This collection (the top 116 games) was compiled by kenilworthian.

IM Lawrence Day's "The Big Clamp" was first published as two articles in Modern Chess Theory (1980-1981) and later as a book titled "The Big Clamp: An Anti-Sicilian System" (The Chess Player 1984) which included two additional games. It offers an inspiring approach to fighting for square control beginning with 1.e4 typically followed by f4, clamping down on the dark squares. Though even Day had his doubts about some of the odd ways players have tried to achieve the clamp (including 1.e4 e6 2.e5!? or 2.Qe2!?), his ideas have had a lasting influence. I have included a number of supplemental games to illustrate the 19th Century origins of The Big Clamp and its continuing influence today.

Forcing moves: <The great Australian correspondence champion and teacher Cecil Purdy advised: In every position look at all checks and captures, and jump-mates, jump-checks, and jump-captures.

'Jump-moves' -- are moves that would be possible if an obstructing piece were removed.

This bit of advice comes from a book by GM Andrew Soltis -- it's called "The Wisest Things Ever Said About Chess" (Batsford, 2008) -- 288 chess maxims and a short (1 page) bit of explanation and annotated example.>

"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

"It is impossible to keep one's excellence in a glass case, like a jewel, and take it out whenever it is required." ― Adolf Anderssen, 1858

"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

"Let a man play chess, and tell him that every pawn is his friend; Let him think both bishops are holy. Let him remember happy days in the shadows of his castles. Let him love his queen. Watch him love his queen." ― Mark Lawrence (Prince of Thorn)

"...It is a proud privilege to be a soldier – a good soldier … with discipline, self-respect, pride in his unit and his country, a high sense of duty and obligation to comrades and to his superiors, and a self-confidence born of demonstrated ability." ― George S. Patton Jr.

"Where there's a will, there's a way."

"An isolated pawn spreads gloom all over the chessboard." ― Savielly Tartakover

"In my opinion, the King's Gambit is busted. It loses by force." ― Bobby Fischer, A bust to the King's Gambit (1960)

Zwickmuhle: to be in a quandry/predicament/ double bind/catch-22 situation, to be in a dilemma

Eyes trust themselves, ears trust others. ~ German Proverb

Ye Jiangchuan has won the Chinese Chess Championship seven times.

"Great wisdom is generous; petty wisdom is contentious." ― Zhuangzi

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

"The eighth square at last! Oh how glad I am to get here. And what is this on my head?" ― Alice (in Through The Looking Glass – Lewis Carroll)

"A woman can beat any man; it's difficult to imagine another kind of sport where a woman can beat a man. That's why I like chess." ― Alexandra Kosteniuk

"My formula for success is rise early, work late, and strike oil." ― JP Getty

"There are two kinds of idiots - those who don't take action because they have received a threat, and those who think they are taking action because they have issued a threat." ― Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym

"Life is very much about making the best decisions you can. So I think chess is very valuable." ― Hikaru Nakamura

"Most people work just hard enough to not get fired and get paid just enough money not to quit." ― George Carlin

"Pawns are such fascinating pieces, too...So small, almost insignificant, and yet--they can depose kings." ― Lavie Tidhar, The Bookman

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." — Albert Einstein

"To find something, anything, a great truth or a lost pair of glasses, you must first believe there will be some advantage in finding it." — Jack Burden, All The King's Men

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." — Jimmy Dean

"Chess is above all, a fight!" — Emanuel Lasker

"In chess, at least, the brave inherit the earth" — Edmar Mednis

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

"You win some, you lose some, and your losses are never made up to you. She will simply have to do without; like it or not, she must face her losses and her helplessness to undo them." — Sheldon B. Kopp

"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 "In life, as in chess, one's own pawns block one's way. A man's very wealth, ease, leisure, children, books, which should help him to win, more often checkmate him." — Charles Buxton

"Play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the endgame like a machine." — Rudolph Spielmann

"A thorough understanding of the typical mating continuations makes the most complicated sacrificial combinations leading up to them not only difficult, but almost a matter of course." — Savielly Tartakower.

"Knowing which pieces you want to be exchanged is a great help in finding the right moves." — Graham Burgess

"Life is like a chess game. Every decision, just like every move, has consequences. Therefore, decide wisely!" ― Susan Polgar

"When people insult and disrespect you, the best revenge is to continue to win, and win, and win…." ― Susan Polgar

"The mind has no restrictions. The only restriction is what you believe you cannot do. So go ahead and challenge yourself to do one thing every day that scares you." ― Susan Polgar

"I don't think you can really compare anyone to Fischer and I have high respect for him – he's one of the greatest chess players who ever lived!" — Wesley so

"Fischer…is abnormally sensitive to the slightest noise in the hall…Then there are other players, among them Spassky, Viktor Korchnoi, and myself. For us, it is simply boring to play in an empty hall. When we appear on the stage, we are artistes." — Mikhail Tal

"He went out of his way to provoke the opponent to attack, and, reeking of contempt and crusader's zeal, devoted himself to consolidating some of the most hideously unconsolidated positions ever seen on a chessboard." — Robert Byrne on Wilhelm Steinitz

"The defensive power of a pinned piece is only imaginary." ― Aaron Nimzowitsch

Bobby Fischer on Paul Morphy:
"Perhaps the most accurate player who ever lived, he would beat anybody today in a set-match. He had complete sight of the board and seldom blundered even though he moved quite rapidly. I've played over hundreds of his games and am continually surprised and entertained by his ingenuity."

Fredthebear gathered this collection.

"Capablanca's games generally take the following course: he begins with a series of extremely fine prophylactic maneuvers, which neutralize his opponent's attempts to complicate the game; he then proceeds, slowly but surely, to set up an attacking position. This attacking position, after a series of simplifications, is transformed into a favorable endgame, which he conducts with matchless technique." ― Aaron Nimzowitsch

"The greatest compliment one can pay a master is to compare him with Jose Capablanca." — Irving Chernev

"The peculiarity of his style is that only rarely does he make moves which no one else would make." — Max Euwe on Vassily Smyslov

"When his opponent forces him into wild play, his performance is stunning." — Robert Byrne on Tigran Petrosian

"You can never relax. I keep the same amount of energy and concentration during the tournament." ― 13-year-old FM Brewington Hardaway from New York

"Most promises featuring the word 'always' are unkeepable." ― John Green, The Anthropocene Reviewed

"You should never say never. Just like you should never say always; because, always and never are always never true." ― J. R. Krol

"Never and Always

Never take advantage of someone whom loves you
Never avoid someone whom needs you
Never betray anyone whom has trust in you
Never forget the people that always remember you Never speak ill of a person who is not present
Never support something you know is wrong or unethical Always speak to your parents on their birthday and anniversary Always defend those who cannot defend themselves Always forgive those you love whom have made mistakes Always give something to those less fortunate than you Always remember to look back at those who helped you succeed Always call your parents and siblings on New Year's Eve." ― R.J. Intindola

The Night
BY HENRY VAUGHAN
John 3.2

Through that pure virgin shrine,
That sacred veil drawn o'er Thy glorious noon, That men might look and live, as glowworms shine, And face the moon,
Wise Nicodemus saw such light
As made him know his God by night.

Most blest believer he!
Who in that land of darkness and blind eyes
Thy long-expected healing wings could see,
When Thou didst rise!
And, what can never more be done,
Did at midnight speak with the Sun!

O who will tell me where
He found Thee at that dead and silent hour?
What hallowed solitary ground did bear
So rare a flower,
Within whose sacred leaves did lie
The fulness of the Deity?

No mercy-seat of gold,
No dead and dusty cherub, nor carved stone,
But His own living works did my Lord hold
And lodge alone;
Where trees and herbs did watch and peep
And wonder, while the Jews did sleep.

Dear night! this world's defeat;
The stop to busy fools; care's check and curb; The day of spirits; my soul's calm retreat
Which none disturb!
Christ's progress, and His prayer time;
The hours to which high heaven doth chime;

God's silent, searching flight;
When my Lord's head is filled with dew, and all His locks are wet with the clear drops of night; His still, soft call;
His knocking time; the soul's dumb watch,
When spirits their fair kindred catch.

Were all my loud, evil days
Calm and unhaunted as is thy dark tent,
Whose peace but by some angel's wing or voice
Is seldom rent,
Then I in heaven all the long year
Would keep, and never wander here.

But living where the sun
Doth all things wake, and where all mix and tire Themselves and others, I consent and run
To every mire,
And by this world's ill-guiding light,
Err more than I can do by night.

There is in God, some say,
A deep but dazzling darkness, as men here
Say it is late and dusky, because they
See not all clear.
O for that night! where I in Him
Might live invisible and dim!

* 10 Best to Watch: https://www.chessjournal.com/best-c...

* 23 Opening Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-5...

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

* Bearly Thinking: https://www.etsy.com/listing/972054...

* Art: Game Collection: Art of Checkmate

* Champion miniatures: Game Collection: Champions miniature champions

* Chess Step-by-Step: https://www.chess.com/learn-how-to-...

* CFN: https://www.youtube.com/@CFNChannel

* Attack: Game Collection: Chess Secrets - Attackers (Crouch)

* Diagrammed Checkmate Patterns: Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns

* Black Storms: Game Collection: Tal - The Modern Benoni

* Starting Out 1d4: Game Collection: Starting Out: 1 d4!

* KID 0-1s: Game Collection: K.I.D B wins E98

* St. Louis Spring Classic: Spring Chess Classic (A) (2019)

* My killer chess secret - it's not what you might think: https://www.loavesanddishes.net/old...

* US Championships: US Championship (2019)

* Liren 1st, Carlsen 7th?! GCT St. Louis Rapid & Blitz (2019)

* St. Louis, MO: Sinquefield Cup (2019)

* Theater chess: Grand Prix Hamburg (2019)

* Country Club chess: GCT Bucharest Rapid & Blitz (2019)

* Tie-breaker: Grand Prix Monaco (Women) (2019)

* Too many rules and regulations: London Chess Classic GCT Finals (2019)

* Triple Crown Winner!!!
World Blitz Championship (2019)

* Ju Retains Her Reign!! Ju - Goryachkina Women's World Championship Match (2020)

* Caruana Tops the Stars! Tata Steel Masters (2020)

* Seven players tied for first place! Gibraltar Masters (2020)

* The ladies go at it in St. Louis, MO: 2nd Cairns Cup (2020)

* Nutcracker: Nutcracker Match of the Generations (2020)

* 2020 Candidates Tournament: World Championship Candidates (2020/21)

* Clutch Chess: A new knockout format: Clutch Champions Showdown (2020)

* Bill Wall should have been on beer commercials crushing empty beer cans with his bare hands: Bill Wall

* Many gambits from all openings by ECO code: https://www.jimmyvermeer.com/openin...

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

* Pawn Instruction: http://www.logicalchess.com/learn/l...

* Read The Planet Greenpawn - https://www.redhotpawn.com/

* Sports Clichés: http://www.sportscliche.com/

* Top Chessgames by ECO Code: http://schachsinn.de/gamelist.htm

* Top Games by Year: Wikipedia article: List of chess games

* Terminology: https://www.angelfire.com/games5/ch...

"Tal has a terrifying style. Soon even grandmasters will know of this." - Vladimir Saigin (after losing to 17-year-old Tal in a qualifying match for the master title) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5S...

* 10 Crazy Gambits: https://www.chess.com/blog/yola6655...

* Chicago, 2007: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEp...

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

* Defensive Replies to the Queen's Pawn: Game Collection: e6 after 1.d4

* Lekhika Dhariyal Chess Ops: https://www.zupee.com/blog/category...

* Del's: Game Collection: Del's hidden gems

* elmubarak: my fav games: Game Collection: elmubarak: my fav games

* Fried Fox is awful: https://allchessopenings.blogspot.c...

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

* Games with ...e6: Game Collection: Partidas modelo con temas variados

* The Gaw-Paw? Game Collection: GA PA Wins Draws by Black

* 21st Century: Game Collection: 0

* Most Common Openings: http://www.chesskids.org.uk/grownup...

* Old P-K4 Miniatures: Game Collection: Games for Classes

* Pawns are the Soul of Chess: Game Collection: 0

* QP Bg2: Queen's Pawn Game (E00)

* RL Minis: Game Collection: Ruy Lopez Miniatures

* Sicilians: Game Collection: Sicilian/French/Westerimen and other ...c5,...e6

* Sicilian O'Kelly leaves White all kinds of choices: Opening Explorer

* Yasser's Book: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics

* Wikipedia on Computer Chess: Wikipedia article: Computer chess

* 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

New York: Albany
Established in: 1624

Henry Hudson (the Hudson River is named after him) arrived in Albany in 1609, but it was already home to a Dutch trading post and the Haudenosaunee tribe, Iroquois Native Americans.

The capital of New York is also its oldest city. Originally founded as Fort Orange by the Dutch settlers in 1624, the city was officially chartered by the British government as Albany in 1686. It didn't become the capital of the state until 1797. Albany was the point of origin for the first long distance airplane flight and the first passenger railroad.

* Chess History: https://www.britannica.com/topic/ch...

* Chess Principles: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comm...

* World Championship matches: https://lichess.org/page/world-cham...

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.

Samzaki mkunje angali mbichi. "Bend a fish while it is still wet."

"Fancy what a game of chess would be if all the chessmen had passions and intellects, more or less small and cunning; if you were not only uncertain about your adversary's men, but a little uncertain also about your own; if your knight could shuffle himself on to a new square by the sly; if your bishop, at your castling, could wheedle your pawns out of their places; and if your pawns, hating you because they are pawns, could make away from their appointed posts that you might get checkmate on a sudden. You might be the longest-headed of deductive reasoners, and yet you might be beaten by your own pawns. You would be especially likely to be beaten, if you depended arrogantly on your mathematical imagination, and regarded your passionate pieces with contempt. Yet this imaginary chess is easy compared with the game a man has to play against his fellow-men with other fellow-men for his instruments." ― George Eliot, Felix Holt: The Radical

Old Russian Proverb: Not everything that glitters is gold. (Не всё то золото, что блестит.)

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

"Sometimes in life, and in chess, you must take one step back to take two steps forward." — IM Levy Rozman, GothamChess

So much, much, much better to be an incurable optimist than deceitful and untrustworthy.

"Don't blow your own trumpet." — Australian Proverb

Old Russian Proverb: "Scythe over a stone." (Нашла коса на камень.) The force came over a stronger force.

"Continuing to play the victim is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Blaming others for your station in life will indeed make you a victim but the perpetrator will be your own self, not life or those around you." — Bobby Darnell

Democritus and the People Of Abdera

How do I hate the tide of vulgar thought!
Profane, unjust, with childish folly fraught;
It breaks and bends the rays of truth divine,
And by its own conceptions measures mine.
Famed Epicurus' master tried
The power of this unstable tide.
His country said the sage was mad –
The simpletons! But why?
No prophet ever honour had
Beneath his native sky.
Democritus, in truth, was wise;
The mass were mad, with faith in lies.
So far this error went,
That all Abdera sent
To old Hippocrates
To cure the sad disease.
"Our townsman," said the messengers,
Appropriately shedding tears,
"Has lost his wits! Democritus,
By study spoiled, is lost to us.
Were he but filled with ignorance,
We should esteem him less a dunce.
He says that worlds like this exist,
An absolutely endless list, –
And peopled, even, it may be,
With countless hosts as wise as we!
But, not contented with such dreams,
His brain with viewless "atoms" teems,
Instinct with deathless life, it seems.
And, never stirring from the sod below,
He weighs and measures all the stars;
And, while he knows the universe,
Himself he does not know.
Though now his lips he strictly bars,
He once delighted to converse.
Come, godlike mortal, try your art divine
Where traits of worst insanity combine!"
Small faith the great physician lent,
But still, perhaps more readily, he went.
And mark what meetings strange
Chance causes in this world of change!
Hippocrates arrived in season,
Just as his patient (void of reason!)
Was searching whether reason's home,
In talking animals and dumb,
Be in the head, or in the heart,
Or in some other local part.
All calmly seated in the shade,
Where brooks their softest music made,
He traced, with study most insane,
The convolutions of a brain;
And at his feet lay many a scroll –
The works of sages on the soul.
Indeed, so much absorbed was he,
His friend, at first, he did not see.
A pair so admirably matched,
Their compliments erelong despatched.
In time and talk, as well as dress,
The wise are frugal, I confess.
Dismissing trifles, they began
At once with eagerness to scan
The life, and soul, and laws of man;
Nor stopped till they had travelled over all
The ground, from, physical to moral.
My time and space would fail
To give the full detail.

But I have said enough to show
How little It's the people know.
How true, then, goes the saw abroad –
Their voice is but the voice of God?

There are 8 species of bears found worldwide. All bears are considered omnivores, but each species has a preferred diet.

Riddle Question: If a hen and a half lay an egg and a half in a day and a half, how many eggs will half a dozen hens lay in half a dozen days?

Grizzly bears possess a biting force of over 1200 PSI, which is enough to crush a bowling ball or an iron skillet.

Riddle Answer: Two dozen. If you increase both the number of hens and the amount of time available four-fold (i.e., 1.5 x 4 = 6), the number of eggs increases 16 times: 16 x 1.5 = 24.

Bears can weigh from 27 kg to 700 kg, and typically stand between 1 to 3 meters tall. During winter, bears hibernate up to 100 days.

The Bear and the Amateur Gardener

A certain mountain bear, unlicked and rude,
By fate confined within a lonely wood,
A new Bellerophon, whose life,
Knew neither comrade, friend, nor wife, –
Became insane; for reason, as we term it,
Dwells never long with any hermit.
It's good to mix in good society,
Obeying rules of due propriety;
And better yet to be alone;
But both are ills when overdone.
No animal had business where
All grimly dwelt our hermit bear;
Hence, bearish as he was, he grew
Heart-sick, and longed for something new.
While he to sadness was addicted,
An aged man, not far from there,
Was by the same disease afflicted.
A garden was his favourite care, –
Sweet Flora's priesthood, light and fair,
And eke Pomona's – ripe and red
The presents that her fingers shed.
These two employments, true, are sweet
When made so by some friend discreet.
The gardens, gaily as they look,
Talk not, (except in this my book;)
So, tiring of the deaf and dumb,
Our man one morning left his home
Some company to seek,
That had the power to speak. –
The bear, with thoughts the same,
Down from his mountain came;
And in a solitary place,
They met each other, face to face.
It would have made the boldest tremble;
What did our man? To play the Gascon
The safest seemed. He put the mask on,
His fear contriving to dissemble.
The bear, unused to compliment,
Growled bluntly, but with good intent,
"Come home with me." The man replied:
"Sir Bear, my lodgings, nearer by,
In yonder garden you may spy,
Where, if you'll honour me the while,
We'll break our fast in rural style.
I have fruits and milk, – unworthy fare,
It may be, for a wealthy bear;
But then I offer what I have."
The bear accepts, with visage grave,
But not unpleased; and on their way,
They grow familiar, friendly, gay.
Arrived, you see them, side by side,
As if their friendship had been tried.
To a companion so absurd,
Blank solitude were well preferred,
Yet, as the bear scarce spoke a word,
The man was left quite at his leisure
To trim his garden at his pleasure.
Sir Bruin hunted – always brought
His friend whatever game he caught;
But chiefly aimed at driving flies –
Those hold and shameless parasites,
That vex us with their ceaseless bites –
From off our gardener's face and eyes.
One day, while, stretched on the ground
The old man lay, in sleep profound,
A fly that buzz'd around his nose, –
And bit it sometimes, I suppose, –
Put Bruin sadly to his trumps.
At last, determined, up he jumps;
"I'll stop your noisy buzzing now,"
Says he; "I know precisely how."
No sooner said than done.
He seized a paving-stone;
And by his modus operandi
Did both the fly and man die.

A foolish friend may cause more woe
Than could, indeed, the wisest foe.

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

* Riddle-e-dee: https://chessimprover.com/chess-rid...

During World War II, several of the world's best chess players were code breakers.

In India, chess was initially known as the ‘Game of Kings.'

Feb-09-12
ray keene: nimzos best endgames
v lasker zurich 1934
v spielmann carlsbad 1929
v lundin stockholm 1934
v maroczy bled 1931
v henneberger winterthur 1931
v thomas frankfurt 1930
v sultan khan liege 1930
v marshall berlin 1928
v reti berlin 1928
v alehine ny 1927
v tchigorin carlsbad 1907
and for a joke entry duras v nimzo san sebastian 1912 !!

People believe what they want to believe, truth or not.

"Search for the grain of truth in other opinions." ― Richard Carlson

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him"

The Bear
~ Author Unknown ~

Here is a cave, (make a fist)
Inside is a bear. (put a thumb inside fist)
Now he comes out
To get some fresh air. (pop out thumb)
He stays out all summer
In sunshine and heat.
He hunts in the forest
For berries to eat. (move thumb in circle)
When snow starts to fall,
He hurries inside
His warm little cave,
And there he will hide. (put thumb back inside fist) Snow covers the cave
Like a fluffy white rug.
Inside the bear sleeps
All cozy and snug. (cover fist with other hand)

Old Russian Proverb:
Чему́ быть, того́ не минова́ть Pronunciation: ChiMU BYT', taVOH ni mihnoVAT' Translation: You can't avoid that which is meant to happen Meaning: Whatever shall be, will be.

Engineer Ralph Baer is often held to be the "father of video games." His "Brown Box" video game system, designed in 1967, paved the way for all future consoles.

"mãos frias, coração quente". In English, it means "a cold hand, a warm heart"

Drive sober or get pulled over.

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

"mais vale um passarinho na mão do que dois a voar"

Contrary to popular belief, the first video game was not Pong. It was preceded by Tennis for Two in 1958 and Spacewar! in 1962.

Q: What do you call something that goes up when the rain comes down? A: An umbrella.

Q: What do you call a doctor who fixes websites? A: A URL-ologist.

Q: What do you call a sleeping dinosaur?
A: A dinosnore.

Q: What do you call a Christmas tree that knows karate A: Spruce Lee.

Q: What does a triangle call a circle?
A: Pointless.

Q: What do you call a piece of sad cheese?
A: Blue cheese.

Q: What do you call a cow in an earthquake?
A: A milkshake.

Q: What do you call an M&M that went to college? A: A smarty.

H.T. Bland. On page 207 of the December 1929 American Chess Bulletin he exalted the challenger in that year's world championship match:

Bravo ‘Bogol', you've shown pluck.
One and all we wish you luck.
Gee, some thought you'd barged between
Other players who'd have been
Less likely straightaway to lose
Just as friend Alekhine might choose;
Undaunted, ‘Bogol', you went in
Believing you'd a chance to win.
Or failing that, to make a fight,
Which you are doing as we write.

"Two persons cannot long be friends if they cannot forgive each other's little failings." ― Jean de La Bruyère

"Out of difficulties, grow miracles" ― Jean de La Bruyère

"Not to be able to bear with all bad-tempered people with whom the world is crowded, shows that a man has not a good temper himself." ― Jean de La Bruyère

"The same principle leads us to neglect a man of merit that induces us to admire a fool." ― Jean de La Bruyère

"A wise man is cured of ambition by ambition itself; his aim is so exalted that riches, office, fortune, and favor cannot satisfy him." ― Jean de La Bruyère

Random Forum Chess Advice:

Learn all the rules of chess, not just how the pieces move and capture. Furthermore, you must declare any rule violation by your opponent when playing in person (the computer typically prevents rule violations from occurring, thus many on-line players don't know all the rules because they have not personally experienced possible violations that will occur when playing face-to-face).

Avoid making exchanges which develop another piece (recapturing) for the opponent. (The developing piece lands on a better square free of its prior duty, whereas before it was sitting still, waiting on guard duty.)

Do not permit the opponent to open a file at your King. Pawns serve as the best shield/buffer for a King. (An exposed King with no cover often faces a dangerous attack, as is the possibility of losing material via check-and-fork/skewer of any unprotected units aligned with the square-of-the-check.)

"When it's your move, pretend for a moment that it's actually your opponent's move. What good moves can your opponent make right now?" This makes it much easier to see your opponent's threats, IMO.

My every move should either:

1. Improve the quality of the position or

2. Gain Material or

3. Gain Time

Don't play Hope Chess. Always assume your opponent will find the best move.

"Sit on your hands!" (No hand hovering over the pieces while still considering your next possible move.)

"Chess is played with the mind and not with the hands." ― Renaud & Kahn

1. Go wide before you go deep

2. No position is so won it plays itself. (IM Jeremy Silman)

"Thats what she said..."

"When you see a good move ― WAIT, look for a better one." ― Emanuel Lasker, the second official world chess champion, for 27 years, from 1894 to 1921, the longest reign of any officially recognized World Chess Champion in history.

American GM Alexsander Lenderman gave the advice - <"It's all about good pieces; get good pieces!"> Of course, once they're good (well-positioned on an active square) you have to know what to do with 'em (apply pressure, possible tactics). "Great guy that Alex!" He played an important role in the book The Kings of New York, written by Michael Weinreb and published by Gotham Press in 2007.

Avoid moving the same chess piece twice during the opening. Try to move every piece (not pawns) once; develop toward the center. What is a good way to start? The Chigorin Variation of the Ruy Lopez: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 etc. White's bishop was unable to follow this "move each piece just once" principle due to the threat of being captured by the less valuable pawn. As a result, Black was able to extend on the queenside and avoid having a pinned Nc6.

"A bad plan is better than no plan at all" (Mikhail Tchigorin) stopped (the blogger) playing aimless chess even when (blogger) had barely any knowledge.

"Life is like a chess. If you lose your queen, you will probably lose the game." ― Being Caballero

Have your chess brain work at least 10 minutes every day. To improve focus on tactics, tactics, tactics and more tactics, tactics, tactics.

When it's your turn to move, don't just look for a tactical move you can make; but also, more importantly, what tactical move your opponent can make on you!

Look at pawn structure as a way to create landing spots for your pieces. Attack where your pawns point (where extended pawns have created space to operate).

Always check for King safety. (If there is no check now, what is the next possible check find a checking square to occupy in the near future?)

Don't give up. American Bobby Fischer, the eleventh World Chess Champion, said "Don't give up... even if you're in big trouble... Chess is a kaleidoscope- it's ever changing- ...and opportunities suddenly appear." (Fischer defeated former world champion Tigran Petrosian in a qualifying match, and then reigning world champion Boris Spassky of the USSR, in Reykjavík, Iceland to claim the title in 1972. Fischer (1943 – 2008) at age 64 was buried in a small Christian cemetery 60 kilometers (37 miles) southeast of Reykjavík, after a Catholic funeral presided over by Fr. Jakob Rolland of the diocese of Reykjavík.)

"Winning is not a secret. It is something you can learn." — Garry Kasparov, the youngest-ever undisputed world champion in 1985 at age 22

"Don't begrudge the time." — Garry Kasparov, ranked world no. 1 for a record 255 months overall

"You win some, you lose some, you wreck some." — Dale Earnhardt

"In life, unlike chess the game continues after checkmate." ― Isaac Asimov

<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

Bughouse Rules

Bughouse is an outrageously fun team game in which one partner plays White and the other plays Black. As a player captures an opponent's piece, that captured piece is passed to the partner. The partner can either make a regular chess move, or place any one of the pieces passed by the partner anywhere on the board! (well, almost anywhere - there are certain rules to follow that we go over in class). To add to the excitement, Bughouse is played with clocks at a quick pace (5 minutes) and players are allowed to TALK!! In fact, you have to talk in order to effectively communicate strategies with your partner. Of course, your opponents might overhear you and plan their counter strategy. So you could whisper, or even talk in secret codes! But you can't hide captured pieces - they have to stay out in the open where everyone can see them. Not fair pulling a rook out from under your beard! These rules and others are contained in he official USCF Bughouse Rules 5th Edition, which will be posted on the walls for Bughouse events. It was interesting to note, during Grandmaster Nigel Davies' recent instructional clinics, that he greatly encouraged Bughouse as a tool for developing the imagination.

IMPORTANT! Because of the high level of noise, Bughouse will be played only on pre-advertised Bughouse tournament days (normally around Halloween, plus or minus a week, and sometimes at other times during the year).

BUGHOUSE RULES (adapted from http://raleighchessacademy.com/wp-c... )

1. Number of Players - There are exactly two players on a team; they are called 'team members,' 'partners' or 'pardners' (Texas only). No substitutions of players are allowed at any time during the tournament. Ya dances with the pardner what brought ya. A Tournament can have many competing teams.

2. Bughouse Game - A 'Bughouse Game' matches one team member against one opponent, and the other team member against that opponent's partner. Play is conducted by the four players on two regulation chess boards, each starting from the normal chess starting position, with white moving first and each using a chess clock (digital takes precedence over analog). One partner plays White; the other Black. The first checkmate or time forfeit on either board ends the Game. If either partner on a team wins their board, then their team wins the Game. Just as in regular chess, there are multiple Games (rounds) per tournament.

3. Colors - For each Game, the team decides which partner is to play white and which is to play black. Once a Game is started, partners may not switch boards (and although you can always give advice to your partner, you cannot touch your partner's pieces).

4. Time control - The time control is Game in 5 minutes. Use 2 second delay when possible.

5. Bring a clock- Each team is responsible for providing a clock. If a team does not have a clock and their opponents do have a clock, the team without a clock forfeits. If neither team has a clock then both teams forfeit.

6. Completion of Move - If a player's hand has released a piece then that move cannot be changed, unless it is an illegal move. A move is not Completed until the piece is released AND the clock is pressed. If the clock has not been pressed then the opponent may not move (this is under review)

8. Illegal moves lose, if they are caught before the next move is made. I. If an opponent makes a move and starts the opponent's clock, they have forfeited the right to claim that illegal move. II. Before play begins both players should inspect the position of the pieces and the setting of the clock, since once each side has made a move all claims for correcting either are null and void. The only exception is if one or both players have more than five minutes on their clock, then the tournament director may reduce the time accordingly. III. Illegal moves, unnoticed by both players, cannot be corrected afterwards, nor can they become the basis for later making an illegal move claim. If the King and Queen are set up incorrectly when the game begins, then you may castle short on the queen side and castle long on the kingside. Once each side has made a move, incorrect setups must stay.

9. Passing pieces - When a piece is captured, the captured piece is passed to the partner only after the move is completed (opponent's clock is started).

10. Placing or moving pieces- A player has the option of either moving one of their pieces on their board or placing a piece their teammate has captured and passed to them. I. A captured piece may be placed on any unoccupied square on the board, with the exception that a pawn may not be placed on the first or last rank. II. Pieces may be placed to create or interpose check or checkmate. (under review - some variants do not allow "drop mates") III. A promoted pawn, which has been captured, reverts to a pawn and not the promoted piece.

11. Displaying captured pieces- A player may not attempt to hide pieces captured by their partner from the opponent. The first attempt will be a warning and the second attempt will result in forfeiture of the game.

12. Communicating allowed- Partners may verbally communicate throughout a game. It is legal for one partner to make move suggestions to the other partner. It is illegal and grounds for forfeiting the match if one partner physically moves one of their partner's pieces.

13. Clock Hand- Each player must push the clock button with the same hand they use to move their pieces. Exception: only during castling may a player use both hands. When capturing only one hand may be used. The first infraction will get a warning, the second a one minute penalty and the third will result in the loss of the game.

14. Touching a Clock- Except for pushing the clock button neither player should touch the clock except: I. To straighten it; II. If either player knocks over the clock his opponent gets one minute added to their clock; III. If your opponent's clock does not begin you may push their side down and repunch your side; however, if this procedure is unsatisfactory, please call for a director; IV. Each player must always be allowed to push the clock after their move is made. Neither player should keep their hand on or hover over the clock.

15. Define a win- A game is won by the player: I. who has mated their opponent's king; II. If the checking piece is not a knight or is not in contact (on an adjacent square) with the defending king and the defending player does not have any material to block the check, the defending player may wait until his or her partner supplies a piece provided their time does not run out. III. whose opponent resigns; IV. whose opponent's flag falls first, at any time before the game is otherwise ended, provided he/she points it out and neutralizes the clock while their own flag is still up; V. who, after an illegal move, takes the opponent's king or stops the clock; VI. an illegal move doesn't negate a player's right to claim on time, provided he/she does so prior to their opponent's claim of an illegal move. If the claims are simultaneous, the player who made the illegal move loses.

16. Defining a draw- A game is a draw: I. By agreement between the teams during the game only. II. If the flag of one player falls after the flag of the other player has already fallen and a win has not been claimed, unless either side mates before noticing both flags down. Announced checkmate nullifies any later time claims.

17. Replacing pieces- If a player accidentally displaces one or more pieces, he shall replace them on his own time. If it is necessary, his opponent may start the opponent's clock without making a move in order to make sure that the culprit uses his own time while replacing the pieces. Finally, it is unsportsmanlike to knock over any pieces then punch the clock. For the first offense the player will get a warning (unless this causes his flag to fall, in which case the opponent will get one extra minute added to his clock). For a second offense a one minute add-on for the opponent will be imposed. For a third offense the offender shall forfeit the game. Thereafter, the tournament director may use other penalties or expel a player from the event for repeated offenses.

18. Dispute between players - In case of a dispute either player may stop both clocks while the tournament director is being summoned. In any unclear situation the tournament director will consider the testimony of both players and any reliable witnesses before rendering his decision. If a player wishes to appeal the decision of a tournament director, the player must first appeal to the section chief then, if necessary, the player may appeal to the Chief floor director, whose decision in all cases is final.

19. TD touching the clock - The tournament director shall not pick up the clock; except in the case of a dispute.

20. Observer conduct - Spectators and players of another match are not to speak or otherwise interfere in a game. If a spectator interferes in any way, such as by calling attention to the flag fall or an illegal move, the tournament director may cancel the game and rule that a new game be played in its stead, and he may also expel the offending party from the playing room. The tournament director should also be silent about illegal moves, flag falls, etc. (unless there is an agreement with the players, before the game, to call them) as this is entirely the responsibility of the players.

21. Replacing a promoted pawn - If a player promotes a pawn they must leave the pawn on the board and clearly indicate to their opponent to what piece the pawn is being promoted too. The promoted pawn will be laid on it's side to indicate that it is a promoted pawn (MCS&C local rule - to prevent later disagreements about what piece the pawn was promoted to, and to avoid pawns annoyingly rolling about and off the board, a spare piece quickly found from another set should be used and placed in the normal upright position, an upside down rook still signifying a queen. The argument against this is nuclear proliferation of Queens, but I don't think it is a strong argument).

22. Replacement clock - Only a tournament director may determine if a clock is defective and change clocks.

23. Player behavior - Excessive banging of pieces or clock will not be tolerated and the offending player may be penalized with loss of time (Director discretion)

24. Insufficient Losing Chances- Insufficient losing chances claims cannot be made in Bughouse games.

25. Rules Not Covered Above - The Official Rules of Chess, 5th edition, shall be used to resolve any situation not covered by these rules.

Feb-22-23 stone free or die: Thanks Fred for that note. At some point this topic should get brought up on the Bistro, and a proper survey of de facto usage of the various other db's made.

Feb-23-23 petemcd85: <FSR: btw, has the site stopped uploading games submitted by users?> The link below explains how to upload or request, to upload games: PGN Upload Utility

Usually, if its a lot of games or a tournament, You can let me know on the support forum and i will get to it as soon as possible: support forum:
chessgames.com chessforum

Please include the link to where I can find the games in PGN format. It will help get the games up quicker

Some of the sites I recommend to find reliable PGNs would be: TheWeek In Chess:
https://theweekinchess.com/a-year-o...

chess24.com:
https://chess24.com/en/dashboard'

****

P.S. The FIDE rating of the player must be over 2200 for us to upload games

Feb-23-23 FSR: petemcd85 I know how to upload games to the site. Hundreds of games on this site were submitted by me. However, for the past week or so, some of the games that I have submitted have not been added to the database for some reason. Is this because the games were played by me or another player whose FIDE rating is below 2200? If so, that is a departure from prior practice of many years standing. Who authorized this?

Childhood Games
Judy Ponceby, Ohio Feb 2011

Hopscotch

Girlfriends running, twirling, too.
Taking turns out in the sun.
Skip and hop across the board.
Leap over the marked one.

Twister.

Red right foot,
Bodies blend.
Green left hand
Twist and bend
Blue left foot,
Over extend.
Yellow right hand
In a body pile, again.

Chess

Pawns in play,
Knights abound.
King in check,
Queens around.
Pieces falling one by one
Check and Mate is the sound.

Tag

Tag! You're It.
Running wild.
Laughing, screaming,
Swift little child.

Jumprope

Rope atwirling overhead.
Jump when its under.
Singsong chanting
Sounds like thunder.

Checkers

Red men, Black men.
Jump on a diagonal.
King me, king me
Gonna jump a handful

Kick the Can

Running down the street.
Kicking that can.
Swarm of kiddies
Chasing past the man.

Hopscotch. Twister. Chess. Tag.
Checkers. Kick the Can. Jumprope.

"When you're lonely, when you feel yourself an alien in the world, play Chess. This will raise your spirits and be your counselor in war." ― Aristotle

"The habit of holding a Man in the hand, and moving it first to one square and then to another, in order to engage the assistance of the eye in deciding where it shall actually be placed, is not only annoying to the adversary but a practical infraction of the touch-and-move principle." ― Howard Staunton

"A bad plan is better than none at all." ― Frank Marshall

<Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" Bombardment of Fort Fisher, near Wilmington, New York, 1865

The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in the middle of the Civil War, wrote this poem which has more recently been adapted as a modern Christmas classic. Longfellow wrote this on Christmas Day in 1863, after his son had enlisted in the Union's cause and had returned home, seriously wounded. The verses which he included and are still generally included, speak of the despair of hearing the promise of "peace on earth, goodwill to men" when the evidence of the world is clearly that war still exists.

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

The original also included several verses referring specifically to the Civil War. Before that cry of despair and answering cry of hope, and after verses describing the long years of hearing of "peace on earth, goodwill to men" (a phrase from the Jesus birth narratives in the Christian scriptures), Longfellow's poem includes, describing the black cannons of the war:

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!>

*At some time or other tournament player learns a few opening lines, some tactical ideas, the most basic mating patterns, and a few elementary endgames. As he gets better and more experienced, he significantly adds to this knowledge. However, the one thing that just everybody has problem is planning. From Z to class E (under 1200) D to Master, I get blank stares when asking what plan they had in mind in a particular position. Usually the choice of a plan (if they had any plan at all) is based on emotional rather than chess-specific considerations. By emotional, I mean that the typical player does what he feels like doing rather than the board "telling him what to do. This is somewhat cryptic sentence leads us to the following extremely important concept: if you want to be successful, you have to base your moves and plans on the specific imbalance-oriented criteria that exist in that given position, not your mood, taste and/or feared. Literally every non-master's games are filled with examples of "imbalance avoidance". Beginners, of course, simply don't know what imbalances are. Most experienced players have heard of the term and perhaps even tried to make use of them from time to time, however once the rush of battle takes over, isolated moves and raw aggression (or terror, if you find yourself defending) push any and all thoughts of imbalances out the door. In this case, chess becomes empty move-by-move, threat-by-threat (either making them or responding to them) affair. What is this mysterious allusion of the chessboard's desires (i.e., doing what the chess board wants you to do)? What is this "imbalance-oriented criteria? ― How To Reassess Your Chess by Jeremy Silman

Take care of your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves. ~ Scottish Proverb

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

"To a good listener, half a word is enough"
– Portuguese Proverb

Proverbs of Solomon 4
A Father's Instruction

1Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;

pay attention and gain understanding.

2For I give you sound teaching;

do not abandon my directive.

3When I was a son to my father,

tender and the only child of my mother,

4he taught me and said,

"Let your heart lay hold of my words;

keep my commands and you will live.

5Get wisdom, get understanding;

do not forget my words or turn from them.

6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you;

love her, and she will guard you.

7Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom.

And whatever you may acquire, a gain understanding.

8Prize her, and she will exalt you;

if you embrace her, she will honor you.

9She will set a garland of grace on your head;

she will present you with a crown of beauty."

10Listen, my son, and receive my words,

and the years of your life will be many.

11I will guide you in the way of wisdom;

I will lead you on straight paths.

12When you walk, your steps will not be impeded;

when you run, you will not stumble.

13Hold on to instruction; do not let go.

Guard it, for it is your life.

14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked

or walk in the way of evildoers.

15Avoid it; do not travel on it.

Turn from it and pass on by.

16For they cannot sleep

unless they do evil;

they are deprived of slumber

until they make someone fall.

17For they eat the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence.

18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,

shining brighter and brighter until midday.

19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;

they do not know what makes them stumble.

20My son, pay attention to my words;

incline your ear to my sayings.

21Do not lose sight of them;

keep them within your heart.

22For they are life to those who find them,

and health to the whole body.

23Guard your heart with all diligence,

for from it flow springs of life.

24Put away deception from your mouth;

keep your lips from perverse speech.

25Let your eyes look forward;

fix your gaze straight ahead.

26Make a level path for your feet,

and all your ways will be sure.

27Do not swerve to the right or to the left;

turn your feet away from evil.

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

"My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world." — Billy Graham

"Whatever you are doing in the game of life, give it all you've got." — Norman Vincent Peale

"What you do today can improve all your tomorrows." — Ralph Marston

* Riddle-z-dee: https://www.briddles.com/riddles/ch...

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

"Never reply to an anonymous letter."
― Yogi Berra, MLB Hall of Fame catcher

"Even Napoleon had his Watergate."
― Yogi Berra, 10-time World Series champion

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.

"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

"True power is expressed in quiet confidence; it was the sea's very calmness that epitomized its mighty force." ― Emile Habiby

"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

4$drivz u nokt mee crazy wheelr. 4$fare iz fair evn 4all hairy bearz no shirts no shoez still get servd biden court 2appear b4 congress 2testify on internet caught see lionz zandi drownd outta noiz. So sad.

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

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.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

A TISKET A TASKET
A tisket, a tasket
A green and yellow basket.
I wrote a letter to my love
And on the way I dropped it.
I dropped it, I dropped it
And on the way I dropped it.
A little boy he picked it up
And put it in his pocket.

Sing it Frankie! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiI...

Q: What did the lettuce say to the celery?
A: Quit stalking me!