Speaking strictly in chess terms, "queening" isn't always best!

This file was originally about underpromotions instead of queening a pawn. It was neglected. Henceforth the title, and Fredthebear was quick to recall it's existence. The file is now full up!

When promoting a pawn to the opponent's back rank, first consider replacing the pawn with a knight check. The knight check could be checkmate, or a royal fork that gains the opposing queen. Don't just automatically make your pawn into a new queen. Also, be concerned that a new heavy piece (queen or rook) inflicts stalemate, perhaps by establishing a pin on the back rank while pawns block pawns. Promotions into stalemate occasionally occur in endgames with the opposing king stuck on the outer file.

Also, before promoting to queen, you'd better ask "Does she stalemate my opponent?" FTB once caught himself grasping the new queen to replace the promoted f8-pawn -- the pawn had not been removed yet -- and saw the looming stalemate. So, FTB set the queen back down, grabbed the new rook instead, and replaced the promoted pawn with the rook, which gave the opposing Kh7 a legal move to make. Touch-move does not apply until the promoted pawn has been touched for replacement! All was well, and checkmate was served shortly thereafter with the replacement rook.

Games at the top of the list tend to be underpromotions. Underpromotions have become more common in the computer era, as the computer will foolishly under promote, often in hopes the new minor piece will not be captured since it is of less value than a new queen would be worth. (Yes, Fredthebear just suggested the unemotional computer is "foolish" and "hopeful".) There are some silly examples in here, but they are included nonetheless as it is a part of the game we love. Underpromotions are rare, so examples (useful or otherwise) are hard to come by. Fredthebear's silly title helped his recall when an underpromotion was eventually found!

The majority of these games are interesting battles to create, advance and promote a passed pawn. In most cases, the passed pawn becomes a new queen. Some passers are successful, or will be successful and resignation is in order, and some are violently thwarted. The side with the passer can inflict some wicked combinations to deflect or destroy the defender of the promotion square. These fighting promotions are below the underpromotions.

Fredthebear says chess teachers need to show a few examples of Nimzowitsch-like blockades and sacrificial clearing of the path to their students; give a piece to gain more material. Be careful -- promotion takes time to advance the pawn and attempts to do so can give away the initiative! Pushing pawns with no threat to capture an opposing unit is probably not the correct approach if the opposing queen and a back rank rook are still on the board.

Thank you cu8sfan for so many rinky dink underpromotions to bishop. The bishop usually gets munched anyway, but very computer-like nonetheless.

* Underpromotions by Sneaky:
Game Collection: Underpromotions

* Underpromotions to Knight: Game Collection: Promotion: Knight

* Records: https://timkr.home.xs4all.nl/record...

* Annotated Games: Game Collection: Annotated Games

* Artists: Game Collection: Art of Checkmate

* A pair of deuces

* Brilliant (and mostly famous games)!! Game Collection: Brilliant Miniatures

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

* Capablanca's Double Attack — having the initiative is important: https://lichess.org/study/tzrisL1R

* 11 sides: https://www.inspiremalibu.com/blog/...

* Chessmaster 2000 Classic Games: Game Collection: Chessmaster '86

* Chess Highlights of the 20th Century: Game Collection: 20th Century Highlights (Burgess)

* 400 in 400: http://www.masschess.org/Chess_Hori...

* Chess Links: http://www.chessdryad.com/links/ind...

* Chess in old newspapers: https://www.schach-chess.com/chess-...

* ChessCafe.com column, The Openings Explained: Abby Marshall

* Closed: Game Collection: Closed Sicilian Structures

* Garry gets 'em quick: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* List of gambits: https://detailedpedia.com/wiki-List...

* Unleash the Knight: https://cardclashgames.com/blog/che...

* KIA vs French Defense: Game Collection: KIA vs French Defense

* Gambits vs French Defense:
Game Collection: alapin gambit -alapin diemer gambit + reti gam

* GK: Game Collection: Kasparov - The Sicilian Sheveningen

* Glossary of Chess Terms: http://www.arkangles.com/kchess/glo...

* GPA: https://chesstier.com/grand-prix-at...

* Alpha Glossary: https://www.chess-poster.com/englis...

* Golden Treasury of Chess (Wellmuth/Horowitz): Game Collection: Golden Treasury of Chess (Wellmuth/Horowitz)

* Greatest Hits: Game Collection: Mammoth Book-Greatest Games (Nunn/Burgess/Emms)

* How dumb is it? Game Collection: Diemer-Duhm Gambit

* IECC: https://www.chess-iecc.com/

* Jupiter, Pluto, or Mars? https://www.urduchess.com/chess-gra...

* Kolisch: https://chessgospinny.blogspot.com/...

* KP Beauties: Game Collection: Beautiful mates

* Basic Endgames: Game Collection: Basic Endings Compiled by avidfan 100 Best Books

* Miniatures of the Champs: Game Collection: Champions miniature champions

* Masterful: Game Collection: FRENCH DEFENSE MASTERPIECES

* Names and Places: Game Collection: Named Mates

* Brazil Nuts: Game Collection: 2...De7 !

* Notable Games: Game Collection: List of Notable Games (wiki)

* Neon Moon, smooth and easy: https://www.bing.com/search?q=Neon+...

* Opening Names: https://allchessopenings.blogspot.c...

* Online safety: https://www.entrepreneur.com/scienc...

* Oskar plays 1e4: Oskar Oglaza

* Prize Games: Game Collection: Great Brilliancy Prize Games of the ChessMasters

* Pie in the sky: https://www.old-mill.com/oldmill-re...

* RL Minis: Game Collection: Ruy Lopez Miniatures

* Random Zs: Game Collection: ZHVNE

* Reasonable book choices: https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell...

* Rubinstein: Game Collection: Rubinstein's Chess Masterpieces

* Roger that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9S...

"The only way to change anything in Russia is a revolution" ― Daniil Dubov https://en.chessbase.com/post/dubov...

* Short Selection for White:
Game Collection: Repertoire for White

* Tactical Mix: Game Collection: mastering Tactical ideas by minev

* The Best of... Game Collection: World Champions' Best Games

* The Unthinkable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9z...

* Three-minute pastry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIa...

* Trappy game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gC...

* Vladimir Bagirov Attacks: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* Will Power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9S...

* Wonders and Curiosities: Game Collection: Wonders and Curiosities of Chess (Chernev)

* Z Vol 105: Game Collection: 0ZeR0's collected games volume 105

* Mr. Harvey's Puzzle Challenge: https://wtharvey.com/

WTHarvey:
There once was a website named WTHarvey,
Where chess puzzles did daily delay,
The brain-teasers so tough,
They made us all huff and puff,
But solving them brought us great satisfaction today.

There once was a website named WTHarvey
Where chess puzzles were quite aplenty
With knight and rook and pawn
You'll sharpen your brain with a yawn
And become a master of chess entry

There once was a site for chess fun,
Wtharvey.com was the chosen one,
With puzzles galore,
It'll keep you in store,
For hours of brain-teasing, none done.

There once was a website named WTHarvey,
Where chess puzzles were posted daily,
You'd solve them with glee,
And in victory,
You'd feel like a true chess prodigy!

'A rising tide lifts all boats'

'Don't put the cart before the horse'

"Examine what is said, not who is speaking." ~ African Proverb

Sleeper straddle "Try again. Fail again. Fail better." ― Samuel Beckett

Idaho: Franklin
Established in: 1860

Franklin was founded in the spring of 1860 by a small group of Mormon pioneers and was named for Apostle Franklin D. Richards. As early settlers began building cabins and farming, they believed they were still in Utah. It wasn't until 1872 that an official boundary survey placed a border between the two states.

* Chess History: https://www.uschesstrust.org/chess-...

* World Chess Championship History: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkO...

The Kings of Chess: A History of Chess, Traced Through the Lives of Its Greatest Players by William Hartston William Hartson traces the development of the game from its Oriental origins to the present day through the lives of its greatest exponents - men like Howard Staunton, who transformed what had been a genteel pastime into a competitive science; the brilliant American Paul Morphy, who once played a dozen simultaneous games blindfold; the arrogant and certified insane Wilhelm Steinitz; the philosopher and mathematician Emanual Lasker; Bobby Fischer, perhaps the most brilliant and eccentric of them all; and many other highly gifted individuals. Hartson depicts all their colorful variety with a wealth of rare illustrations.

Format: Hardcover
Language: English
ISBN: 006015358X
ISBN13: 9780060153588
Release Date: January 1985
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Length: 192 Pages
Weight: 1.80 lbs.

Eilfan ywmodryb dda
Meaning: A good aunt is a second mother

Squirrels are found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia. The largest is found in India, which can grow up to 3 feet long!

"My will is mine...I shall not make it soft for you." ― Aeschylus, Agamemnon

"Chess is life in miniature. Chess is a struggle, chess battles." ― Garry Kasparov

"After we have paid our dutiful respects to such frigid virtues as calculation, foresight, self-control and the like, we always come back to the thought that speculative attack is the lifeblood of chess." — Fred Reinfeld

"Age brings wisdom to some men, and to others chess." ― Evan Esar

"There is no jewel in the world comparable to learning; no learning so excellent both for Prince and subject, as knowledge of laws; and no knowledge of any laws so necessary for all estates and for all causes, concerning goods, lands or life, as the common laws of England." ― Sir Edward Coke

"Without integrity and honor, having everything means nothing." ― Robin Sharma

"I am no longer cursed by poverty because I took possession of my own mind, and that mind has yielded me every material thing I want, and much more than I need. But this power of mind is a universal one, available to the humblest person as it is to the greatest." ― Andrew Carnegie

"Luckily, there is a way to be happy. It involves changing the emphasis of our thinking from what we want to what we have." ― Richard Carlson

"Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

"It's a lot of things that I consider (what opening to play). Obviously, my opponent's rating—I don't want to play an equal game where I don't have many winning chances. But also, my mood is important, and my opponent's styles themselves." ― 13-year-old FM Brewington Hardaway from New York

"We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us." ― Winston S. Churchill

"Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him." ― Napoleon Bonaparte

<<Psalm 107:1> Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever.>

"I pray to start my day and finish it in prayer. I'm just thankful for everything, all the blessings in my life, trying to stay that way. I think that's the best way to start your day and finish your day. It keeps everything in perspective." ― Tim Tebow

"A God you understood would be less than yourself." ― Flannery O'Connor

"The journey is its own reward." — Homer

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." ― George Orwell

"In chess, as in life, a man is his own most dangerous opponent." ― Vasily Smyslov

"I always plan for long-term; life to me is a never-ending chess match." ― James D. Wilson

"Tis action moves the world....in the game of chess, mind that: ye cannot leave your men to stand unmoving on the board and hope to win. A soldier must first step upon the battlefield if does mean to cross it." ― Susanna Kearsley, The Winter Sea

"It's an entire world of just 64 squares. I feel safe in it. I can control it; I can dominate it. And it's predictable. So, if I get hurt, I only have myself to blame." ― Walter Tevis, The Queen's Gambit

"In life, as in chess, it is always better to analyze one's motives and intentions." ― Vladimir Nabokov

"You cannot undermine police authority and then complain about rising crime." ― Thomas Paine

"Never play to win a pawn while your development is yet unfinished!" ― Aron Nimzowitsch

"Check your moves well, because it can cost one pawn or losing a lot of just from three moves!" ― Deyth Banger

"What is a weak pawn? A pawn that is exposed to attack and also difficult to defend is a weak pawn. There are several varieties: isolated, doubled, too advanced, retarded backward." ― Samuel Reshevsky, Art of Positional Play (Note: A weak pawn cannot be defended by another pawn; it's protection must come from a piece of the back rank that might rather be more aggressively active.)

"The game gives us a satisfaction that Life denies us. And for the Chess player, the success which crowns his work, the great dispeller of sorrows, is named 'combination'." ― Emanuel Lasker

"The move is there, but you must see it." ― Savielly Tartakower

"I coulda been a contender." xp Free dom! Frank Zappa wrote zero hero?

"Pawns are the soul of the game." ― François-André Danican Philidor

"The king pawn and the queen pawn are the only ones to be moved in the early part of the game." ― Wilhelm Steinitz

"A gambit never becomes sheer routine as long as you fear you may lose the king and pawn ending!" ― Bent Larsen

"Modern chess is too much concerned with things like pawn structure. Forget it, checkmate ends the game." ― Nigel Short

"Touch the pawns before your king with only infinite delicacy." ― Anthony Santasiere

"The passed pawn is a criminal, who should be kept under lock and key. Mild measures, such as police surveillance, are not sufficient." ― Aron Nimzowitsch

"Pawn endings are to chess what putting is to golf." ― Cecil Purdy

"In the ending the king is a powerful piece for assisting his own pawns, or stopping the adverse pawns." ― Wilhelm Steinitz

"In order to improve your game, you must study the endgame before everything else, for whereas the endings can be studied and mastered by themselves, the middle game and the opening must be studied in relation to the endgame." ― José Raúl Capablanca

"Win with grace, lose with dignity!" ― Susan Polgar

"What does it take to be a champion? Desire, dedication, determination, personal and professional discipline, focus, concentration, strong nerves, the will to win, and yes, talent!" ― Susan Polgar

"No matter how successful you are (or will be), never ever forget the people who helped you along the way, and pay it forward! Don't become arrogant and conceited just because you gained a few rating points or made a few bucks. Stay humble and be nice, especially to your fans!" ― Susan Polgar

"Unadaptability is often a virtue." ― Flannery O'Connor

"Giving doesn't always involve money." ― Charmaine J. Forde

"Remember that there are two kinds of beauty: one of the soul and the other of the body. That of the soul displays its radiance in intelligence, in chastity, in good conduct, in generosity, and in good breeding, and all these qualities may exist in an ugly man. And when we focus our attention upon that beauty, not upon the physical, love generally arises with great violence and intensity. I am well aware that I am not handsome, but I also know that I am not deformed, and it is enough for a man of worth not to be a monster for him to be dearly loved, provided he has those spiritual endowments I have spoken of." ― Miguel Cervantes

rags Scott Joplin was the most famous ragtime composer. When his 'Maple Leaf Rag' was first printed in 1899, it quickly sold a million copies.

'April showers bring forth May flowers

'An army marches on its stomach

'As thick as thieves

'As you make your bed, so you must lie upon it

'As you sow so shall you reap

'Ashes to ashes dust to dust

'Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer

'Ask no questions and hear no lies

'Attack is the best form of defence

<<Nicole wrote:>

I'm not a piece in your chess game...
I'm not a pawn in your chess game,
I'm not the person who takes the blame,
I'm not a person who can use for fame,
You act like i'm an embarrassment of shame.

But I realise my worth now,
The leader of the pack: a crowd,
The turning revolution of endow,
The piece in your game who steals the king's crown.

I'm not a piece in your chess game,
Instead, I'm you addiction which you will try to reclaim, Whilst I light my furious flames.>

"The successful farmer is said to have a "green thumb" since everything he touches spring into fruitful bloom. In chess, (Miguel) Najdorf has a similar gift. Combinations blossom in his games like buds in a fertile garden." — Hans Kmoch

Fifteen fantastic facts about agriculture...

Ninety-nine percent of all U.S. farms are owned by individuals, family partnerships or family corporations.

Farmers will have to grow 70 percent more food than what is currently produced to feed the world's growing population by 2050.

Each American farmer produces food and fiber for 165 people annually, both in the U.S. and abroad.

Eight percent of U.S. farms market foods locally through farmers' markets and food hubs.

One day's production for a high-producing dairy cow yields 10.5 pounds of cheese.

Women make up 30 percent of today's farmers.

More than 20 percent of all farmers are beginning farmers.

There are 257,454 millennial farmers.

Texas has 248,809 farms, more than any other state in the nation.

About 25 percent of all U.S. agricultural products by value are exported yearly.

Careful stewardship by America's farmers spurred a 44 percent decline in erosion of cropland by wind and water since 1982.

One-third of the U.S. or 750 million acres, is covered with trees.

Many of the products we use in our everyday lives are byproducts of food produced by America's farmers and ranchers – everything from detergents and paints to X-ray film and crayons, textbooks, chalk and strings for musical instruments.

An acre of land is about the same size as a football field.

Biotechnology saved the Hawaiian papaya industry after a virus nearly wiped the crop out. — Focus On Agriculture | AUG 15, 2017, fb.org

The Earthen Pot and the Iron Pot

An iron pot proposed
To an earthen pot a journey.
The latter was opposed,
Expressing the concern he
Had felt about the danger
Of going out a ranger.
He thought the kitchen hearth
The safest place on earth
For one so very brittle.
"For you, who art a kettle,
And have a tougher skin,
There's nothing to keep you in."
"I'll be your body-guard,"
Replied the iron pot;
"If anything that's hard
Should threaten you a jot,
Between you I will go,
And save you from the blow."
This offer him persuaded.
The iron pot paraded
Himself as guard and guide
Close at his cousin's side.
Now, in their tripod way,
They hobble as they may;
And eke together bolt
At every little jolt, –
Which gives the crockery pain;
But presently his comrade hits
So hard, he dashes him to bits,
Before he can complain.

Take care that you associate
With equals only, lest your fate
Between these pots should find its mate.

St. Jude's

"The participation of women in some armies in the world is in reality only symbolic. The talk about the role of Zionist women in fighting with the combat units of the enemy in the war of 5 June 1967 was intended more as propaganda than anything real or substantial. It was calculated to intensify and compound the adverse psychological effects of the war by exploiting the backward outlook of large sections of Arab society and their role in the community. The intention was to achieve adverse psychological effects by saying to Arabs that they were defeated, in 1967, by women." ― Saddam Hussein, The Revolution and Woman in Iraq

The Heron

One day, – no matter when or where, –
A long-legged heron chanced to fare
By a certain river's brink,
With his long, sharp beak
Helved on his slender neck;
It was a fish-spear, you might think.
The water was clear and still,
The carp and the pike there at will
Pursued their silent fun,
Turning up, ever and anon,
A golden side to the sun.
With ease might the heron have made
Great profits in his fishing trade.
So near came the scaly fry,
They might be caught by the passer-by.
But he thought he better might
Wait for a better appetite –
For he lived by rule, and could not eat,
Except at his hours, the best of meat.
Anon his appetite returned once more;
So, approaching again the shore,
He saw some tench taking their leaps,
Now and then, from their lowest deeps.
With as dainty a taste as Horace's rat,
He turned away from such food as that.
"What, tench for a heron! poh!
I scorn the thought, and let them go."
The tench refused, there came a gudgeon;
"For all that," said the bird, "I budge on.
I'll never open my beak, if the gods please,
For such mean little fishes as these."
He did it for less;
For it came to pass,
That not another fish could he see;
And, at last, so hungry was he,
That he thought it of some avail
To find on the bank a single snail.
Such is the sure result
Of being too difficult.
Would you be strong and great,
Learn to accommodate.
Get what you can, and trust for the rest;
The whole is often lost by seeking the best.
Above all things beware of disdain;
Where, at most, you have little to gain.
The people are many that make
Every day this sad mistake.
It's not for the herons I put this case,
You featherless people, of human race.
– List to another tale as true,
And you'll hear the lesson brought home to you.

Missing material girl

Rated 5 stars
Chess Classic !
This book is truly a gem of chess literature. The book as you may already know, is a collection of master games which demonstrate how a small advantage is exploited in the hands of masters. You will find the games very instructive and will have no problems understanding the motives behind the moves. This because Chernev does an exceptional job in his annotations. I have found no mistakes in his notes or the games themselves. Chernev worked real hard on this book and his love for the game of chess radiates from the pages. A warning to those who expect wild attacking games. This is a collection of games from the late 19th century to the 1950's, when positional and strategic style of play was more popular. These selected games show how an opening, middle game, and endgame should be treated. "The best way to learn endings as well as openings," says Capablanca in Chess Fundamentals, "is from the games of the masters." Some reviewer of this book goes on to say that "The games in this book are boring, and only won by the winner because of some mistake on the loser's part. To which I reply, what chess game is not won on the account of the opposition making a mistake. In reality all chess games if properly played out should end in a draw. There are also people who complain because the book is in descriptive notation. Something I didn't have a problem with, it just adds to the mystique of these chess games of the past. This is a great book and a must have. I have spent many pleasurable hours with this book, a cup of joe, and some Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or Ludwig van Beethoven in the background. You will not regret buying this book. I didn't when I returned Pandolfini's Traps and Zaps for this copy.

Rated 5 stars
For Lover's Only
Easily one of the best books ever written. This is one of the first books I purchased over 30 years ago. I am sure it helped start me on the road to Chess Mastery. Chernev, like Reinfeld, did NOT write chess books to impress other Chess Masters. He wrote books simply and with great care. He also put his tremendous love of the game into this book. I simply cannot convey what a wonderful book this is. This book will especially appeal to the average player, especially someone who wants to improve his game. I usually don't rave about books. This is an exception. Here is what I say about this book on my web site: "The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played." 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy. It contains 62 true masterpieces of chess by various different players. (Masters such as Fischer, Capablanca, Alekhine, Tal, etc. Plus, many more of the all-time greats!!) Each game is carefully and lovingly annotated. This book had a tremendous impact on me and the way that I viewed and looked at chess. I studied it many, many, many times. Chernev provides games with an almost blow-by-blow commentary. His ideas are simple, fresh, insightful, and expressed with great clarity. He explains all the basic ideas of the game in a manner that ANY chess-player can follow. The variations are perfect. Not too much to overload the senses. I have had players who were almost beginners to players who were accomplished tournament players ... tell me that they profited from a careful study of this book. I think one should study this book, as I did. Every time your rating goes up 100 points, you should work your way through this book from cover to cover! You won't regret it and you definitely will improve! Another unique thing is he finds one idea or theme in each game, and just hammers away at it. It is a VERY good study method. It also contains some of the classics of chess, and Chernev brings you a fresh insight and analysis to each game. (Indeed - his comments and analysis may differ greatly from the ones that may have been published in the chess press when the game was first played.) Chernev was one of the greatest all-time teachers and writers in the chess field. This book is a true pearl!!! I think it belongs in the library of every real chess aficionado. >><p>I also rate this in, "The Ten Best Chess Books Ever Written." Need I say more?

The underhanded CGs hacker stalking FTB's account stripped the book title and links (as well as some opening theory) from the reviews above, so here it is again: The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played: 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy by Irving Chernev. Game Collection: The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played and https://lichess.org/study/w2JcfP5K

Here is the Batsford reprint of Chernev's book in algebraic notation! https://archive.org/details/mostins...

Reuben Fine can show you the not-so-easy way. Sign up for free and you can read books for free: https://archive.org/details/chessea...

"So if you think that when you are better, it means that you can smash ahead and mate the guy, you are wrong; that is not what better means. What better means is that your position has the potential, if played correctly, to turn out well. So do not think that when you are better and when you are attacking that you can just force mate. That is not what it is about. Often the way to play best, the way to play within the position, is to maintain it." ― Josh Waitzkin

Ephesians 6:4: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

Deuteronomy 6:6-9: "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

Ecclesiastes 9:9: "Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun."

< <<Charlotte Chess Center Tuesday Night Action>

Charlotte Chess Center

EVENT OVERVIEW
Tuesday Night Action-Weekly Rated Play
The CCC conducts a weekly US Chess rated game every Tuesday night. This is a great way for players to get weekly practice without committing a whole weekend to play a tournament. The Top Section also FIDE-rated - offering the only free weekly FIDE-rated game in the country! In addition, there is a free lecture before the games begin. >

HOW IT WORKS
CCC opens Tuesdays at 5:45pm

Lecture with FM Peter Giannatos prior to rated games from 6:00pm-6:45pm

Players must register weekly and in advance using the online registration system

Each Tuesday evening will be limited to the first 62 players to register

TNA registration will close at 6:30pm if not already full

Once spots are filled, players may email events@charlottechesscenter.org to be placed on the waitlist.

​
REQUIREMENTS
Players must be members of the CCC

Players must have a US Chess membership

Open to all players in grades 9-12 and adults

Students in grades K-8 must be rated over 1000

​K-8 players rated under 1000 - See Wednesday Action Quads and Friday Action Quads

​
START TIME
Lecture: 6:00pm

Game: 7:00pm

GAMES
1 Round Weekly, Rated After 4 Rounds/Weeks

​
SECTIONS
TOP (1600+)

Under 1600

Under 1200

"Playing up" not permitted in TNA

TIME CONTROL
Top Section: G/85 mins; inc/5 - FIDE and US Chess Rated

U1600 & U1200 Sections: G/60 mins; inc/5 - US Chess Rated

ENTRY FEE
Free, must be a CCC Member​ - CCC membership only $40/year - join today!​

OTHER NOTES​​
Top Section is FIDE-rated - FIDE rules apply, except for US Chess penalties for cell phone infractions.

Tournament Directors will accelerate pairings to pair players close in rating when possible

Most recent "live" US Chess regular ratings used for all sections to ensure close matchups

Open to high schoolers and adults of any rating, including unrated

Students in grades K-8 must be rated 1000

Players in grades K-8 and rated under 1000 - see Wednesday Action Quads and Friday Action Quads

For all CCC events, bookmark our events calendar

All players must use CCC equipment - wooden sets and digital clocks provided

Address:
10700 Kettering Drive
Unit E
Charlotte, NC 28226 >

Current chess engines like Stockfish are capable of easily beating Deep Blue, the IBM supercomputer that defeated Garry Kasparov in 1997, as well as all human contenders.

"Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." ― Satchel Paige

"Risk" by Anais Nin

And then the day came,
when the risk
to remain tight
in a bud
was more painful
than the risk
it took
to blossom.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska, is the largest national park in the USA, covering 13,000 square miles or 13.2 million acres.

Riddle Question: I'm a mobile fortress; straight is my path. When it comes to castling, I'm part of the craft. What am I?

The name "coronavirus" is derived from the Latin word "corona," meaning "crown" or "halo." This refers to the appearance of a crown or a solar corona around the virus particles.

Riddle Answer: Rook

California's Sequoia National Park is home to the largest living single-stem tree in the world, the wonderfully named General Sherman. The tree is approximately 275 feet tall and weighs approximately 1,900 metric tons.

"If" by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run—
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!

Never let your feet run faster than your shoes. ~ Scottish Proverb

The chess piece that looks like the turret of a castle is called a "rook," from the original Persian name for the piece, ruhk, meaning "chariot."

Be happy while you're living, For you're a long time dead. ~ Scottish Proverb

Chess
Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Exactly four different men have tried
to teach me how to play. I could never
tell the difference between a rook
or bishop, but I knew the horse meant

knight. And that made sense to me,
because a horse is night: soot-hoof
and nostril, dark as a sabled evening
with no stars, bats, or moon blooms.

It's a night in Ohio where a man sleeps
alone one week and the next, the woman
he will eventually marry leans her body
into his for the first time, leans a kind

of faith, too—filled with white crickets
and bouquets of wild carrot. And
the months and the honeyed years
after that will make all the light

and dark squares feel like tiles
for a kitchen they can one day build
together. Every turn, every sacrificial
move—all the decoys, the castling,

the deflections—these will be both
riotous and unruly, the exact opposite
of what she thought she ever wanted
in the endgame of her days.

Q: Why is Chubby Checker so bad at telling jokes?

A: Because when there's a twist it doesn't surprise anybody.

Tips to calm down Here are some helpful, actionable tips you can try the next time you need to calm down.

1. Breathe
"Breathing is the number one and most effective technique for reducing anger and anxiety quickly," says Scott Dehorty, LCSW-C, of Delphi Behavioral Health.

When you're anxious or angry, you tend to take quick, shallow breaths. Dehorty says this sends a message to your brain, causing a positive feedback loop reinforcing your fight-or-flight response. That's why taking long, deep calming breaths disrupts that loop and helps you calm down.

There are various breathing techniques to help you calm down. One is three-part breathing. Three-part breathing requires you to take one deep breath in and then exhale fully while paying attention to your body.

Once you get comfortable with deep breathing, you can change the ratio of inhalation and exhalation to 1:2 (you slow down your exhalation so that it's twice as long as your inhalation).

Practice these techniques while calm so you know how to do them when you're anxious.

2. Admit that you're anxious or angry
Allow yourself to say that you're anxious or angry. When you label how you're feeling and allow yourself to express it, the anxiety and anger you're experiencing may decrease.

3. Challenge your thoughts
Part of being anxious or angry is having irrational thoughts that don't necessarily make sense. These thoughts are often the "worse-case scenario." You might find yourself caught in the "what if" cycle, which can cause you to sabotage a lot of things in your life.

When you experience one of these thoughts, stop and ask yourself the following questions:

Is this likely to happen?
Is this a rational thought?
Has this ever happened to me before?
What's the worst that can happen? Can I handle that?
After you go through the questions, it's time to reframe your thinking. Instead of "I can't walk across that bridge. What if there's an earthquake, and it falls into the water?" tell yourself: "There are people that walk across that bridge every day, and it has never fallen into the water."

4. Release the anxiety or anger
Dehorty recommends getting the emotional energy out with exercise. "Go for a walk or run. Engaging in some physical activity releases serotonin to help you calm down and feel better."

However, you should avoid physical activity that includes the expression of anger, such as punching walls or screaming.

"This has been shown to increase feelings of anger, as it reinforces the emotions because you end up feeling good as the result of being angry," Dehorty explains.

5. Visualize yourself calm
This tip requires you to practice the breathing techniques you've learned. After taking a few deep breaths, close your eyes and picture yourself calm. See your body relaxed, and imagine yourself working through a stressful or anxiety-causing situation by staying calm and focused.

By creating a mental picture of what it looks like to stay calm, you can refer back to that image when you're anxious.

6. Think it through
Have a mantra to use in critical situations. Just make sure it's one that you find helpful. Dehorty says it can be, "Will this matter to me this time next week?" or "How important is this?" or "Am I going to allow this person/situation to steal my peace?"

This allows the thinking to shift focus, and you can "reality test" the situation.

"When we're anxious or angry, we become hyper-focused on the cause, and rational thoughts leave our mind. These mantras give us an opportunity to allow rational thought to come back and lead to a better outcome," Dehorty explains.

7. Change your focus
Leave the situation, look in another direction, walk out of the room, or go outside.

Dehorty recommends this exercise so you have time for better decision making. "We don't do our best thinking when anxious or angry; we engage in survival thinking. This is fine if our life is really in danger, but if it isn't life threatening, we want our best thinking, not survival instincts," he adds.

8. Have a centering object
When you're anxious or angry, so much of your energy is being spent on irrational thoughts. When you're calm, find a "centering object" such as a small stuffed animal, a polished rock you keep in your pocket, or a locket you wear around your neck.

Tell yourself that you're going to touch this object when you're experiencing anxiety or frustration. This centers you and helps calm your thoughts. For example, if you're at work and your boss is making you anxious, gently rub the locket around your neck.

9. Relax your body
When you're anxious or angry, it can feel like every muscle in your body is tense (and they probably are). Practicing progressive muscle relaxation can help you calm down and center yourself.

To do this, lie down on the floor with your arms out by your side. Make sure your feet aren't crossed and your hands aren't in fists. Start at your toes and tell yourself to release them. Slowly move up your body, telling yourself to release each part of your body until you get to your head.

10. Drop your shoulders
If your body is tense, there's a good chance your posture will suffer. Sit up tall, take a deep breath, and drop your shoulders. To do this, you can focus on bringing your shoulder blades together and then down. This pulls your shoulders down. Take a few deep breaths.

You can do this several times a day.

11. Identify pressure points to calm anger and anxiety Going for a massage or getting acupuncture is a wonderful way to manage anxiety and anger. But it's not always easy to find time in your day to make it happen. The good news is, you can do acupressure on yourself for instant anxiety relief.

This method involves putting pressure with your fingers or your hand at certain points of the body. The pressure releases the tension and relaxes your body.

One area to start with is the point where the inside of your wrist forms a crease with your hand. Press your thumb on this area for two minutes. This can help relieve tension.

12. Get some fresh air
The temperature and air circulation in a room can increase your anxiety or anger. If you're feeling tense and the space you're in is hot and stuffy, this could trigger a panic attack.

Remove yourself from that environment as soon as possible and go outside — even if it's just for a few minutes.

Not only will the fresh air help calm you down, but also the change of scenery can sometimes interrupt your anxious or angry thought process.

13. Fuel your body
Being hangry never helps. If you're hungry or not properly hydrated, many relaxation techniques won't work. That's why it's important to slow down and get something to eat — even if it's just a small snack.

Try nibbling on some dark chocolate. ResearchTrusted Source shows it can help boost brain health and reduce stress.

Wash it down with a cup of green tea and honey. Studies show green tea can help reduce the body's stress response. Research has found that honey can help relieve anxiety.

14. Chew gum
Chewing on a piece of gum can help reduce anxiety (and even boost mood and productivity). In fact, research shows people who chew gum regularly are typically less stressed than non-gum chewers.

15. Listen to music
The next time you feel your anxiety level cranking up, grab some headphones and tune in to your favorite music. Listening to music can have a very calming effect on your body and mind.

16. Dance it out
Get moving to your favorite tunes. Dancing has traditionally been used as a healing art. ResearchTrusted Source shows it's a great way to combat depression and anxiety and increase quality of life.

17. Watch funny videos
Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine. Research has found that laughing provides therapeutic benefits and can help relieve stress and improve mood and quality of life. Do a quick internet search to find funny videos for an instant mood boost.

18. Write it down
If you're too angry or anxious to talk about it, grab a journal and write out your thoughts. Don't worry about complete sentences or punctuation — just write. Writing helps you get negative thoughts out of your head.

19. Squeeze a stress ball
When you're feeling stress come on, try interacting with a stress-relief toy. Options include:

stress ball
magnetic balls
sculpting clay
puzzles
Rubik's cube
fidget spinner

20. Try aromatherapy
Aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils, may help alleviate stress and anxiety and boost mood. Those commonly used in aromatherapy include:

bergamot
cedarwood
chamomile
geranium
ginger
lavender
lemon
tea tree
Add a few drops of essential oil to a diffuser, or mix it with a carrier oil (like coconut oil) and apply to your skin for quick relief.

21. Seek social support
Venting to a trusted friend, family member, or coworker can do wonders. Even if you don't have time for a full play-by-play phone call, a quick text exchange can help you let it all out and help you feel heard.

Bonus points if you engage with a funny friend who can help you laugh for added stress relief.

22. Spend time with a pet
Interacting with your favorite furry friend can decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol and lower blood pressure. Quality time with a pet can also help you feel less alone and boost your overall mood.

"....his countrymen, Kolisch and Steinitz, are greatly indebted for their later success to their having enjoyed early opportunities of practicing with the departed amateur whose death is also greatly deplored amongst all who knew him personally." — Wilhelm Steinitz, regarding Karl Hamppe

The first appearance of the (John) Cochrane gambit against Petrov's defense C42 was in the year 1848 against an Indian master Mohishunder Bannerjee.

"Sorry don't get it done, Dude!" — John Wayne, Rio Bravo

"Gossip is the devil's telephone. Best to just hang up." — Moira Rose

pages 24-25 of The Year Book of the United States Chess Federation 1944 (Chicago, 1945), which published ‘Brave Heart', Anthony Santasiere's tribute to Frank J. Marshall. Written in August 1942 for Marshall's 65th birthday, it began:

Brave Heart –
We salute you!
Knowing neither gain nor loss,
Nor fear, nor hate –;
But only this –
To fight – to fight –
And to love.

Santasiere then gushes on in a similar vein for another 40 lines or so, and we pick up the encomium for its final verse:

For this – dear Frank –
We thank you.
For this – dear Frank –
We love you!
Brave heart –
Brave heart –
We love you!

The Wolf Accusing The Fox Before The Monkey

A wolf, affirming his belief
That he had suffered by a thief,
Brought up his neighbour fox –
Of whom it was by all confessed,
His character was not the best –
To fill the prisoner's box.
As judge between these vermin,
A monkey graced the ermine;
And truly other gifts of Themis
Did scarcely seem his;
For while each party plead his cause,
Appealing boldly to the laws,
And much the question vexed,
Our monkey sat perplexed.
Their words and wrath expended,
Their strife at length was ended;
When, by their malice taught,
The judge this judgment brought:
"Your characters, my friends, I long have known, As on this trial clearly shown;
And hence I fine you both – the grounds at large To state would little profit –
You wolf, in short, as bringing groundless charge, You fox, as guilty of it."

Come at it right or wrong, the judge opined
No other than a villain could be fined.

According to Chessmetrics, Emanuel 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.

"Just because you know stuff doesn't mean you are smart... You have to know how to use that information." ― Josh Keller

Chessgames.com will be unavailable August 28, 2023 from 1:00AM through 1:30AM(UTC/GMT) for maintenance. We apologize for this inconvenience.

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<<The Words Of Socrates>

A house was built by Socrates
That failed the public taste to please.
Some blamed the inside; some, the out; and all
Agreed that the apartments were too small.
Such rooms for him, the greatest sage of Greece!

"I ask," said he, "no greater bliss
Than real friends to fill even this."
And reason had good Socrates
To think his house too large for these.
A crowd to be your friends will claim,
Till some unhandsome test you bring.
There's nothing plentier than the name;
There's nothing rarer than the thing.>

* 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.'>

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

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction"

Cartref yw cartref, er tloted y bo
Meaning: A beautiful Welsh saying that translates as ‘home is home, no matter how poor it is'

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." ~ Portuguese Proverb

The Three Kings By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Three Kings came riding from far away,
Melchior and Gaspar and Baltasar;
Three Wise Men out of the East were they,
And they travelled by night and they slept by day, For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star.

The star was so beautiful, large and clear,
That all the other stars of the sky
Became a white mist in the atmosphere,
And by this they knew that the coming was near
Of the Prince foretold in the prophecy.

Three caskets they bore on their saddle-bows,
Three caskets of gold with golden keys;
Their robes were of crimson silk with rows
Of bells and pomegranates and furbelows,
Their turbans like blossoming almond-trees.

And so the Three Kings rode into the West,
Through the dusk of the night, over hill and dell, And sometimes they nodded with beard on breast, And sometimes talked, as they paused to rest,
With the people they met at some wayside well.

"Of the child that is born," said Baltasar, "Good people, I pray you, tell us the news;
For we in the East have seen his star,
And have ridden fast, and have ridden far,
To find and worship the King of the Jews."

And the people answered, "You ask in vain;
We know of no King but Herod the Great!"
They thought the Wise Men were men insane,
As they spurred their horses across the plain,
Like riders in haste, who cannot wait.

And when they came to Jerusalem,
Herod the Great, who had heard this thing,
Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them;
And said, "Go down unto Bethlehem,
And bring me tidings of this new king."

So they rode away; and the star stood still,
The only one in the grey of morn;
Yes, it stopped—it stood still of its own free will, Right over Bethlehem on the hill,
The city of David, where Christ was born.

And the Three Kings rode through the gate and the guard, Through the silent street, till their horses turned And neighed as they entered the great inn-yard; But the windows were closed, and the doors were barred, And only a light in the stable burned.

And cradled there in the scented hay,
In the air made sweet by the breath of kine,
The little child in the manger lay,
The child, that would be king one day
Of a kingdom not human, but divine.

His mother Mary of Nazareth
Sat watching beside his place of rest,
Watching the even flow of his breath,
For the joy of life and the terror of death
Were mingled together in her breast.

They laid their offerings at his feet:
The gold was their tribute to a King,
The frankincense, with its odor sweet,
Was for the Priest, the Paraclete,
The myrrh for the body's burying.

And the mother wondered and bowed her head,
And sat as still as a statue of stone,
Her heart was troubled yet comforted,
Remembering what the Angel had said
Of an endless reign and of David's throne.

Then the Kings rode out of the city gate,
With a clatter of hoofs in proud array;
But they went not back to Herod the Great,
For they knew his malice and feared his hate,
And returned to their homes by another way.

The first chess legend, called the wheat and chessboard problem, illustrates the power of exponential growth.

The first chess movie, called Chess Fever, was a silent comedy released in 1925 in the Soviet Union.

The word checkmate comes from the Persian phrase shah mat, meaning "the king is helpless".

The Lion Beaten By The Man

A picture once was shown,
In which one man, alone,
On the ground had thrown
A lion fully grown.
Much gloried at the sight the rabble.
A lion thus rebuked their babble:
"That you have got the victory there,
There is no contradiction.
But, gentles, possibly you are
The dupes of easy fiction:
Had we the art of making pictures,
Perhaps our champion had beat yours!"

The OSULPI says around 95% of US adults don't get enough vitamin D. "Some early signs of vitamin D deficiency can include fatigue, poor mood, difficulty sleeping and muscle weakness," Core says. Over time, low vitamin D can contribute to rickets in children or osteoporosis in adults...or possibly lower immunity for both.

Fools look to tomorrow. Wise men use tonight. ~ Scottish Proverb

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." ― Denis Waitley

A Winter Night
by Sara Teasdale 1884-1933

My window-pane is starred with frost,
The world is bitter cold to-night,
The moon is cruel, and the wind
Is like a two-edged sword to smite.

God pity all the homeless ones,
The beggars pacing to and fro.
God pity all the poor to-night
Who walk the lamp-lit streets of snow.

My room is like a bit of June,
Warm and close-curtained fold on fold,
But somewhere, like a homeless child,
My heart is crying in the cold.

"When you have the better of it, play simply. When the game is going against you, look for complications." — Frank J. Marshall

* Pawn Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUq...

* Crafty Endgame Trainer: https://www.chessvideos.tv/endgame-...

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush ― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, "Don Quixote"

Cajun: Joie de vivre (Jhwa da veev) – Joy of living.

Compiled by Fredthebear

"Messy Room" by Shel Silverstein

Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater's been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door. His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall. Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or–
Huh? You say it's mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!

Oct-04-23 HeMateMe: I play 3/2 blitz occasionally on Lichess. I find it an excellent site, none of the delays/cancellations that ruined chess.com (for me). Oct-04-23 Cassandro: Yes, lichess is by far the best site for online chess. And you never know, apparently you may even get to play against a living legend like the highly esteemed Leonard Barden there!

FTB plays all about but has always been happy with FICS: https://www.freechess.org/

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Dreamers
by Siegried Sassoon

Soldiers are citizens of death's grey land,
Drawing no dividend from time's to-morrows.
In the great hour of destiny they stand,
Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows. Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win
Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives.
Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin
They think of firelit homes, clean beds and wives.

I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats,
And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain, Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats, And mocked by hopeless longing to regain
Bank-holidays, and picture shows, and spats,
And going to the office in the train.

"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves"- J.M. Barrie (1860 - 1937)

A man who spent his life delighting the masses with his words, perfectly understood that you reap what you sow, and that when we make other people happy, we often find happiness ourselves.

<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.>

Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever.

"The Lord is first, my friends are second, and I am third." ― Gale Sayers

"To what greater inspiration and counsel can we turn than to the imperishable truth to be found in this treasure house, the Bible?" — Queen Elizabeth II

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." ― Benjamin Franklin

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." ― Denis Waitley

Luck never gives; it only lends. ~ Scottish Proverb

"The harder you fall, the heavier your heart; the heavier your heart, the stronger you climb; the stronger you climb, the higher your pedestal." — Criss Jami

Psalm 96: 1-3
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

"God's mercy and grace give me hope - for myself, and for our world." — Billy Graham

"Man has two great spiritual needs. One is for forgiveness. The other is for goodness." — Billy Graham

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

We Give Our Thanks
Traditional

For food that stays our hunger,

For rest that brings us ease,

For homes where memories linger,

We give our thanks for these.

In Jesus name we pray,
Amen

"There just isn't enough televised chess." — David Letterman

"Do the things that interest you and do them with all your heart. Don't be concerned about whether people are watching you or criticizing you. The chances are that they aren't paying any attention to you. It's your attention to yourself that is so stultifying. But you have to disregard yourself as completely as possible. If you fail the first time then you'll just have to try harder the second time. After all, there's no real reason why you should fail. Just stop thinking about yourself." — Eleanor Roosevelt

"Many have become chess masters, no one has become the master of chess." — Siegbert Tarrasch

"In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." — Max De Pree

WordZeerch:
2Zz Drove 500 she to Anapolis indy toydakota. Zdanovs split Zelinsky, Yuri Zhuravliov

"Debt is dumb. Cash is king." — Dave Ramsey

A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and town markets, and the discipline continues into the modern day, where jesters perform at historical-themed events.

During the Middle Ages, jesters are often thought to have worn brightly colored clothes and eccentric hats in a motley pattern. Their modern counterparts usually mimic this costume. Jesters entertained with a wide variety of skills: principal among them were song, music, and storytelling, but many also employed acrobatics, juggling, telling jokes (such as puns, stereotypes, and imitation), and performing magic tricks. Much of the entertainment was performed in a comic style. Many jesters made contemporary jokes in word or song about people or events well known to their audiences.

A Honest Enemy is better than a Friend who Lies. ― Joker

I prefer to smile in my darkest hours. Just to show life that it messed with the wrong one. ― Joker

Q: Why did the rooster cross the road?
A: He had something to cock-a-doodle dooo!