 1931):

There was a man from Vancouver
Who tried to solve a two-mover;
But the boob, he said, ‘"Gee",
I can't find the "Kee",
No matter HOW I manouvre.'>

Better be ill spoken of by one before all than by all before one. ~ Scottish Proverb

Lichess has all the same basic offerings as Chess.com: a large community, many game types, tutorials, puzzles, and livestreams. The site has a simple appearance, and it seems built to get you where you want to go in as few clicks as possible. You can create an account, but if you're not concerned with tracking your games and finding other players at your level, there's no need to log in. Just fire up a new game, try some puzzles, or watch a chess streamer play three-minute games while listening to techno and chatting with the comments section.

1983 Elway, Blackledge, Kelly, Eason, O'Brien, or Marino?

<Hush-a-bye, Baby

Hush-a-bye, Baby, upon the tree top,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall,
Down tumbles cradle and Baby and all.>

Driving too fast is linked to the majority of all traffic accidents. About one-third of all traffic fatalities are caused, in part, due to driving too fast.

Drive sober or get pulled over.

"For surely of all the drugs in the world, chess must be the most permanently pleasurable." — Assiac

Switch your pawn insurance to Promotion and you could save hundreds.

"There are more adventures on a chessboard than on all the seas of the world." ― Pierre Mac Orlan

"Chess is an infinitely complex game, which one can play in infinitely numerous & varied ways." ― Vladimir Kramnik

<lillia wrote:

CHESS
do you want to play chess?
I would, but it's 11 pm
The connection is bad
ok i like it when you win
i don't let you win, i don't try my hardest but
even if i did, you'd win
Ok I like it when you win>

Chess has six different kinds of pieces, and they all interact in myriad ways. Your opponent's own pieces can often be used against him.

While the Queen is the strongest piece, it is the weakest defender; and while the pawn is the weakest piece, it is the strongest defender.

José Raúl Capablanca used the principle "Cutting off pieces from the scene of action."

<Like new-laid eggs Chess Problems are, Though very good, they may be beaten;
And yet, though like, they're different far,
They may be cooked, but never eaten.

Source: page 58 of Poems and Chess Problems by J.A. Miles (Fakenham, 1882).>

Psalm 8
King James Version

8 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

<by W.A. Ballantine given on page 153 of the American Chess Journal, September 1878:

Charming as the sweetest music;
High above the common reach,
Easy to the bright and wise;
Splendid in the hands of genius;
Such the royal game of chess.>

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." ― Yogi Berra, 10-time World Series champion

According to Chessmetrics, Lasker was #1 for longer than anyone else in history: 292 different months between June 1890 and December 1926. That's a timespan of 36 1/2 years, in which Lasker was #1 for a total of 24 years and 4 months. Lasker was 55 years old when he won New York 1924.

"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said." — Voltaire

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." — Winston Churchill

"Almost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people." — Arthur Schopenhauer

"Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul." — Democritus

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." —Buddha

God Our Father, Lord, and Savior
Traditional

God our Father, Lord, and Savior

Thank you for your love and favor

Bless this food and drink we pray

And all who share with us today.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.

"I've read the last page of the Bible. It's all going to turn out all right." — Billy Graham

"A real Christian is a person who can give his pet parrot to the town gossip." — Billy Graham

"Only those who want everything done for them are bored." — Billy Graham

from the simpleton poet:

<Roses are red.
Violets are blue.

Chess is creative.
And a journey too.

Good in the morning.
Or just before bed.

Play cheater_1, with engine.
Or OTB, all in your head.>

French Proverb: "Il ne faut rien laisser au hasard." ― (Nothing should be left to chance.)

"There are more adventures on a chessboard than on all the seas of the world." ― Pierre Mac Orlan

"You can only get good at chess if you love the game." ― Bobby Fischer

"As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight." — The Revenant

Z is for Zipper (to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb")

Zipper starts with letter Z,
Letter Z, letter Z,
Zipper starts with Letter Z,
/z/, /z/, /z/, /z/!

Table stakes

<The Man In The Glass
Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr.

When you get what you want in your struggle for self And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your father, or mother, or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life Is the one staring back from the glass.

He's the fellow to please – never mind all the rest For he's with you, clear to the end
And you've passed your most difficult, dangerous test If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartache and tears If you've cheated the man in the glass.

This poem was first published in 1934 and is still very popular today.>

In 1090, a Chessboard with alternating light and dark squares was introduced in Europe.