Have you seen IT?

Of the 20 possible first moves from White, 1.b4 ranks 9th in popularity.

Some of the variations are the following:
1.b4 a5 � Ware Defense
1.b4 b5 � Symmetrical Variation
1.b4 c5 � Birmingham Gambit
1.b4 c6 � Outflank Variation
1.b4 Nc6 � Grigorian Variation
1.b4 f5 � Dutch Defense
1,b4 d5 2.Bb2 Nf6 � Main Line
1.b4 d5 2.Bb2 Qd6 � German Defense
1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 d6 � Czech Defense
1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 e5 � Advance Variation
1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3.Bxe5 � Exchange Variation 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bf5 � Baltic Defense
1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.b5 � Bugayev Advance Variation 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.e4 Bxb4 � Sokolsky Gambit Accepted 1.b4 Nf6 2.Bb2 e6 3.b5 b6 � Queen�s Indian Variation 1.b4 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 � King's Indian Variation

ECO Opening Notation Moves
A00 Anderssen's Opening 1. a3
A00 Polish Gambit, Anderssen's Opening 1. a3 a5 2. b4 A00 Creepy Crawly Formation 1. a3 e5 2. h3 d5
A00 Andersspike 1. a3 g6 2. g4
A00 Ware; Meadow Hay; Crab 1. a4
A00 Wing Gambit, Ware Opening 1. a4 b5
A00 Cologne Gambit, Ware Opening a4 b6 d4 d5 Nc3 Nd7 A00 Ware Gambit a4 e5 a5 d5 e3 f5 a6
A00 Polish; Orangutan; Sokolsky; Hunt b4
A00 Birmingham Gambit, Polish b4 c5
A00 Outflank Variation, Polish b4 c6
A00 Schuhler Gambit, Polish b4 c6 Bb2 a5 b5 cxb5 e4 A00 Myers Variation, Polish b4 d5 Bb2 c6 a4
A00 Bugayev Attack, Polish b4 e5 a3
A00 Wolferts Gambit, Polish b4 e5 Bb2 c5
A00 Schiffler-Sokolsky; Tartakower Gambit b4 e5 Bb2 f6 e4 Bxb4 A00 Brinckmann Var, Polish b4 e5 Bb2 f6 e4 Bxb4 Bc4 Nc6 f4 Qe7 f5 g6 A00 Bucker Defense, Polish b4 Na6
A00 Grigorian Variation, Polish b4 Nc6
A00 Polish Spike b4 Nf6 Bb2 g6 g4
A00 Karniewski; Tubingen Variation, Polish b4 Nh6

* Gambits by ECO code: https://www.jimmyvermeer.com/openin...

Here are some opening traps with 1.b4

Wall � Tefotime, Internet 2001, 1.b4 Nc6 2.b5 Nb4 3.e4 Nf6? 4.a3, winning the knight

Wall � GFX, Internet 2002, 1.b4 d6 2.Bb2 Bf5 3.e3 b6? 4.Qf3, threatening rook and bishop

Wall � Walthour, Dayton 1983, 1.b4 d5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.b5 Nb4? 4.a3 wins the knight

Wall � Xavier, Internet 2003, 1.b4 h6 2.Bb2 f6 3.e4 a6?? 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxg6 mate 1-0

Wall � WCII, Internet 2002, 1.b4 d5 2.Bb2 a6 3.a4 Nc6 4.b5 Nb4? 5.c3, wins the knight

Boldetsky � Tardel, Germany 2003, 1.b4 c6 2.Bb2 Qb6 3.c4 e6 4.c5 Bxc5 5.Bxg7?? Bxf2 mate

Meybohm � Grosch, Germany 1988, 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3.f4 d6 4.e4 Nc6 5.f5? Qh4+ 0-1

Wall � Vivo, Internet 1998, 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.a3 d5 4.e3 Bd6 5.c4 Ne7? 6.c5, wins the bishop

Brichinova � Alexandrova, Pernik 1979 1.b4 c6 2.Bb2 Qb6 3.a3 a5 4.c4 e6 5.c5 Bxc5 6.Bxg7?? Bxf2 mate 0-1

* Intro: https://chesspathways.com/chess-ope...

* Basic Sokolsky: https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/v...

* Punish the Polish: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...

* Some Polish: Game Collection: A5 A3 SOKOLSKY VS BALTIC DEFENCE.

* Santasiere opened 1.Nf3: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che...

* Black has many choices:
Opening Explorer

* Here's how Sokolsky played 1.b4:
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* Another collection by defensive position:
Game Collection: 1. b4: Sokolsky Opening

* Develop the knight first: Opening Explorer

* Bill Wall's History of the Sokolsky: https://www.chessmaniac.com/1-b4-a-...

* Eery...
Polish Opening 1.b4
Polish Opening: Baltic Defense 1.b4 d5 2.Bb2 Bf5

Polish Opening: Birmingham Gambit 1.b4 c5

Polish Opening: Bugayev Attack 1.b4 e5 2.a3

Polish Opening: Bugayev Advance Variation 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.b5

Polish Opening: Czech Defense 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 d6

Polish Opening: Dutch Defense 1.b4 f5

Polish Opening: German Defense 1.b4 d5 2.Bb2 Qd6

Polish Opening: Grigorian Variation 1.b4 Nc6

Polish Opening: Karniewski Variation 1.b4 Nh6

Polish Opening: King's Indian Variation 1.b4 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6

Polish Opening: King's Indian Variation, Schiffler Attack 1.b4 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.e4

Polish Opening: King's Indian Variation, Sokolsky Attack 1.b4 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.e3 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.d4

Polish Opening: Kucharkowski-Meybohm Gambit 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3.f4 exf4 4.Bxg7 Qh4+ 5.g3 fxg3 6.Bg2 gxh2+ 7.Kf1 hxg1=Q+ 8.Kxg1

Polish Opening: Myers Variation 1.b4 d5 2.Bb2 c6 3.a4

Polish Opening: Orangutan-Diemer Gambit 1.b4 d5 2. Bb2 Qd6 3. a3 e5 4. e4 dxe4 5. f3

Polish Opening: Orangutan-Hartlaub Gambit 1.b4 Nf6 2. Bb2 e6 3. a3 c6 4. d3 a5 5. bxa5 d5 6. e4

Polish Opening: Outflank Variation 1.b4 c6

Polish Opening: Queen's Indian Variation 1.b4 Nf6 2.Bb2 e6 3.b5 b6

Polish Opening: Queenside Defense 1.b4 Nf6 2.Bb2 e6 3.b5 a6

Polish Opening: Rooks Swap Line 1.b4 Nf6 2.Bb2 e6 3.b5 a6 4.a4 axb5 5.axb5 Rxa1 6.Bxa1

Polish Opening: Schiffler-Sokolsky Variation 1.b4 Nf6 2.Bb2 d5 3.e3 e6 4.b5

Polish Opening: Schühler Gambit 1.b4 c6 2.Bb2 a5 3.b5 cxb5 4.e4

Polish Opening: Symmetrical Variation 1.b4 b5

Polish Opening: Tartakower Gambit 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.e4

Polish Opening: Tartakower Gambit, Brinckmann Variation 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.e4 Bxb4 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.f4 Qe7 6.f5 g6

Polish Opening: Wolferts Gambit 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 c5

"Problems are only opportunities in disguise." ― Alfred North Whitehead

"The very first step towards success in any occupation is to become interested in it." ― William Osler

"The first step is to believe that it's possible. Once I had a taste of success, you start to believe in it a little more." ― Jarome Iginla

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible." ― Tony Robbins

"The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen." ― Lee Iacocca

"Have a bias toward action - let's see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away." ― Indira Gandhi

"I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell." ― William Tecumseh Sherman (February 8, 1820 – February 14, 1891)

"The words of truth are simple." ― Aeschylus

"It is only after our basic needs for food and shelter have been met that we can hope to enjoy the luxury of theoretical speculations." ― Aristotle.

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain." — Dolly Parton

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." — Groucho Marx

"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things." — Albert Einstein

"Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." — Babe Ruth

John 14:6
"<I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.>" ― Jesus Christ

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." ― Buddha

"No legacy is so rich as honesty." ― William Shakespeare

"Of chess it has been said that life is not long enough for it, but that is the fault of life, not chess." ― William Napier / Irving Chernev

"Winning needs no explanation, losing has no alibi." ― Greg Baum.

"A determined soul will do more with a rusty monkey wrench than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools in a machine shop." ― Robert Hughes

"Chess is a fairy tale of 1,001 blunders." ― Savielly Tartakower

"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

"I believe that it is best to know a 'dubious' opening really well, rather than a 'good' opening only slightly." ― Simon Williams

"There is no such thing as an absolutely freeing move. A freeing move in a position in which development has not been carried far always proves illusory, and vice versa, a move which does not come at all in the category of freeing moves can, given a surplus of tempi to our credit, lead to a very free game." ― Aron Nimzowitsch

"You may knock your opponent down with the chessboard, but that does not prove you the better player." ― English Proverb

"For a period of ten years--between 1946 and 1956--Reshevsky was probably the best chessplayer in the world. I feel sure that had he played a match with Botvinnik during that time he would have won and been World Champion." ― Bobby Fischer

"I believe that true beauty of chess is more than enough to satisfy all possible demands." ― Alexander Alekhine

"We cannot resist the fascination of sacrifice, since a passion for sacrifices is part of a chessplayer's nature." ― Rudolf Spielmann

"To play for a draw, at any rate with white, is to some degree a crime against chess." ― Mikhail Tal

"Boring? Who's boring? I am Fredthebear. My mind is always active, busy. If you're bored, follow your uncle around or go ride your bike."

"Capa's games looked as though they were turned out by a lathe, while Alekhine's resembled something produced with a mallet and chisel." ― Charles Yaffe

"Whereas Anderssen and Chigorin looked for accidental positions, Capablanca is guided by the logicality of strong positions. He values only that which is well-founded: solidity of position, pressure on a weak point, he does not trust the accidental, even if it be a problem-like mate, at the required moment he discovers and carries out subtle and far-sighted combinations..." ― Emanuel Lasker

"Capablanca possessed an amazing ability to quickly see into a position and intuitively grasp its main features. His style, one of the purest, most crystal-clear in the entire history of chess, astonishes one with its logic." ― Garry Kasparov

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

"It's all to do with the training: you can do a lot if you're properly trained." ― Queen Elizabeth II

"The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat. So people who don't know what they're doing, or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self." — Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), You've Got Mail

"The future reshapes the memory of the past in the way it recalibrates significance: some episodes are advanced, others lose purchase." ― Gregory Maguire, A Lion Among Men

"Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons." ― Douglas MacArthur

"Old habits die hard, especially for soldiers." ― Jocelyn Murray, The Roman General: A Novel

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

Ye Jiangchuan has won the Chinese Chess Championship seven times.

Matthew 17:20
Our faith can move mountains.

Other people's wisdom prevents the king from being called a fool. ~ Nigerian Proverb

Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand. ~ Guinean Proverb

Ingratitude is sooner or later fatal to its author. ~ Twi Proverb

The laughter of a child lights up the house. ~ Swahili proverb

"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

All that glitters is not gold – this line can be found in a text from c.1220: ‘ Nis hit nower neh gold al that ter schineth.'

A friend in need is a friend indeed – a proverb from c.1035 say this: ‘Friend shall be known in time of need.'

All's well that ends well – a line from the mid-13th century is similar: ‘Wel is him te wel ende mai.' Meanwhile, Henry Knighton's Chronicle from the late 14th-century one can read: ‘ If the ende be wele, than is alle wele.'

Hay dos maneras de hermosura: una del alma y otra del cuerpo; la del alma campea y se muestra en el entendimiento, en la honestidad, en el buen proceder, en la liberalidad y en la buena crianza, y todas estas partes caben y pueden estar en un hombre feo; y cuando se pone la mira en esta hermosura, y no en la del cuerpo, suele nacer el amor con ímpetu y con ventajas. (There are two kinds of beauty: one of the soul and the other of the body; that of the soul shows and demonstrates itself in understanding, in honesty, in good behavior, in generosity and in good breeding, and all these things can find room and exist in an ugly man; and when one looks at this type of beauty, and not bodily beauty, love is inclined to spring up forcefully and overpoweringly.) ― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616)

Cuando una puerta se cierra, otra se abre. (When one door is closed, another is opened.) ― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616)

Dijo la sartén a la caldera, quítate allá ojinegra. (The frying pan said to the cauldron, "Get out of here, black-eyed one." This is believed to be the source of the phrase "the pot calling the kettle black.") ― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

"A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference." — Eeyore

St. Marks

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

* Basic Rules: https://thechessworld.com/basic-che...

* Caviar: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...

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

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

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

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

* 30 Concepts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amr...

* 50 Games to Know: https://en.chessbase.com/post/50-ga...

* Anderssen - Steinitz Match: Anderssen - Steinitz (1866)

* Art: Game Collection: Art of Checkmate

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

* Black Defends: Game Collection: Opening repertoire black

* Black attack!
Game Collection: Modern Defence Reversed

* Book: Game Collection: Dismantling the Sicilian (Jesus de la Villa)

* How did Spassky handle it? Game Collection: 0

* Common Phrases and Terms: https://www.ragchess.com/chess-basi...

* Chess - The Art of the Mind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3P...

* Chess is cold-steel calculation, not emotion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-T...

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

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

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

* 1.d4 some Panov Attack: Game Collection: Rick Prep

* 1.d4 various: Game Collection: d2-d4 and win

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

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

* Against 1.d4: Game Collection: Against d4 favs

* Didn't stand a chance: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QPMj...

* Dr. Edmund Adam Miniatures: Edmund Adam

* En passant: Wikipedia article: En passant

* Extinguish the Dragon: Game Collection: 1.e4 explorations

* Everyday people should play tabletop games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUU...

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

* Famous players and their chess quotes: https://www.azquotes.com/author/310...

* Free Chess Curriculum: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...

* Fischer Wins: Game Collection: Bobby Fischer Wins With The King's Indian Attack

* fran's favs: Game Collection: franskfranz's favorite games as white

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

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

https://archive.org/details/the-gol...

* GM Avetik Grigoryan: https://chessmood.com/blog/improve-...

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

* GK Sicil: Game Collection: Kasparov - The Sicilian Sheveningen

* Glossary: Wikipedia article: Glossary of chess

* Greats: Game Collection: These were the greatest...

* Hotel: https://www.chesshotel.com/

* ICC: https://www.chessclub.com/

* Just appetizers, fighter jets: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YiQv...

* A few KIAs: Game Collection: Opening Ideas

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

* Tips for Knights & More: http://www.chesssets.co.uk/blog/tip...

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

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

* MC Move-by-Move: Game Collection: Move by Move - Carlsen (Lakdawala)

* Overloaded! Game Collection: OVERLOADED!

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

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

* Pawn Structures: Game Collection: Chess Structures: A Grandmaster Guide

* Pirc Defense, Classical: Game Collection: Pirc, Classical Variation

* The Chess Portal will broaden your horizons: http://schackportalen.nu/English/es...

* Passive, but playable in the Russian Game: Game Collection: Alpha Russian (White)

* Queen Pawn Games: Game Collection: ANIL RAJ.R'S QUEEN PAWN GAMES

* QGD: Game Collection: QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED

* Reasonable 1.d4 Repertoire: Game Collection: d4 repertoire for white

* Rajnish Das Tips: https://enthu.com/blog/chess/chess-...

* 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...

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

* Results: https://chess-results.com/TurnierSu...

* Queen vs Rook Ending: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJn...

* Simple EG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejj...

* GM Endgames: Game Collection: Grandmaster Preparation - Endgame Play

* Use your King: Game Collection: ABC Games for Lessons

* Can you whip Taimanov's Sicilian? http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* So True: https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/gre...

* tacticmania - Game Collection: tacticmania

* Tactical Games: Game Collection: Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Tactics

* That's a lot of counting: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/st...

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

* It takes me back where, when and who: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh2...

* Underpromotion to B or Hyena? https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2JA5...

* 21st Century: Game Collection: 0

* 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!

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

"Chess is a terrific way for kids to build self-image and self-esteem." ― Saudin Robovic

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

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

"If you wish to succeed, you must brave the risk of failure." — Garry Kasparov

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

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

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.britannica.com/topic/ch...

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

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

* Chess Timeline: https://wegochess.com/an-easy-to-re...

Picture History of Chess
by Fred Wilson

This classic photo-history offers up hundreds of photos of all the great players along with many outstanding adversaries who helped fashion the immortals. Excellent captions throughout. Hours of fascinating reading and a book I return to again and again. Many of these photos are quite old and hard to find, but collected here under one cover, in an oversized (10x12") format, printed on high-quality glossy paper.

Publisher‏: ‎ Dover Pubns; First Edition (January 1, 1981) Language: ‎ English
Paperback: ‎ 182 pages
ISBN-10: ‎ 0486238563
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0486238562
Item Weight: ‎ 1.23 pounds
Dimensions: ‎ 8.75 x 0.5 x 11.5 inches

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

This poem is dedicated to all Caissa members who strive to checkmate their opponents.

The Aroused Bishop

Whispered the pawn to the curious knight
You jump one square up and two to the right
On the diagonal where our queen lays in wait.
I will move up from b-seven to b- eight.
On the opposite side, no, no screamed the queen
Realizing she should have been heard not seen.
Because there, only hidden partially by the walls She saw him standing juggling his little balls.
The bishop so aroused by all of this inter-play
Could not, no he could not help but howlingly say: Oh, oh sweet queen you are mine for the take
While your checkmated king will burn at the stake.

Question: What's the only food that never expires? Answer: Honey – when excavating ancient Egyptian tombs, archaeologists found pots of honey thousands of years old, and still edible. As long as the container is sealed, raw honey will never spoil. Although it never truly expires, honey can crystallize or granulate but is still safe to consume.

Fun fact: the oldest jar of honey was found in the tomb of a noblewoman in Georgia. As far as archaeologists have found, this is considered the world's oldest honey – about 5,500 years old.

Question: Which fruit floats because 25% of its volume is air? Answer: Apple – they float because of their high volume of air. If an item is denser than water, it will sink – otherwise, will float.

My Wage
by Jessie Belle Rittenhouse

I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store;

For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.

I worked for a menial's hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have paid.

Actions speak louder than words

"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." ― Plato

"Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." ― Lao Tzu

<<Below is a Morphy acrostic by C.V. Grinfield from page 334 of the Chess Player's Chronicle, 1861:>

Mightiest of masters of the chequer'd board,
Of early genius high its boasted lord!
Rising in youth's bright morn to loftiest fame,

Princeliest of players held with one acclaim;
Host in thyself – all-conquering in fight: –

Yankees exult! – in your great champion's might.>

Riddle Question: You go at red and stop at green. What am I?

The British Empire was the largest empire in world history The British Empire was most powerful in the 1920s, when it controlled 23 percent of the world's population and approximately 13.7 million square miles of territory—or nearly a quarter of the Earth's land area, according to a report from Statista.

Riddle Answer: A watermelon.

This poem is dedicated to all female chessplayers on Caissa's Web.

Sweet Caissa

Oh, Sweet Caissa, Goddess of chess
in the name of this holistic game
I pray Thee: bless my noble aim
to render all my opponents lame
in my holy quest for worldly fame,
to be Supreme no more no less.
In awe I heard this Sweet Caissa say
"Daughter go forth and smite them all,
stoutly charge your knight sitting tall
while flying over the castle's wall
to slay all men in your deadly call."
Now in fear I hide and will no longer play.

"You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore." ― William Faulkner

"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.

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

"It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things." ― Leonardo da Vinci

Q: Why don't scientists trust atoms?
A: Because they make up everything.

"Zeitnot" is German for "time pressure."

"....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

The Lion and the Gnat

"Go, paltry insect, nature's meanest brat!"
Thus said the royal lion to the gnat.
The gnat declared immediate war.
"Think you," said he, "your royal name
To me worth caring for?
Think you I tremble at your power or fame?
The ox is bigger far than you;
Yet him I drive, and all his crew."
This said, as one that did no fear owe,
Himself he blew the battle charge,
Himself both trumpeter and hero.
At first he played about at large,
Then on the lion's neck, at leisure, settled,
And there the royal beast full sorely nettled.
With foaming mouth, and flashing eye,
He roars. All creatures hide or fly, –
Such mortal terror at
The work of one poor gnat!
With constant change of his attack,
The snout now stinging, now the back,
And now the chambers of the nose;
The pigmy fly no mercy shows.
The lion's rage was at its height;
His viewless foe now laughed outright,
When on his battle-ground he saw,
That every savage tooth and claw
Had got its proper beauty
By doing bloody duty;
Himself, the hapless lion, tore his hide,
And lashed with sounding tail from side to side. Ah! bootless blow, and bite, and curse!
He beat the harmless air, and worse;
For, though so fierce and stout,
By effort wearied out,
He fainted, fell, gave up the quarrel.
The gnat retires with verdant laurel.
Now rings his trumpet clang,
As at the charge it rang.
But while his triumph note he blows,
Straight on our valiant conqueror goes
A spider's ambuscade to meet,
And make its web his winding-sheet.

We often have the most to fear
From those we most despise;
Again, great risks a man may clear,
Who by the smallest dies.

Riddle Question: I have married many times, but have always been single. Who am I?

Penicillin was first called "mold juice"
In 1928, bacteriologist Alexander Fleming left a petri dish in his lab while he was on vacation—only to return and find that some liquid around the mold had killed the bacteria in the dish. This became the world's first antibiotic, but before naming it penicillin, he called it "mold juice."

Riddle Answer: A priest.

An Irish Blessing:

May we all feel…
happy and contented,
healthy and strong,
safe and protected
and living with ease…

~

The Winds of Fate
Ella Wheeler Wilcox

One ship drives east and another drives west
With the selfsame winds that blow.
Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales
Which tells us the way to go.
Like the winds of the seas are the ways of fate, As we voyage along through the life:
Tis the set of a soul
That decides its goal,
And not the calm or the strife.

"The chess heroes nowadays should not forget that it was owing to Fischer that they are living today in four- and five-star hotels, getting appearance fees, etc." ― Lev Khariton

"I've come to the personal conclusion that while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists." ― Marcel Duchamp

"I've never met a checkers player I didn't like; they're all even-tempered. Chess players are egotistical. They think they're intellectuals and that everyone else is beneath them." ― Don Lafferty, draughts grandmaster

"Life is like a game of chess. To win you need to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with insight and knowledge and by learning the lessons that are accumulated along the way. We become each and every piece within the game called LIFE" ― Alan Rufus

"Sometimes it's better to lose and do the right thing than to win and do the wrong thing." ― Tony Blair

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

<<<Below is the acrostic poem by <Mrs T.B. Rowland>:

Tears now we sadly shed apart,
How keenly has death's sudden dart
E'en pierced a kingdom's loyal heart.

Dark lies the heavy gloomy pall
Upon our royal bower,
Kings, queens, and nations bow their heads,
Each mourn for England's flower.

Oh! God, to her speak peace divine,
For now no voice can soothe but thine.

Ah, why untimely snatched away,
Loved Prince – alas, we sigh –
Before thy sun its zenith reached
Athwart the noonday sky.
Noble in heart, in deed, and will,
Years hence thy name we'll cherish still.>

That poem was published on pages 140-141 of Chess Fruits (Dublin, 1884)>

The 20-40-40 rule in chess is a rule for players rated below 2000 that states 20% of your study should be dedicated to openings, 40% to the middlegame, and 40% to the endgame.

"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

"A wise man never knows all; only a fool knows everything." — African Proverb

<<<<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 >

Johnnie Crack And Flossie Snail
by Dylan Thomas

Johnnie Crack and Flossie Snail
Kept their baby in a milking pail
Flossie Snail and Johnnie Crack
One would pull it out and one would put it back.

O it's my turn now said Flossie Snail
To take the baby from the milking pail
And it's my turn now said Johnnie Crack
To smack it on the head and put it back.

Johnnie Crack and Flossie Snail
Kept their baby in a milking pail
One would put it back and one would pull it out
And all it had to drink was ale and stout
For Johnnie Crack and Flossie Snail
Always use to say that stout and ale
Was good for a baby in a milking pail.

"Prepare for the worst but hope for the best." ― The Wondrous Tale of Alroy by Benjamin Disraeli, published in 1833

Virgil's Aeneid: "Fortune favors the bold."

Galatians 6:7 in the Bible "Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

"those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" is often cited as originating in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde written in 1385.

"It is the part of a wise man to keep himself today for tomorrow, and not venture all his eggs in one basket." The phrase appeared in Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, in 1615.

"I take things as they come and find that patience and persistence tend to win out in the end." ― Paul Kane

"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success." ― Napoleon Hill

A Windsong by Ray Paquette (1984):

As you set sail for new horizons
May a brisk fair wind be with you
May your journey provide that mixture of
Joy, contentment, love and excitement
That gives rise to zestful anticipation
Of new adventures together.
May you cheerfully weather
the unavoidable storms together
And steer as clear of all obstacles
As the currents allow
May God Bless and keep you
Bon Voyage

Walk The Walk -Pirate Contest
by Anonymous

Argh! Matey, now it's time for you
To take a little walk.

You see that plank, off of the side?
Now walk the walk you talk!

A pirate you have always been
And should have come to be

But, then you crossed the meanest one…
That pirate crossed, was me!

Now, step up to that plank out there.
You fate..awaits for you.

For when a pirate crosses me…
They walk that same plank too!

Drive sober or get pulled over.

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

Feb-23-23 FSR: Thanks, Susan. I never saw Albert after my freshman year of high school (he and his family moved to the Chicago suburbs, where he went to a different school and played for a different chess team). Super nice guy. I was very surprised many years later to learn that he and your son had started this site.

* Jan-29-22 MissScarlett: There are no rules, only guidelines. Premium members such as User: chrisowen get extra leeway.

To recognize tactics quickly, solve puzzles daily: Kibitzer's Café (kibitz #279179)

The Boy and the Schoolmaster

Wise counsel is not always wise,
As this my tale exemplifies.
A boy, that frolicked on the banks of Seine,
Fell in, and would have found a watery grave,
Had not that hand that plants never in vain
A willow planted there, his life to save.
While hanging by its branches as he might,
A certain sage preceptor came in sight;
To whom the urchin cried, "Save, or I'm drowned!" The master, turning gravely at the sound,
Thought proper for a while to stand aloof,
And give the boy some seasonable reproof.
"You little wretch! this comes of foolish playing, Commands and precepts disobeying.
A naughty rogue, no doubt, you are,
Who thus requite your parents" care.
Alas! their lot I pity much,
Whom fate condemns to watch over such."
This having coolly said, and more,
He pulled the drowning lad ashore.

This story hits more marks than you suppose.
All critics, pedants, men of endless prose, –
Three sorts, so richly blessed with progeny,
The house is blessed that does not lodge any, – May in it see themselves from head to toes.
No matter what the task,
Their precious tongues must teach;
Their help in need you ask,
You first must hear them preach.

St. Paul

To Any Reader
Robert Louis Stevenson 1850 –1894

As from the house your mother sees
You playing round the garden trees,
So you may see, if you will look
Through the windows of this book,
Another child, far, far away,
And in another garden, play.
But do not think you can at all,
By knocking on the window, call
That child to hear you. He intent
Is all on his play-business bent.
He does not hear; he will not look,
Nor yet be lured out of this book.
For, long ago, the truth to say,
He has grown up and gone away,
And it is but a child of air
That lingers in the garden there.

Polar bears have black skin.
It's true: Their black skin helps absorb the heat from the sun so that they can stay warm while facing Arctic temperatures. This likely helps protect them from harmful UV rays as well.

Q: Who is Gordon Ramsay's least favourite Dragon Ball character? A: Frieza

Bottlenose dolphins are even more right-handed than humans. "Most humans (say 70 percent to 95 percent) are right-handed, a minority (say 5 percent to 30 percent) are left-handed," according to Scientific American. And the same holds true for bottlenose dolphins. In fact, the savvy swimmers are even more right-handed than we are.

A team led by Florida's Dolphin Communication Project took a look at the feeding behavior of bottlenose dolphins and found that the animals were turning to their left side 99.44 percent of the time, which "actually suggests a right-side bias," according to IFL Science. "It places the dolphin's right side and right eye close to the ocean floor as it hunts."

The Fowler, the Hawk, and the Lark

From wrongs of wicked men we draw
Excuses for our own:
Such is the universal law.
Would you have mercy shown,
Let yours be clearly known.

A fowler's mirror served to snare
The little tenants of the air.
A lark there saw her pretty face,
And was approaching to the place.
A hawk, that sailed on high
Like vapour in the sky,
Came down, as still as infant's breath,
On her who sang so near her death.
She thus escaped the fowler's steel,
The hawk's malignant claws to feel.
While in his cruel way,
The pirate plucked his prey,
On himself the net was sprung.
"O fowler," prayed he in the hawkish tongue,
"Release me in your clemency!
I never did a wrong to you."
The man replied, "It's true;
And did the lark to you?"

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

On August 16th, 2022, Hans Niemann played against Magnus Carlsen as part of the 2022 Crypto Cup in a best-of-three chess match. After beating Carlsen in the first game, Niemann was approached by an interviewer asking about his strategy for the game, to which he responded, "The chess speaks for itself." A reupload of the brief interview was posted to YouTube by David Mays on August 16th, gathering nearly 40,000 views in two weeks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe...

<"From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."> ― William Shakespeare, Henry V

"They made us many promises, but they kept only one. They promised to take our land -- and they did." — Chief Red Cloud, Oglala-Lakota Sioux, 1822-1909.

"There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who believe there are two kinds of people in this world and those who are smart enough to know better." ― Tom Robbins, Still Life with Woodpecker

* 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"

* 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...

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

Q: What do you call an illegally parked frog?
A: Toad!

Q: What do you call twin dinosaurs?
A: A pair-odactyls!

Q: What do you call a pile of cats?
A: A meow-ntain!

Q: What do you call a row of rabbits hopping away? A: A receding hare line!

Q: What do you call the wife of a hippie?
A: A Mississippi!

Q: What do you call a monkey that loves Doritos? A: A chipmonk!

Q: What do you call a mac 'n' cheese that gets all up in your face? A: Too close for comfort food!

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

<....Here is an excerpt from Sergeant's book Championship Chess, with Alekhine's view of Fine, as early as 1933:

'Before (Alekhine) left the States the Champion was induced to say whom he thought likely challengers for his title in the future. He named two Americans, Kashdan, who was favourably known in Europe already, and R Fine, whose achievements so far were mainly in his own country, and the Czecho-Slovakian, Flohr.'>

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

"If you're too open-minded; your brains will fall out." ― Lawrence Ferlinghetti

"How Do I Love Thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day's

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

Proverbs 14 King James Version

14 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.

7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.

21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

24 The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.

25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

28 In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

35 The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - 1807-1882

The tide rises, the tide falls,
The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
Along the sea-sands damp and brown
The traveller hastens toward the town,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

Darkness settles on roofs and walls,
But the sea, the sea in darkness calls;
The little waves, with their soft, white hands,
Efface the footprints in the sands,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls
Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
The day returns, but nevermore
Returns the traveller to the shore,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

"There are good ships, and there are wood ships, ships that sail the sea, but the best ships are friendships, and may they always be." – Anonymous

"It's not how you start that matters, it's how you finish."

"Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read." — Francis Bacon

The cat's play is the mouse's death. ~ German Proverb

"Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground." ― Theodore Roosevelt

Ah, St. Marher, 1225:
"And te tide and te time þat tu iboren were, schal beon iblescet."

2pry Zeitnot Zshaa-Tichondrius - 601 Disc Priest 226 Ilvl - 27750 RBG zek247 dint undrstnd Ziyatdinov's planto ignore the LSB on deck of the carrier.

"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.

Silence is the best reply to a fool. ― Joker

Always Remember, the beginning is the hardest part. ― Joker

Did you hear about the mathematician who's afraid of negative numbers? He'll stop at nothing to avoid them.

.oo.