Checkmate Ghazal
Poem delivered by… Alex Skylar

In the quiet of a moonlit night,
Where kings and queens take their final flight,
The board is set, the pieces lay,
In checkmate's grasp, the end will sway.
The knights have charged, the bishops turned,
The rooks have rumbled, the pieces burned.
A final move, the tale complete,
Where strategy and fate now meet.

The king is cornered, the checkmate's near,
The final breath of battle's cheer.
In silence deep, where dreams do fade,
The end of play, the checkmate's made.

No more the clash, the war is done,
The story told, the game is won.
In moon's soft glow, where shadows dance,
The checkmate marks the last romance.

In the halls where chessmen sigh,
Where the kings and queens now lie,
A ballad told in whispered tones,
Of strategies and fate's own moans.
The final move has sealed the fate,
With a checkmate's somber gait.
The board now still, the pieces rest,
The end is here, the final test.

The battles fought, the plans laid bare,
In checkmate's touch, no more to dare.
The tale is told in shadows deep,
Of victories won and promises to keep.

In the stillness where echoes blend,
The checkmate's song will never end.
A ballad of the game's last breath,
Where chessmen bow to silent death.

When twilight falls on the chessboard's scene, The pieces lie where once they'd been.
A ballad of the final play,
Where checkmate calls, the end of day.
The queen's last move, the knight's last stand, In checkmate's grasp, the game's command.
The king is trapped, the pieces fall,
A quiet end to the final call.

The battle's end, the silence grows,
In checkmate's shadow, no more foes.
The game's last act is softly sung,
A ballad of the old and young.

In the dimming light where dreams are spun,
The checkmate's song is softly hum.
The story ends in the twilight's grace,
A final bow in this timeless place.

In the ancient land where chess is played,
A ballad of the end is laid.
The pieces shift, the end is near,
With checkmate's song for all to hear.
The bishops weep, the rooks stand tall,
The knights prepare for the final fall.
In silence now, the end is near,
As checkmate's call is crystal clear.

The board is set with dreams and woe,
The final act, where shadows grow.
A tale of strategy and fate entwined,
In checkmate's grace, the end defined.

The ballad sings of battles lost,
Of kings and queens, the final cost.
In chess's realm, where legends stay,
The checkmate's song will fade away.

Upon the chessboard's silent plains,
Where strategy and fate remain,
A ballad of the final scene,
Where checkmate reigns, serene and keen.
The knights have galloped, the bishops flown,
The rooks have stood where battles groan.
The end is marked by a silent plea,
As checkmate claims the victory.

The pieces fall in graceful arcs,
In the twilight's soft, unyielding marks.
The board now rests, the story's told,
A ballad of the brave and bold.

The game concludes, the echoes fade,
In checkmate's touch, the final blade.
A tale of chess in shadows cast,
The ballad ends, the silence lasts.

Thank you savya2u!

B20 Sicilian defence https://www.schachzeit.com/en/openi... B21 Sicilian, Grand Prix attack and Smith-Morra Gambit, including the Siberian Trap B22 Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation (2.c3)
B23 Sicilian, Closed
B24 Sicilian, Closed
B25 Sicilian, Closed
B26 Sicilian, Closed, 6.Be3
B27 Sicilian defence
B28 Sicilian, O'Kelly variation
B29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein variation
B30 Sicilian defence
B31 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rossolimo attack (with ...g6, without ...d6) B32 Sicilian defence
B33 Sicilian, Sveshnikov (Lasker-Pelikan) variation B34 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Exchange variation B35 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Modern variation with Bc4 B36 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Maroczy bind B37 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Maroczy bind, 5...Bg7 B38 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Maroczy bind, 6.Be3 B39 Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Fianchetto, Breyer variation B40 Sicilian defence
B41 Sicilian, Kan variation
B42 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Bd3
B43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
B44 Sicilian defence
B45 Sicilian, Taimanov variation
B46 Sicilian, Taimanov variation
B47 Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov) variation
B48 Sicilian, Taimanov variation
B49 Sicilian, Taimanov variation
B50 Sicilian
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky attack
B52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky attack, 3...Bd7
B53 Sicilian, Chekhover variation
B54 Sicilian
B55 Sicilian, Prins variation, Venice attack
B56 Sicilian
B57 Sicilian, Sozin (not Scheveningen) including Magnus Smith Trap B58 Sicilian, Classical
B59 Sicilian, Boleslavsky variation, 7.Nb3
B60 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer
B61 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Larsen variation, 7.Qd2 B62 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, 6...e6
B63 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack
B64 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...Be7 defence, 9.f4 B65 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...Be7 defence, 9...Nxd4 B66 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...a6 B67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...a6 defence, 8...Bd7 B68 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...a6 defence, 9...Be7 B69 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...a6 defence, 11.Bxf6 B70 Sicilian, Dragon variation
B71 Sicilian, Dragon, Levenfish variation
B72 Sicilian, Dragon, 6.Be3
B73 Sicilian, Dragon, Classical, 8.O-O
B74 Sicilian, Dragon, Classical, 9.Nb3
B75 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav attack
B76 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav attack, 7...O-O
B77 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav attack, 9.Bc4
B78 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav attack, 10.O-O-O B79 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav attack, 12.h4
B80 Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation
B81 Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres attack
B82 Sicilian, Scheveningen, 6.f4
B83 Sicilian, Scheveningen, 6.Be2
B84 Sicilian, Scheveningen (Paulsen), Classical variation B85 Sicilian, Scheveningen, Classical variation with ...Qc7 and ...Nc6 B86 Sicilian, Sozin attack
B87 Sozin with ...a6 and ...b5
B88 Sicilian, Sozin, Leonhardt variation
B89 Sicilian, Sozin, 7.Be3
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf
B91 Sicilian, Najdorf, Zagreb (Fianchetto) variation B92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Zagreb (Fianchetto) variation B93 Sicilian, Najdorf, 6.f4
B94 Sicilian, Najdorf, 6.Bg5
B95 Sicilian, Najdorf, 6...e6
B96 Sicilian, Najdorf, 7.f4
B97 Sicilian, Najdorf, 7...Qb6 including Poisoned Pawn Variation B98 Sicilian, Najdorf, 7...Be7
B99 Sicilian, Najdorf, 7...Be7 Main line

* Diagrams: https://renaissanceknights.org/IL%2... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bel...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cju...

* Ambitious Sicilian Ratings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuX...

* Learn scales fast and easy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umd...

* Piano for Beginners - right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmD...

* This could've been IM Alex back when: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN2...

* Unbelievable Moments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiC...

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

"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

* Art of Checkmate: Game Collection: Art of Checkmate

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

<<<Below is a <Paul 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.>

PM's Top 3 Smothered Mates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZp... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48i...

The Dancing Bear
by James Russell Lowell

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

* Learn these and burn them! https://herculeschess.com/chess-tac...

* Tactics by a different Gary: https://chessdelights.com/chess-tac...

* Doubles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5e...

<<Alireza Firouzja> (Persian: علی‌رضا فیروزجا, Persian pronunciation: æliːɾeˈzɑː fiːɾuːzˈdʒɑː; born 18 June 2003) is an Iranian and French chess grandmaster. Firouzja is the youngest ever 2800-rated player, beating the previous record set by Magnus Carlsen by more than five months.

A chess prodigy, Firouzja won the Iranian Chess Championship at age 12 and earned the Grandmaster title at 14. At 16, Firouzja became the second youngest 2700-rated player and won a silver medal at the 2019 World Rapid Chess Championship. In November 2021, at 18, he won the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament and an individual gold medal at the European Team Chess Championship. He won a bronze medal at the 2021 World Blitz Chess Championship. In 2022, Firouzja won the Grand Chess Tour.

Firouzja left the Iranian Chess Federation in 2019 because of the country's longstanding policy against competing with Israeli players.4 He played under the FIDE flag until mid-2021, when he became a French citizen and began representing France, where he had already been living.> — Wikipedia

Q: What do you call someone who draws funny pictures of cars? A: A car-toonist.

Q: What do you call a magician on a plane?
A: A flying sorcerer.

Q: What do you call fruit playing the guitar?
A: A jam session.

Q: What do you call the shoes that all spies wear? A: Sneakers.

Q: What do you call something you can serve, but never eat? A: A volleyball.

Q: What did the alien say to the garden?
A: Take me to your weeder.

Q: What do you call a skeleton who went out in freezing temperatures? A: A numb skull.

Q: What do you call a farm that grows bad jokes? A: Corny.

* How to Play: https://www.ymimports.com/pages/how...

- http://www.serverchess.com/play.htm...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9n...

* Bowman's Beginner's Guide:
http://chess.jliptrap.us/BowmanBegi... Not perfect but dedicated, passionate.

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

* Center Fork Trick is very common: https://lichess.org/study/tzrisL1R

* Checkmate patterns: Game Collection: Checkmate: Checkmate Patterns

* Basic tactics course using miniatures:
http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/x/FTP...

* Basics of the Sicilian: https://www.mrscheckmate.com/sicili... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM4... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M2...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q8...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj6...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJB...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mi...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xp...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqd...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe8...

* Alapins: Game Collection: Alapin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLk...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fb...

* bazinga! http://billwall.phpwebhosting.com/

* Beginners system: Game Collection: colle system

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjD...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m3...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIS...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzW...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxa...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_6...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hm...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SME...

* 101 Brevities: Game Collection: 7

* Biglo traps: Game Collection: Traps

* Bit Collection: Game Collection: Special Gambit Collection

* Bishop's Opening Miniatures: https://www.chessonly.com/bishop-op... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3d...

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

* Brutal Attacking Chess: Game Collection: Brutal Attacking Chess

* Blackburne strikes! games annotated by Blackburne

* Brilliancies: Game Collection: Brilliancy Prizes (Reinfeld)

* Best Games of 2018: Game Collection: Best Games of 2018

* B23-B25: Game Collection: Sicilian Closed / Grand Prix Attack

* b3 vs Sicilian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT8... -

* Bg5 Sicilian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4a...

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

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

* Checkmate Art: Game Collection: Art of Checkmate

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

* Calculations, Blunders, Think b4u touch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjv...

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbM...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-S...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26V...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAd...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrL...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1g...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBZ...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxA...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cz...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5j...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAh...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf3...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3na...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ0...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh6...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6I...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSs...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXU...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1U...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3z...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzG...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Oo...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsD...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gk...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPb...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYO...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6b...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il0...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzI...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctP...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAH...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv7...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pst...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW-...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCs...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swn...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ8...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLX...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCF...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAO...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtc...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9P...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA4...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3om...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmF...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6y...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3om...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wB...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcX...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCU...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwQ...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onS...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D2...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgl...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqp...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmq...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQH...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mh...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHQ...

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F98...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8M...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYX...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA-...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEe...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZZ...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx_...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0f...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7W...

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOE...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzo...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMy...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p02...

* C21-C22 miniatures: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* Danish Gambits: Game Collection: Danish Gambit Games 1-0 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkI...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpe...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu_...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwS...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dF...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK4...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5K...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guZ...

* Del's: Game Collection: Del's hidden gems - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpG...

* Delayed c3 Sicilian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzu...

* Delayed Wing Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rss... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhI...

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

* Emre: https://chessdoctrine.com/chess-ope...

* Fidu-what? https://articles.smartasset.com/fin...

* Have a bite of Fred's burger:
https://www.thedaddest.com/trending...

* Knight Forks and Knight Mates: Game Collection: Knight Forks & Knight Mates - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09P...

* Four Knights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBi... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB7...

* Kan Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4d...

* Knightc6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzX... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cc...

* King's Gambit start-up: Game Collection: Batsford's MCO 14 King's Gambit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5I... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92X...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98I...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33i...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQQ...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RI...

* King Bishop's Gambit: Game Collection: rajat21's kings gambit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHt...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mY...

* KG Vids: Game Collection: Foxy Openings - King's Gambit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g3...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFh...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_6...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LV...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZL...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rb...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xek...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNN...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQq...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLo...

* GM Gallagher is an author:
Game Collection: 0

* Aggressive Gambits: https://thechessworld.com/articles/...

* Giannis says: https://www.suffernchessclub.com/se...

* Hans On French: Game Collection: French Defense - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEW...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgK...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Oh...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pZ...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT8...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv0...

* 20 Various Italian Games: Game Collection: Italian Game - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlJ...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_q...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RZ...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rca...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXu...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPp...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwc...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qew...

* C53s: Game Collection: rajat21's italian game - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aM...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w9...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXI...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njQ...

* The Italian Game, Classical: Game Collection: Giuco Piano - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anT...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaB...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZC...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_V...

* Annotated Evans Gambits: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7o...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbh...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhT...

* Imagination: Game Collection: Imagination in Chess

* Internet harassment: https://security.berkeley.edu/educa...

* Javed's way: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...

* Morphy Miniatures:
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* Masterful: Game Collection: FRENCH DEFENSE MASTERPIECES

* Miniatures: Game Collection: 200 Miniature Games of Chess - Du Mont (III)

* Nuremberg 1896: Nuremberg (1896)

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

* One Game Shy: Game Collection: 107 Great Chess Battles: 1939-45 Alekhine

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

* Qk traps: Game Collection: quick knockouts by traps

* tacticmania - Game Collection: tacticmania

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

* 1947: USSR Championship (1947)

* Secrets of Combination: Game Collection: Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters Volume II

* Short Match: Game Collection: Match Short-Karjakin

* Sicilian Face Plants:
Game Collection: sicilian defense(opening traps)

* Smitty's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9o... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXZ...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_F...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWE...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLe...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1y...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb8...

* Steinitz: Game Collection: Steinitz Gambits

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

* 21st Century: Game Collection: 0

* 4 Miniz: zPonziani, zKieseritzky, zPhilidor, zFrankenstein-Dracula: z https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...

* Ben's Monkey's Bum and other gambits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF4... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsb...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34N...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZa...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK4...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhG...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M25...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6z...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTc...

* 29 traps: https://www.chessonly.com/chess-ope... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkN...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USk...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmY...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXU...

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6l...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QH...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxJ...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY4...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obw...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBM...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ked...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mky...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9n... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JC...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uec... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_x...

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyi...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Q... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPn...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yi...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeo...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x60...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9S...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCt...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69N...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE2...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jds...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqP...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xg...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dp...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxK...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb3...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY0...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9n...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbF...

* Glossary W: Wikipedia article: Glossary of chess

* 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...

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

* Epic: Game Collection: Epic Battles of the CB by R.N. Coles - keypusher

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

* "Messi of Chess": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0w...

* Poisoned pawn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UC...

* 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...

* Sacs on f7/f2: Game Collection: Demolition of Pawn Structure: Sac on f7 (f2) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arj...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG5...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R3...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIe... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLz...

* 7 & 5 traps against the Sicilian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fI... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKl...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cju... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjW...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y_...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjW...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSA...

* Can you whip Taimanov's Sicilian? http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj5...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sC...

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

* Siberian Trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn4... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OW...

* Bg2 vs Sicilian: Game Collection: Grand Prix Attack without early Bc4

* 21st Century: Game Collection: 0

* Wall's APCT Miniatures:
http://billwall.phpwebhosting.com/c...

* Wesley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zz... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB9...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54C...

* Wing Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYG... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yt...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awL...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gj...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inQ...

* You and Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9N...

* 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

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

Кто не рискует, тот не пьет шампанского Pronunciation: KTOH ni risKUyet, tot ni pyot shamPANSkava) Translation: He who doesn't take risks doesn't drink champagne Meaning: Fortune favours the brave

"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...

"I like to grasp the initiative and not give my opponent peace of mind." — Mikhail Tal

<<<chess writer and poet <Henry Thomas Bland>

Another example of his way with words is the start of ‘Internal Fires', a poem published on page 57 of the March 1930 American Chess Bulletin:>

I used to play chess with the dearest old chap,
Whom naught could upset whatever might hap.
He'd oft lose a game he might well have won
But made no excuse for what he had done.
If a piece he o'erlooked and got it snapped up

He took it quite calmly and ne'er ‘cut up rough'.>

"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

Song of the Storm-Swept Plain
William D. Hodjkiss

The wind shrills forth
From the white cold North
Where the gates of the Storm-god are;
And ragged clouds,
Like mantling shrouds,
Engulf the last, dim star.

Through naked trees,
In low coulees,
The night-voice moans and sighs;
And sings of deep,
Warm cradled sleep,
With wind-crooned lullabies.

He stands alone
Where the storm's weird tone
In mocking swells;
And the snow-sharp breath
Of cruel Death
The tales of its coming tells.

The frightened plaint
Of his sheep sound faint
Then the choking wall of white—
Then is heard no more,
In the deep-toned roar,
Of the blinding, pathless night.

No light nor guide,
Save a mighty tide
Of mad fear drives him on;
‘Till his cold-numbed form
Grows strangely warm;
And the strength of his limbs is gone.

Through the storm and night
A strange, soft light
O'er the sleeping shepherd gleams;
And he hears the word
Of the Shepherd Lord
Called out from the bourne of dreams.

Come, leave the strife
Of your weary life;
Come unto Me and rest
From the night and cold,
To the sheltered fold,
By the hand of love caressed.

The storm shrieks on,
But its work is done—
A soul to its God has fled;
And the wild refrain
Of the wind-swept plain,
Sings requiem for the dead.

"No one has ever won a game of chess by taking only forward moves (What about Scholar's Mate?). Sometimes you have to move backwards in order to be able to take better steps forward. That is life." — Anonymous

Drive sober or get pulled over.

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

"I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." ― Thomas Jefferson, chess player

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." ― Mahatma Gandhi

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Caissa, The Chess Lord.

Lord, I play three hundred hours of chess,
indeed, Lord, in thirty days more or less.
I have done my best under gruelling stress,
Yet I'm not happy with my snailing progress.
Yes, Lord. Caissa, to you I sadly do confess:
my constant losing has put me in distress.
I beg of you, Lord, Caissa, help me to re-assess so I can beat those who keep me in this mess.
Lord, with your blessing and your skills I guess I would always win and so powerfully aggress,
that all my opponents would humbly express:
hark here cometh the unbeatable king of chess.

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

Don't trust the smile of your opponent. ~ Babylonian Proverbs

Trust me, but look to thyself. ~ Irish Proverbs

Trust in God, but tie your camel. ~ Saudi Arabian Proverb

Don't trust your wife until she has borne you ten sons. ~ Chinese Proverb

If someone puts their trust in you, don't sever it. ~ Lebanese Proverb

Trust your best friend as you would your worst enemy. ~ Mexican Proverbs

<<<Jonathan Moya wrote:> The King's Rumination>

Befuddled with thought
the king sought the oracle.

"Count the sands,
calculate the seas,"
she said.

Of the king's future,
she spoke nothing.

Henceforth he
contented only
in his nightmares.>

Matthew 17:20 Our faith can move mountains.

'Finders keepers, losers weepers'
No, turn it over to Lost and Found.

Drive sober or get pulled over.

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

Once I asked Pillsbury whether he used any formula for castling. He said his rule was absolute and vital: castle because you will or because you must; but not because you can.' — W.E. Napier (1881-1952)

The Frog and the Rat

They to bamboozle are inclined,
Says Merlin, who bamboozled are.
The word, though rather unrefined,
Has yet an energy we ill can spare;
So by its aid I introduce my tale.
A well-fed rat, rotund and hale,
Not knowing either Fast or Lent,
Disporting round a frog-pond went.
A frog approached, and, with a friendly greeting, Invited him to see her at her home,
And pledged a dinner worth his eating, –
To which the rat was nothing loath to come.
Of words persuasive there was little need:
She spoke, however, of a grateful bath;
Of sports and curious wonders on their path;
Of rarities of flower, and rush, and reed:
One day he would recount with glee
To his assembled progeny
The various beauties of these places,
The customs of the various races,
And laws that sway the realms aquatic,
(She did not mean the hydrostatic!)
One thing alone the rat perplexed, –
He was but moderate as a swimmer.
The frog this matter nicely fixed
By kindly lending him her
Long paw, which with a rush she tied
To his; and off they started, side by side.
Arrived on the lakelet's brink,
There was but little time to think.
The frog leaped in, and almost brought her
Bound guest to land beneath the water.
Perfidious breach of law and right!
She meant to have a supper warm
Out of his sleek and dainty form.
Already did her appetite
Dwell on the morsel with delight.
The gods, in anguish, he invokes;
His faithless hostess rudely mocks;
He struggles up, she struggles down.
A kite, that hovers in the air,
Inspecting everything with care,
Now spies the rat belike to drown,
And, with a rapid wing,
Upbears the wretched thing,
The frog, too, dangling by the string!
The joy of such a double haul
Was to the hungry kite not small.
It gave him all that he could wish –
A double meal of flesh and fish.

The best contrived deceit
Can hurt its own contriver,
And perfidy does often cheat
Its author's purse of every stiver.

blogger cinephilia once said: "The flawless game is impossible. Feed off your opponent's mistakes like a leech."

"There's always a hidden owl in knowledge." – E.I. Jane

"If you open it, close it. If you turn it on, turn it off. If you take it out, put it back. If you empty it, fill it. If you fill it, empty it." — Kathryn Malter, St. Paul, MN

"Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it." — Christopher Hitchens

<<A Word To Husbands by Ogden Nash>

To keep your marriage brimming
With love in the loving cup,
Whenever you're wrong, admit it;
Whenever you're right, shut up.>

"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

<<Vukovic's Guidelines for Attack:>

01) If you attack the king, make sure that either your opponent cannot counterattack, or at least that your attack is more quick or more dangerous.

02) So, you must look at the whole board, and the chances for both sides, when deciding whether to attack or not.

03) Security in the centre lends support to a wing attack. A central pawn blockade prevents or limits counter-attacks, and makes a pawn attack easier.

04) This is particularly true of attacks with pawns, which must creep forward more slowly than other pieces. If you can make an attack with pieces alone, leave your pawns at home.

05) If you already have a pawn advanced, e.g. to f5, which may block your bishop on the diagonal b1-h7, then you might be better off going for a pawn storm by advancing the g-pawn.

06) As a rule, it is difficult to break through with pawns against the unweakened castled king's position. This is because the pawn wave can be blockaded.

07) So, it is usually important to weaken the castled position first (e.g. by ganging up on h7 you might force ...g6 or ...h6).

08) Pawns don't half get in the way of rooks. If you cannot open a file, you can often get your rooks into action in front of your pawns, for example, by playing them to the third rank.

09) Pawn advances loosen your position, and may be a disadvantage in the ending.

10) Although you must be careful before starting an attack, once you have started you must go in as hard and fast as you can. This is even more important if you realize you shouldn't have started the attack quite yet - if you try to back out you will only make things worse.>

Chessgames.com will be unavailable Friday, February 17, 2023 from 11AM through 11:30AM(UTC/GMT) for maintenance. We apologize for this inconvenience.

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

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

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

<Sarah wrote:

checkmate
It's like we're playing chess.
Moving strategically, testing boundaries,
all while watching each other's expression.

We all know how this games ends…
The queen destroys you and steals your heart.>

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

"The great thing about chess is it's a game for oneself. You don't work on what you can't control, you just work on yourself. And I think if more people did that, we'd all be a lot better off." — Daniel Naroditsky

Blogger: J. Delarosa

Some say the first American chess champion of the world was Paul Morphy of New Orleans. He was clearly the strongest player of his day, though his "reign" was brief.

If you are interested in reading more about Morphy, I suggest Paul Morphy: The Pride and Sorrow of Chess, by David Lawson.

I think the case can be made that the first "American" world champion was Wilhem Steinitz! "American" can describe anyone who lives in the Americas. And the United States is a country of immigrants.

Steinitz, a Bohemian by birth (Prague, 1836), was sent to the 1862 London tournament as the representative of the Austrian Empire. He stayed there, married, and eventual became a British subject.

Steinitz was widely considered the strongest active player in the world after he defeat the German Adolf Anderssen in 1866. But so long as Morphy was alive, Steinitz never claimed a world championship.

In 1882, Steinitz was invited to Philadelphia by the chess patron, David Thompson. Steinitz, feeling somewhat ostracized in England (feeling a "foreigner for 20 years"), relocated to the United States. He took up residence in New York City, which remained his home for the rest of his life.

After Morphy passed away in 1884, a match between the two strongest recognized players at the time, was organized between Steinitz and Zucktort. The match was adverized and widely recognized as for the World Championship.

The 1886 match was played in New York, St. Louis, and New Orleans. New York resident Wilhelm Steinitz secured the title with 10 wins, 5 draws, and 5 losses.

Wilhelm Steinitz - first American world champion of chess.

Riddle Question: The one who has it does not keep it. It is large and small. It is any shape.

Bears like 'em too!

Riddle Answer: A gift.

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.

"Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities. Without humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy." ― Norman Vincent Peale

"Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"My concern about my reputation is with the people who I respect and my family and my Lord. And I'm perfectly comfortable with my reputation with them, sir." — John Durham

The Blossom
by William Blake

Merry, merry sparrow!
Under leaves so green
A happy blossom
Sees you, swift as arrow,
Seek your cradle narrow,
Near my bosom.
Pretty, pretty robin!
Under leaves so green
A happy blossom
Hears you sobbing, sobbing,
Pretty, pretty robin,
Near my bosom.

'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth'

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"Win any way as long as you can get away with it. Nice guys finish last." ― Leo Durocher

"Never chase love, affection, or attention. If it isn't given freely by another person, it isn't worth having." ― Unknown

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

'A problem shared is a problem halved'

"To bear trials with a calm mind robs misfortune of its strength and burden." ― Seneca

<<<Analysis of The Coming Of Winter>

by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 – 1837)>

_Stanzas from 'Onegin'_

Our Northern Winter's fickle Summer,
Than Southern Winter scarce more bland--
Is undeniably withdrawing
On fleeting footsteps from the land.
Soon will the Autumn dim the heavens,
The light of sunbeams rarer grown--
Already every day is shorter,
While with a smitten hollow tone
The forest drops its shadow leafage;
Upon the fields the mists lie white,
In lusty caravans the wild geese
Now to the milder South take flight;
Seasons of tedium draw near,
Before the door November drear!

From shivering mist ascends the morning,
The bustle, of the fields declines,
The wolf walks now upon the highway,
In wolfish hunger howls and whines;
The traveller's pony scents him, snorting--
The heedful wanderer breathless takes
His way in haste beyond the mountains!
And though no longer when day breaks
Forth from their stalls the herd begins
To drive the kine,--his noon-day horn recalls.
The peasant maiden sings and spins,
Before her crackling, flaming bright
The pine chips,--friend of Winter night.

And see! The hoar frost colder sparkles
And spreads its silver o'er the fields,
Alas! the golden days are vanished!
Reluctant Nature mournful yields.
The stream with ice all frozen over
Gleams as some fashionable parquet,
And thronging hordes of boyish skaters
Sweep forward on its crystal way.
On her red claws despondent swimming,
The plump goose parts the water cold,
Then on the ice with caution stalking
She slips and tumbles,--ah behold!
Now the first snowflake idling down
Stars the depressing landscape brown.

At such a season in the country,
What can a man's amusements be?
Walk? And but more of empty highway
And of deserted village see?
Or let him through the far Steppes gallop,
His horse can scarcely stand at all--
His stamping hoofs in vain seek foothold,
The rider dreading lest he fall!
So then remain within thy paling,
Read thou in Pradt or Walter Scott,
Compare thy varying editions,
Drink, and thy scoffing mood spare not!
As the long evenings drag away
So doth the Winter too delay.

Sometimes he read aloud with Olga
A latter day romance discreet,
Whose author truly painted nature,
With cunning plot, insight complete;
Oft he passed over a few pages,
Too bald or tasteless in their art--
And coloring, began on further,
Not to disturb the maiden heart.
Again, they sat for hours together,
With but a chess board to divide;
She with her arms propped on the table,
Deep pondering, puzzled to decide--
Till Lenski from his inward storm
Captured her castle with his pawn!

Love condescends to every altar,
Ah when in hearts of youth it springs,
Its coming brings such glad refreshment
As May rain o'er the pasture flings!
Lifted from passion's melancholy
The life breaks forth in fairer flower,
The soul receives a new enrichment--
Fruition sweet and full of power.
But when on later altars arid
It downward sweeps, about us flows--
Love leaves behind such deathly traces
As Autumn tempests where it blows
To strip the woods with ruthless hand,
And turn to soggy waste the land!

How sad to me is thine appearing,
O Springtime, hour of love's unrest!
Within the soul what nameless languors!
What passions hid within the breast!
With what a heavy, heavy spirit
From the earth's rustic lap I feel

That once could make my spirit reel!
No more for me such pleasures thrilling,

All that exults,--brings but despondence
To one past passion as past strife,

Wearied unto satiety.

That which in Autumn drooped and pined,
Now radiant in verdure springing,

As with a tortured soul we realize
In Nature's glad awakening,

Who evermore are withering.
Perchance there haunts us in remembrance,

Another long forgotten Springtime--
And trembling neath this pang supreme,
The heart faints for a distant country
And for a night beside the sea!>

"Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions." — Dalai Lama

"The winner is the one who makes the next-to-last mistake." ― Savielly Tartakower

"If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity." ― Xunzi

"Man conquers the world by conquering himself." ― Zeno of Citium (Founder of Stoicism)

"Why leave your success up to dumb luck or accident when you can take a stand, make a plan, and be proactive in your pursuits and possibilities?" ― Susan C. Young

"When someone is properly grounded in life, they shouldn't have to look outside themselves for approval." ― Epictetus

"To be kind to all, to like many and love a few, to be needed and wanted by those we love, is certainly the nearest we can come to happiness." — Mary Stuart

Без труда́ не вы́тащишь и ры́бку из пруда́ Pronunciation: bez truDAH ni VYtashish i RYBku iz pruDAH Translation: Without hard work, one wouldn't even get a fish out of a pond Meaning: No pain, no gain

Any Russian child knows that fishing involves hard work, all thanks to this popular proverb which was even included in the official school curriculum during the Soviet years.

* Rogue Waves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHM...

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

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

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

Pluto is the largest dwarf planet. Pluto was discovered on February 18th, 1930 by the Lowell Observatory. Pluto is named after the Greek god of the underworld. Pluto is smaller than a number of moons. Pluto has five known moons. Pluto was reclassified from a planet to a dwarf planet in 2006. Pluto is one third water.

<Mar-11-05 aw1988: S.W.I.F.T. indeed.

Mar-11-05 tpstar: Sokolov Was In For Trouble
Suddenly White Initiated Forcing Threats
Severe Whipping Into Frenzied Tantrum
Shocking When Ivan Fell Through
Savvy Winner Ingests French Toast

Mar-11-05 aw1988: LOL! I must admit, that is very good.

May-27-05 Durandal: AdrianP: SWIFT was the sponsor of the tournament, the company is a cooperative effort to provide secure financial communications between banks worldwide (SWIFT is the acronym for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, see swift.com), based in La Hulpe, near Brussels, Belgium. IIRC, its CEO at the time was Bessel Kok, a well known chess patron.

May-27-05 AdrianP: <Durandal> I see - as in SWIFT transfer.

May-27-05 arifattar: May not compare with <tpstar>'s effort but, Sweet Win In Five & Twenty.>

Proverbs 14:29-35

29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered * exalts folly.

30 A tranquil heart is life to the body, But passion is rottenness to the bones.

31 He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.

32 The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, But the righteous has a refuge when he dies.

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, But in the hearts of fools it is made known.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.

35 The king's favor is toward a servant who acts wisely, But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.

Riddle: A man looks at a painting in a museum and says, "Brothers and sisters I have none, but that man's father is my father's son." Who is in the painting?

"May your jib never luff"

Riddle Answer: The man's son

"Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

Isaiah 66:13⁣
As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

The Fox and the Grapes

A fox, almost with hunger dying,
Some grapes on a trellis spying,
To all appearance ripe, clad in
Their tempting russet skin,
Most gladly would have eat them;
But since he could not get them,
So far above his reach the vine –
"They're sour," he said; "such grapes as these,
The dogs may eat them if they please!"

Did he not better than to whine?

This poem is dedicated to all Caissa members who do not believe in dragging a game on and on.

The Pawn Who Had to Go

The little pawn screamed: "I cannot hold it anymore, get me a pot or I will do exactly what I did before." Everybody laughed with the exception of the opposing king who guessed what was on the mind of this filthy thing. But nobody had time to fetch a pot or even a plastic bag They were too busy to ensure that the game became a drag. The guys in white kept running back and forth but no change. The guys in black stayed also within the very same range. Suddenly the unhappy pawn who had screamed for a pot, did a weird little dance while moving up one slot. Now standing near the king he simply pulled his pants down and peed straight up against the king's beautiful crown.

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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.

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

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.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

"If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow." ― Ancient Chinese Proverb

"An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind." — Mahatma Gandhi

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

Chiù nniuri ri mezzannotte nun pò fari – It can't get any darker than midnight.

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

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"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.

If hard work pays, show me a rich donkey. ― Joker

Life has no remote. You have to get up and change it yourself. ― Joker