"May the sun bring you energy by day,

May the moon softly restore you by night,

May the rain wash away your worries,

May the breeze blow new strength into your being.

May you walk gently through the world

and know its beauty all the days of your life."

Apache Blessing

"I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive." — Goyahkla a.k.a. Geronimo (1829-1909), a POW for 23 years

Never judge a book by its cover.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

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

"Capablanca didn't make separate moves - he was creating a chess picture. Nobody could compare with him in this." ― Mikhail Botvinnik

"Whether this advantage is theoretically sufficient to win or not does not worry Capablanca. He simply wins the ending. That is why he is Capablanca!" ― Max Euwe

"He (Capablanca) makes the game look easy. Art lies in the concealment of art." ― Philip W. Sergeant

"It's entirely possible that Capa could not imagine that there could be a better move than one he thought was good and he was usually right." ― Mike Franett

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

"What others could not see in a month's study, he (Capablanca) saw at a glance." ― Reuben Fine

"Capablanca invariably chose the right option, no matter how intricate the position." ― Garry Kasparov.

"He (Capablanca) had the totally undeserved reputation of being the greatest living endgame player. His trick was to keep his openings simple and then play with such brilliance that it was decided in the middle game before reaching the ending - even though his opponent didn't always know it. His almost complete lack of book knowledge forced him to push harder to squeeze the utmost out of every position." ― Bobby Fischer

"A passed pawn increase in strength as the number of pieces on the board diminishes." ― Jose Raul Capablanca

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

The Night
BY HENRY VAUGHAN
John 3.2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Adolf Anderssen miniatures: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

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

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

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

* Best of the British: Game Collection: Best of the British

* Brilliant games: Game Collection: Brilliant games

* 'Chess Praxis' by Aron Nimzowitsch: Game Collection: Chess Praxis (Nimzowitsch)

* Checkmate Art: Game Collection: Art of Checkmate

* Champion miniatures: Game Collection: Champions miniature champions

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

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

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

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

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

* Danish Gambits: Game Collection: Danish Gambit Games 1-0

* Dr. Edmund Adam Miniatures: Edmund Adam

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

* Exchange sacs: Game Collection: Exchange sacs - 1

* The are exceptions: https://academicchess.com/worksheet...

* The Fireside Book of Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld: Game Collection: Fireside Book of Chess

* Great Combinations: Game Collection: Combinations

* '500 Master Games of Chess' by Savielly Tartakower and Julius Du Mont: Game Collection: 500 Master Games of Chess

* 'The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games' by Graham Burgess, John Nunn and John Emms. New expanded edition-now with 125 games. Game Collection: Mammoth Book-Greatest Games (Nunn/Burgess/Emms)

* Middlegame Combinations by Peter Romanovsky: Game Collection: Middlegame Combinations by Peter Romanovsky

* Shirov's miniatures: Game Collection: Shirov miniatures

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

* Russian Ruys: Game Collection: Chess in the USSR 1945 - 72, Part 2 (Leach)

* Rubinstein: Game Collection: Rubinstein's Chess Masterpieces

* Variety of Traps: https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/v...

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

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

* CGs member Tryfon Gavriel: https://www.youtube.com/user/kingsc... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4r...

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

- https://www.mark-weeks.com/aboutcom... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vd59...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fX2o...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lJ2V...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pv...

- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?li...

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_F...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLe...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBl...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZM...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2G...

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpw...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ccn...
- https://https://www.youtube.com/wat... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvS...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l99...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBx...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGP...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzu... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R7...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3j...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyG...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiS...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znL...

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_4...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/63Ak...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5l...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71n... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqu...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acp...

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1t... - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l_...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLL...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioc...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzt...

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

* US Championships in St. Louis: US Championship (2019)

* Women: Asian Continental (Women) (2019)

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

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

* Near Moscow, Russia: Grand Prix Skolkovo (Women) (2019)

* 128-player knockout tourney: World Cup (2019)

* 11 rounds, Isle of Man: Isle of Man Grand Swiss (2019)

* 9-round Swiss: European Team Championship (2019)

* Theater chess: Grand Prix Hamburg (2019)

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

* Oh dear! Poor Levon?! GCT Kolkata Rapid & Blitz (2019)

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

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

* Jerusalem, Israel: Grand Prix Jerusalem (2019)

* Magnus is on top of the world! World Rapid Championship (2019)

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

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

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

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

* Nutcracker: Nutcracker Match of the Generations (2020)

* Online Nations Cup won by China: FIDE Chess.com Online Nations Cup (2020)

* Dubov comes in 2nd place to you-know-who: FIDE Online Steinitz Memorial (2020)

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

* The Chain: https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...

* Dust in the Wind: https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...

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

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

* GoY's 40 Favs: Game Collection: GoY's favorite games

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

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

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

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

* Steinitz Attack: Game Collection: STEINITZ ATTACK

* Submit a PGN: https://www.chessgames.com/nodejs/u...

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

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

* Fischer's Brilliance: https://www.chesspuzzler.com/Histor...

* Fischer Random: https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...

* FM Schiller disagrees: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...

* Play whatever you like: Opening Explorer

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

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

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

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

A Dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the Proverbes in the Englishe tongue, 1562:

Some hear and see him whom he heareth nor seeth not But fields have eyes and woods have ears, ye wot And also on my maids he is ever tooting.
Can ye judge a man, (quoth I), by his looking?
What, a cat may look on a king, ye know!
My cat's leering look, (quoth she), at first show, Showeth me that my cat goeth a caterwauling;
And specially by his manner of drawing
To Madge, my fair maid.

<<<Five Preliminary Endgame Rules> According to CJS Purdy>

1. Before even beginning to think of making a passed pawn, put all your pieces into as good positions as possible.

2. Avoid pawn-moves while you are getting your pieces well positioned because pawn-moves create lasting weaknesses and thus make your task harder.

3. Try to free your position from weaknesses; and if possible, make it hard for the opponent to do likewise.

4. When trying to win, keep pawns on both wings. When trying to draw, play to eliminate all the pawns on one wing. With pawns on one wing only, a pawn plus is usually insufficient for a win.

5. If you are a pawn up or more, exchange pieces (not pawns) wherever you can do so without losing in position.

Exception: do not rush an exchange that will leave you with a single bishop running on the opposite color to the enemy's single bishop. Also, refrain from exchanging if it will give your opponent two bishops against bishop and knight.> Posted by Chessbuzz

Riddle: What word is always pronounced wrong?

The first American Chess Congress, organized by Daniel Willard Fiske and held in New York, October 6 to November 10, 1857, was won by Paul Morphy. It was a knockout tournament in which draws did not count. The top sixteen American players were invited (William Allison, Samuel Robert Calthrop, Daniel Willard Fiske, William James Fuller, Hiram Kennicott, Hubert Knott, Theodor Lichtenhein, Napoleon Marache, Hardman Philips Montgomery, Alexander Beaufort Meek, Paul Morphy, Louis Paulsen, Frederick Perrin, Benjamin Raphael, Charles Henry Stanley, and James Thompson). First prize was $300. Morphy refused any money, but accepted a silver service consisting of a pitcher, four goblets, and a tray. Morphy's prize was given to him by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. ― Wikipedia

Riddle Answer: Wrong!

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

The Dancing Bear
by James Russell Lowell

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

This poem is dedicated to Peyton, Wizard Number 1 in chess and true magician in poetry no less

Nova's Silent Prayer

Caissa, before Thee stands the erring little nova who wandered far and wide till rejected by Jehovah with downcast eyes he offers Thee a barrel of wine which will turn Thine winking eyes inte a woozy shine. Yet all he wants is but some real consideration
from the subjects in the Realm of Thine creation and this tiny favor that will put him in elation: to render perfect all his scripted chess notation.

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

Thank you ManUtdForever12!

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

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

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

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.

"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

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

"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

<Steinitz's Theory
1. At the beginning of the game, Black and White are equal.

2. The game will stay equal with correct play on both sides.

3. You can only win by your opponent's mistake.

4. Any attack launched in an equal position will not succeed, and the attacker will suffer.

5. You should not attack until an advantage is obtained.

6. When equal, do not seek to attack, but instead, try to secure an advantage.

7. Once you have an advantage, attack or you will lose it.>

"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

* Dec-12-20 MissScarlett: My advice to <acapo> is to close the pop-up ads by clicking on the little <x> in the top right corner.

<"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

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.

Patience is a virtue.

Dec-26-23 hemy: I sent email messages to <jessicafischerqueen> and <Tabanus>. I was contacted by email to both of them for many years. Responses from the mail servers were: "Sorry, your message to <her email address> cannot be delivered. This mailbox is disabled" and "Recipient address rejected: Access denied". Credits for Robert Bergersen aka <Tabanus>, include his picture, for his contribution to "Lithuanian chess history" project, you can find on page 45 of this project. He also mentioned on page 141 (with one more picture), pages 166, 1315, 1383-1386, 1823, 2807 and 3423.

"Make peace with imperfection." ― Richard Carlson

Matthew 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'

The Elshad System championed by FM Igor Nemtsev defies the principles of opening play with 1.c3, 2.Qa4, and a quick advance of the kingside pawns.

* The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played: 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy by Irving Chernev - https://lichess.org/study/w2JcfP5K

* Legendary: Game Collection: The 12 Legendary Games of the Century

The Sofia Rules forbid agreed draws before 30 moves. The "Bilbao" scoring system awards 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss.

"You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose." ― Indira Gandhi

"To a large degree, the measure of our peace of mind is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment." — Richard Carlson

<"Greetings, students. Today you will learn to transform a king into a rook. Which of course means you will transform a chess piece into a noble relative of crows and ravens. Today's lesson is no joke, but I will not mark you down for appreciating my wordplay. Watch closely as I demonstrate..." — Professor McGonagall teaching King to Rook to seventh-yearssrc

A rook is a bird related to crows and ravens.

History
During the 1990–1991 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Minerva McGonagall taught her seventh-year students in Transfiguration how to transform king chess pieces into rooks with the King to Rook spell.>

The Rook Cancelled: https://tvline.com/news/the-rook-ca...

* 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"

Old Russian Proverb: "The elbow is close but you cannot bite it. (Близок локоток, да не укусишь.)" Close is no cigar.

Ya might be ah redneck if'n ya thunk "lol" means low on liquor.

"If you ain't the lead dog, the view never changes."

"Here's a two-step formula for handling stress... Step number one: Don't sweat the small stuff. Step number two: Remember it's all small stuff." ― Tony Robbins

Nehemiah 8:10
Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our Lord. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the Lord is your strength!

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

<There are distinct situations where a bishop is preferred (over a knight). For example, two bishops are better than two knights or one of each. Steven Mayer, the author of Bishop Versus Knight, contends, "A pair of bishops is usually considered to be worth six points, but common sense suggests that a pair of active bishops (that are very involved in the formation) must be accorded a value of almost nine under some circumstances." This is especially true if the player can plant the bishops in the center of the board, as two bishops working in tandem can span up to 26 squares and have the capacity to touch every square.

Bishops are also preferable to knights when queens have been exchanged because, Grandmaster Sergey Erenburg, who is ranked 11th in the U.S., explains, "Bishops and rooks complement each other, and when well-coordinated, act as a queen." Conversely, a knight is the preferred minor piece when the queen survives until the late-middlegame or the endgame. Mayer explains, "The queen and knight are able to work together smoothly and create a greater number of threats than the queen and bishop."

When forced to say one is better than the other, most anoint the bishop. Mayer concludes, "I think it's true that the bishops are better than the knights in a wider variety of positions than the knights are better than the bishops."

He continues, "Of course, I'm not sure this does us much good, as we only get to play one position at a time.">

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

Riddle: What word is always pronounced wrong?

FACTRETRIEVER: There are no seagulls in Hawaii.

Riddel Answer: Wrong!

Q: What do you call a fat pumpkin?
A: A pumpkin!

Q: What do you call a factory that sells OK products? A: A satisfactory!

Q: What do you call a cheese that doesn't belong to you? A: Nacho cheese!

Q: What do you call a sleeping wolf?
A: An unawarewolf!

Q: What do you call a bear that never wants to grow up? A: Peter Panda!

Q: What do you call a Jedi with one arm?
A: Hand Solo!

Q: What do you call a sad cheese?
A: A Blue cheese!

Q: What do you call an argument between two electric companies? A: A power struggle!

The Moon
Robert Louis Stevenson 1850 –1894

The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;
She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
On streets and fields and harbour quays,
And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.

The squalling cat and the squeaking mouse,
The howling dog by the door of the house,
The bat that lies in bed at noon,
All love to be out by the light of the moon.

But all of the things that belong to the day
Cuddle to sleep to be out of her way;
And flowers and children close their eyes
Till up in the morning the sun shall arise.

She Pirate Thatch
by Anonymous

A one eyed pirate named Thatch
She couldn't find clothes that would match
As she went through her closet
But found no composite
So, decided to wear just her patch

A piece of cake: https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/che...

Dionysius1: I had basil on the pub's potage du jour yesterday. Soup herb!

'A stitch in time saves nine'

"You can't hold with the hare and run with the hounds."

"Discontent is the first necessity of progress." — Thomas A. Edison

Simonides Preserved By The Gods

Three sorts there are, as Malherbe says,
Which one can never overpraise –
The gods, the ladies, and the king;
And I, for one, endorse the thing.
The heart, praise tickles and entices;
Of fair one's smile, it often the price is.
See how the gods sometimes repay it.
Simonides – the ancients say it –
Once undertook, in poem lyric,
To write a wrestler's panegyric;
Which, before he had proceeded far in,
He found his subject somewhat barren.
No ancestors of great renown;
His sire of some unnoted town;
Himself as little known to fame,
The wrestler's praise was rather tame.
The poet, having made the most of
Whatever his hero had to boast of,
Digressed, by choice that was not all luck's,
To Castor and his brother Pollux;
Whose bright career was subject ample,
For wrestlers, sure, a good example.
Our poet fattened on their story,
Gave every fight its place and glory,
Till of his panegyric words
These deities had got two-thirds.
All done, the poet's fee
A talent was to be.
But when he comes his bill to settle,
The wrestler, with a spice of mettle,
Pays down a third, and tells the poet,
"The balance they may pay who owe it.
The gods than I are rather debtors
To such a pious man of letters.
But still I shall be greatly pleased
To have your presence at my feast,
Among a knot of guests select,
My kin, and friends I most respect."
More fond of character than coffer,
Simonides accepts the offer.
While at the feast the party sit,
And wine provokes the flow of wit,
It is announced that at the gate
Two men, in haste that cannot wait,
Would see the bard. He leaves the table,
No loss at all to "ts noisy gabble.
The men were Leda's twins, who knew
What to a poet's praise was due,
And, thanking, paid him by foretelling
The downfall of the wrestler's dwelling.
From which ill-fated pile, indeed,
No sooner was the poet freed,
Than, props and pillars failing,
Which held aloft the ceiling
So splendid over them,
It downward loudly crashed,
The plates and flagons dashed,
And men who bore them;
And, what was worse,
Full vengeance for the man of verse,
A timber broke the wrestler's thighs,
And wounded many otherwise.
The gossip Fame, of course, took care
Abroad to publish this affair.
"A miracle!" the public cried, delighted.
No more could god-beloved bard be slighted.
His verse now brought him more than double,
With neither duns, nor care, nor trouble.
Whoever laid claim to noble birth
Must buy his ancestors a slice,
Resolved no nobleman on earth
Should overgo him in the price.
From which these serious lessons flow:
Fail not your praises to bestow
On gods and godlike men. Again,
To sell the product of her pain
Is not degrading to the Muse.
Indeed, her art they do abuse,
Who think her wares to use,
And yet a liberal pay refuse.
Whatever the great confer on her,
They're honoured by it while they honour.
Of old, Olympus and Parnassus
In friendship heaved their sky-crowned masses.

Psalm 31:24
Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

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

"Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers." ― Voltaire

"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.

"Forget the past – the future will give you plenty to worry about." — George Allen

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

from the simpleton poet:

Roses are red.
Violets are blue.

Chess is creative.
And a journey too.

Good in the morning.
Or just before bed.

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

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

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

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

"Sometimes the most ordinary things could be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people." ― Elizabeth Green

"It ain't over 'til it's over, no matter how over it looks." ― Yogi Berra

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress." ― Frederick Douglass

wordzfun
3rdp A L Zaid WAIT! Holdon toyur horsz n camlz, thair Dzagnidze 4ward Steinitz pencls zewage pstr zitellone bythe Yogi zja. That wash illigl soit wasp retractor. Touch-move appliez 12% enter west rates 4a limitd tym onli. Cali perfornia xcluedd, so laym still to blaym fo shaym all th saym anything fo fayk faym.

"Many people perceive the merit of a manuscript which is read to them, but will not declare themselves in its favor until they see what success it has in the world when printed, or what intelligent men will say about it. They do not like to risk their opinion, and they want to be carried away by the crowd and dragged along by the multitude. Then they say that they were amongst the first who approved of that work, and the general public shares their opinion. Such men lose the best opportunities of convincing us that they are intelligent, clever, and first-rate critics, and can really discover what is good and what is better. A fine work falls into their hands; it is an author's first book before he has got any great name; there is nothing to prepossess anyone in his favor, and by applauding his writings one does not court or flatter the great. Zelotes, you are not required to cry out: "This is a masterpiece; human intelligence never went farther; the human speech cannot soar higher; henceforward we will judge of no one's taste but by what he thinks of this book." Such exaggerated and offensive expressions are only employed by postulants for pensions or benefices and are even injurious to what is really commendable and what one wishes to praise. Why not merely say—"That's a good book?" It is true you say it when the whole of France has approved of it, and foreigners as well as your own countrymen, when it is printed all over Europe and has been translated into several languages, but then it is too late." ― Jean de La Bruyère

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

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

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

WISE OLD OWL
A wise old owl lived in an oak.
The more he saw the less he spoke.
The less he spoke the more he heard.
Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?

Give a HOOT ― Don't Pollute!

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

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

Q: Why did the raccoon cross the road?
A: He saw you put out the garbage.