This collection of 113 games was originally Compiled by Xmas Elf. Thank you Xmas Elf!

The Miller, His Son, and the Ass

To M. De Maucroix.

Because the arts are plainly birthright matters, For fables we to ancient Greece are debtors;
But still this field could not be reaped so clean As not to let us, later comers, glean.
The fiction-world has deserts yet to dare,
And, daily, authors make discoveries there.
I had fain repeat one which our man of song,
Old Malherbe, told one day to young Racan.3
Of Horace they the rivals and the heirs,
Apollo's pets, – my masters, I should say, – Sole by themselves were met, I'm told, one day,
Confiding each to each their thoughts and cares. Racan begins: 'Pray end my inward strife,
For well you know, my friend, what's what in life, Who through its varied course, from stage to stage, Have stored the full experience of age;
What shall I do? It's time I chose profession.
You know my fortune, birth, and disposition.
Ought I to make the country my resort,
Or seek the army, or to rise at court?
There's nothing but mixes bitterness with charms; War has its pleasures; hymen, its alarms.
it were nothing hard to take my natural bent, – But I have a world of people to content."
"Content a world!" old Malherbe cries; "who can, sir? Why, let me tell a story before I answer."

"A miller and his son, I have somewhere read,
The first in years, the other but a lad, –
A fine, smart boy, however, I should say, –
To sell their ass went to a fair one day.
In order there to get the highest price,
They needs must keep their donkey fresh and nice; So, tying fast his feet, they swung him clear,
And bore him hanging like a chandelier.
Alas! poor, simple-minded country fellows!
The first that sees their load, loud laughing, bellows, "What farce is this to split good people's sides? The most an ass is not the one that rides!"
The miller, much enlightened by this talk,
Untied his precious beast, and made him walk.
The ass, who liked the other mode of travel,
Brayed some complaint at trudging on the gravel; Whereat, not understanding well the beast,
The miller caused his hopeful son to ride,
And walked behind, without a spark of pride.
Three merchants passed, and, mightily displeased, The eldest of these gentlemen cried out,
"Ho there! dismount, for shame, you lubber lout! Nor make a foot-boy of your grey-beard sire;
Change places, as the rights of age require."
"To please you, sirs," the miller said, "I ought." So down the young and up the old man got.
Three girls next passing, "What a shame!" says one, "That boy should be obliged on foot to run,
While that old chap, on his ass astride,
Should play the calf, and like a bishop ride!"
"Please save your wit," the miller made reply,
"Tough veal, my girls, the calf as old as I."
But joke on joke repeated changed his mind;
So up he took, at last, his son behind.
Not thirty yards ahead, another set
Found fault. "The biggest fools I ever met,"
Says one of them, "such burdens to impose.
The ass is faint, and dying with their blows.
Is this, indeed, the mercy which these rustics
Show to their honest, faithful, old domestics?
If to the fair these lazy fellows ride,
"Twill be to sell thereat the donkey's hide!"
"Zounds!" cried the miller, "precious little brains Has he who takes, to please the world, such pains; But since we're in, we'll try what can be done." So off the ass they jumped, himself and son,
And, like a prelate, donkey marched alone.
Another man they met. "These folks," said he,
"Enslave themselves to let their ass go free – The darling brute! If I might be so bold,
I had counsel them to have him set in gold.
Not so went Nicholas his Jane to woo,
Who rode, we sing, his ass to save his shoe."
"Ass! ass!" our man replied; "we're asses three! I do avow myself an ass to be;
But since my sage advisers can't agree,
Their words henceforth shall not be heeded;
I'll suit myself." And he succeeded.

"For you, choose army, love, or court;
In town, or country, make resort;
Take wife, or cowl; ride you, or walk;
Doubt not but tongues will have their talk."

* Tic-Tac-Toe is Easy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNF...

* A Brief History of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeB...

* A Brief History of the Game of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2a...

* Chess for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU6...

* Learn Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adY...

* Learn Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGu...

* Learn ALL the Rules of the Royal Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej_...

* Ladder Checkmate with Two Rooks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaQ...

* Checkmate with King and Rook vs lone King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yf...

* Checkmate with Two Bishops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN7...

* Chess Equipment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLA...

* The Opposition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52y...

* King and Pawn vs King (both kings want to be in front of the pawn to affect it's progress): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvB...

* Three Dog Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l52...

* Son of Three Dog Knight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4N...

* Arabian Checkmate Pattern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejh...

* Basic Checkmates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y-...

* Most Common Opening Mistake (Four Knights, Italian Variation): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrp...

* Scotch Game, Four Knights Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcn...

* Top 4 Traps in the Center Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8f...

* Top 4 Vienna Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb7...

* Top 4 Scholar's Mates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr4...

* More Scholar's Mates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUN...

* Top 4 Fishing Pole Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11N...

* Top 4 Excellent Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTS...

* 1.d4 Response: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ-...

* Top 3 Versions of the Italian Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CP...

* Top 5 Versions of the Italian Game Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-2...

* Top 4 Aggressive 1.e4 e5 Openings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tm...

* Top 5 Traps after 1.e4 e5 for White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YW...

* 5 Chess traps in Giuoco Piano Opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny7...

* Italian Game Variations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xh...

* Garry Kasparov's Checkmate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuP...

* 5 Best Traps for White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5t...

* Max Lange Attack instead of the Fried Liver Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI7...

* Top 5 Traps in the Bishop's Opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9l...

* Top 5 King Pawn Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS2...

* King's Gambit critique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrW...

* Top 5 More Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar9...

* Top 5 Famous Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJU...

* Top 5 Fastest Traps to Know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veZ...

* Top 5 Underrated Openings Against the Sicilian Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsh...

* 1.d4 d5 Ryder Gambit, Halosar Trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZq...

* Top 6 Opening Checkmates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRu...

* Top 7 Aggressive Chess Openings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib8...

* Wing Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODK...

* Mengarini Gambit?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecd...

* MC plays the Mengarini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XH...

* 1908 WC Match: Game Collection: Lasker vs Tarrasch WCM 1908

* En Passant Mate: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/tech...

* Frank Marshall - Edward Lasker 1923 Match:
Game Collection: Marshall -- Ed. Lasker 1923 match

* Field of Orange: Faustino Oro (kibitz #38)

* Top 8 Versions of the Scotch Trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbu...

* Underrated Scotch Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8n...

* Scotch Gambit for White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYP...

* Scotch Gambit Trap for White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC-...

* Learn the Scotch Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nr...

* Scotch, Goring Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0F...

* Haxo Gambit vs Nge7?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgm...

* Haxo Gambit hammer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3om...

* Top 10 Fastest Checkmates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctP...

* Find Mate-in-One: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOa...

* 10 Well-Known Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf8...

* 10 Most Deadly Opening Traps to Know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyE...

* 10 Ruy Lopez Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztm...

* Common Mistakes in the Ruy Lopez Opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y96...

* You are going to lose a lot of chess games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W4...

* Don't Hang Your Piece! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hz...

* DGT North American Chess Clock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkh...

* Electronic chessboard isn't necessary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOn...

* Elements of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2C...

* Easy to Learn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--D...

* No such thing as "Best Opening": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agU...

* Endgame Fundamentals: King & Pawn vs King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLy...

* Types of Opposition of the Kings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3o...

* Pillsbury's Greek Gift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNC...

* Punish Opening Errors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkL...

* A Thought Process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rZ...

* A Practical Thought: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ-...

* Quick Smothered Mate in the Budapest Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpe...

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

* Beautiful Knight Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_3...

* Knight's Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab_...

* Knight vs Pawn Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4f...

* Trompowsky Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrK...

* Trompowsky vs Naroditsky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILY...

* Top 10 Tactics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpl...

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

* Removing the Defender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6Y...

* Decoy onto the square for ambush there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdI...

* All 54 Tactics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY8...

* Alapin Sicilian for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY-...

* Alapin Sicilian Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezy...

* Alapin Sicilian Never Disappoints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzd...

* Chess Rules: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk1...

* Chess Clock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a10...

* Crazy Ending: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM_...

* Cultural History of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWN...

* First Chess Game Ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC4...

* Nelson explains his thought process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KN...

* How the Chess Clock Works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgg...

* How to Handle Losing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrg...

* His First OTB Chess Tournament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUi...

* How Not to Blunder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8Y...

* A Thought Process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rZ...

* Analysis Made Easy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y4...

* Attack the Fianchetto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF6...

* Destroy g6, Bg7 Modern Robatsch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv_...

* The Modern Defense: Wikipedia article: Modern Defense

* Attack w/the London System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmq...

* London System vs KID: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU2...

* Rosen's London System vs KID: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W2...

* Anti-London System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUB...

* Beat the London System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U-...

* Crush the London System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qg...

* London System Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTu...

* Beginner Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR-...

* Don't Blunder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jO...

* Blunder Less: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYy...

* Nimzo-Larsen Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwC...

* 1.b3: Game Collection: Nimzo Larsen attack (1. b3!) - Opening Ideas

* Black against 1.b3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpw...

* Owen's Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkf...

* Owen's Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF7...

* Queen's Fianchetto for White and Black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O24...

* IM Lawrence Trent (not speaking) advocates 1...b6 against ALL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlW...

* More ...b6 against ALL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKn...

* Naselwaus Gambit vs Owen's Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBv...

* Botvinnik System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmi...

* Basics of the Caro-Kann Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8a...

* Brief Caro-Kann Defense Variations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ-...

* Black stops losing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgX...

* Use the Caro-Kann Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtP...

* Three Caro-Kann Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNp...

* The Caro-Kann Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3H...

* Beat the Caro-Kann Quickly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhj...

* Crush the Caro-Kann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXv...

* The Caro-Kann, Advance Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npq...

* Gokerkan vs Niemann 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gw...

* Classical Caro-Kann Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA1...

* Main Ideas of the Caro-Kann Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pN...

* Magnus plays the Caro-Kann Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDa...

* Karpov's Caro-Kann Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa4...

* ...c6 against all by Hansen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCZ...

* ...c6 speedrun by Hansen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDU...

* Instructive Caro-Kann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLp...

* Dangerous Caro-Kann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI_...

* C-K Advance, Botvinnik-Carls Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWb...

* Caro-Kann, Fantasy Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4e...

* Caro-Kann, Korchnoi Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF3...

* Complete Caro-Kann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmZ...

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

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

* Chess Evolution: Game Collection: # Chess Evolution Volumes 1-50

* Faster Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClS...

* Flashcards Fix Your Failures by reminding you of the right way to go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvH...

* Flashcard Converter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B4...

* Flashcard Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isy...

* Free Tools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-n...

* French Defense, Rubinstein Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jR...

* Five Gambits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48W...

* King's Gambit, Queen's Gambit in Style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-w...

* Halloween Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XK...

* Icelandic Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gj...

* Improvement is COMMITTMENT, DEDICATION, DESIRE, and PERSEVERENCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCB...

* Improvement Book Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Up... This book appears to be for advanced players who already know the material listed above.

* Solve Puzzles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWz...

* How to Solve (Don't immediately look for your next move -- survey the board instead!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUr...

* Save the Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGz...

* Magnus sees a way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkq...

* Amazing Stafford Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uh...

* Killer Stafford Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUL...

* Stafford Gambit Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q2...

* Stafford Gambit lines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFb...

* Best Stafford Gambit Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIe...

* Improved Stafford Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_p...

* The Bob Ross of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag0...

* The Pride of the Yankees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPy...

* The detailed history of chess: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show...

* Englund Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSh...

* Crush the Englund Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABg...

* Crush the Englund Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5q...

* Englund Gambit Queen Sacrifice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcM...

* Englund Gambit Famous? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXX...

* Englund Gambit Stockholm Variation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx2...

* Oh no, my knight! Trap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oks...

* One Year 0-1700: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYC...

* Find the Best Move: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmF...

* Three Most Common: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6x...

* d4 Disclaimer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z...

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

* Alireza Firouzja Attacks with the Jobava London System! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wG...

* Facing ...Bf5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6p...

* Learn Danya's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLb...

* Magnus sends g4 early: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNE...

* Hansen has a go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTG...

* Roswell, GA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgE...

* Sidelines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-T...

* Slav Lines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3s...

* 3...a6 Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFS...

* 3...g6 Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3S...

* Naroditsky's Lab: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN8...

* New JLo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnG...

* Rapport System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBj...

* Nutty Tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAF...

* No such thing as Free ELO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMt...

* Rapport Speedrun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGb...

* Run to 2000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBn...

* Romanian Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8p...

* Benoni Indian ...c5, ...Qb6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2P...

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

* KID: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4O...

* Na6 Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhF...

* Middlegame: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=261...

* Jim's Middlegame Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vC...

* What happens if...? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnS...

* Queen Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxG...

* Hubner vs Kasparov 1992: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwR...

* Karpov's Immortal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUd...

* Queen's Gambit Complete: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfO...

* Queen's Gambit Fast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEm...

* Queen's Gambit According to BoJanglles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXM...

* Top 5 Queen's Gambit Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqI...

* Queen's Gambit Accepted Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2...

* Magnus opens classically: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbs...

* Kostya's QGD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie_...

* Queen's Gambit Concepts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYB...

* Queen's Gambit Tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAt...

* QGD, Slav D: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HT...

* The Slav D in 10 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs5...

* Slav Main Line dxc4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnH...

* 4...Bf5? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDY...

* 4...a6 Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcp...

* Beginner Mistakes in the Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTL...

* Cheery Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq-...

* Chessbase Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suk...

* Chameleon Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rW...

* ...a6 Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsD...

* Beat the Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeY...

* MC plays the Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAT...

* Defeat the Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQX...

* Lifetime Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGD...

* Unbreakable Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBN...

* Ben's QGD lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOW...

* Fundamentals of the Semi-Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFc...

* Kevin's Semi-Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ll...

* Kostya's Semi-Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgy...

* MC plays the Semi-Slav: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqT...

* Semi-Slav Pathways: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB7...

* Semi-Slav, Meran Action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykn...

* Last Play of Every Super Bowl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9J...

* Learn the Stonewall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_b...

* Pillsbury's Stonewall Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5...

* The Stonewall Sucks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwv...

* Stonewall Alteration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzI...

* Against the Stonewall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33M...

* Black Stonewall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeW...

* Simon's Classical Dutch w/d6, not d5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt8...

* 2.Bg5 Hopton Attack vs the Dutch Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dr...

* Another 2.Bg5 destroys the Dutch Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvo...

* Crush 2.Bg5 with the Dutch Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeK...

* Prep for a Tournament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpv...

* Never Do This: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b1...

* Unnecessary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz0...

* IM Rosen Stalemate Traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB_...

* How to Sicilian Taimanov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiv...

* MC goes nuclear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLo...

* Regrettable Pawn Moves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI0...

* Shortcuts: Game Collection: 21+ Too Fast French Kisses

* She's right, but there are plenty of others: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw5...

* Space Advantages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLL...

* Time Controls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljp...

* Tricks to Turn It Around: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxV...

* Trading Pieces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wg...

* Trade Queens? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIG...

* Evaluate Exchanges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNG...

* When to Exchange: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D2...

* What is YOUR study plan? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Y...

* Wild Africa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlk...

* The Opposition and Outflanking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X1...

* King and Pawn vs King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z52...

* Knight and Pawn Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHW...

* Queen vs Knight Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex1...

* Principles of Rook and Pawn Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXl...

* Unusual Openings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJQ...

* A trap in Grob's Opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P50...

* Pulverize Grob's Opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTs...

* Tricks in Grob's Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESt...

* The Grob is TERRIBLE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wB...

* Basman's / Borg's Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThK...

* Mike explains Borg's Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Res...

* Last Play of the World Series 1943-1973: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzt...

* Last Play of Every Modern World Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkD...

* Tricks to Trap the Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmU...

* Tricks to Win a Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfS...

* Queen Traps in the Scandinavian D: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syr...

* Trap the Queen in the Tennison Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZt...

* Top 10 Traps of the Queens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZh...

* White, Black Trap the Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olz...

* Win the Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ8...

* More Tricks to Trap the Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd0...

* Qxb2 Poisoned Pawn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74h...

* Levy shows us more traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fot...

* Richard Reti Does It Again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9z...

"He examined the chess problem and set out the pieces. It was a tricky ending, involving a couple of knights. 'White to play and mate in two moves.'
Winston looked up at the portrait of Big Brother. White always mates, he thought with a sort of cloudy mysticism. Always, without exception, it is so arranged. In no chess problem since the beginning of the world has black ever won. Did it not symbolize the eternal, unvarying triumph of Good over Evil? The huge face gazed back at him, full of calm power. White always mates." ― George Orwell, 1984

Koala fingerprints are so close to humans' that they could taint crime scenes. Koalas might not seem to have a lot in common with us, but if you were to take a closer look at their hands, you'd see that they have fingerprints that are strikingly similar to those of humans.

In fact, they're so similar when it comes to the distinctive loops and arches, that in Australia, "police feared that criminal investigations may have been hampered by koala prints," according to Ripley's Believe It or Not. Any koalas who want to commit crimes would be wise to do so wearing gloves.

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.

An Animal In The Moon

While one philosopher affirms
That by our senses we're deceived,
Another swears, in plainest terms,
The senses are to be believed.
The twain are right. Philosophy
Correctly calls us dupes whenever
On mere senses we rely.
But when we wisely rectify
The raw report of eye or ear,
By distance, medium, circumstance,
In real knowledge we advance.
These things has nature wisely planned –
Whereof the proof shall be at hand.
I see the sun: its dazzling glow
Seems but a hand-breadth here below;
But should I see it in its home,
That azure, star-besprinkled dome,
Of all the universe the eye,
Its blaze would fill one half the sky.
The powers of trigonometry
Have set my mind from blunder free.
The ignorant believe it flat;
I make it round, instead of that.
I fasten, fix, on nothing ground it,
And send the earth to travel round it.
In short, I contradict my eyes,
And sift the truth from constant lies.
The mind, not hasty at conclusion,
Resists the onset of illusion,
Forbids the sense to get the better,
And never believes it to the letter.
Between my eyes, perhaps too ready,
And ears as much or more too slow,
A judge with balance true and steady,
I come, at last, some things to know.
Thus when the water crooks a stick,
My reason straightens it as quick –
Kind Mistress Reason – foe of error,
And best of shields from needless terror!
The creed is common with our race,
The moon contains a woman's face.
True? No. Whence, then, the notion,
From mountain top to ocean?
The roughness of that satellite,
Its hills and dales, of every grade,
Effect a change of light and shade
Deceptive to our feeble sight;
So that, besides the human face,
All sorts of creatures one might trace.
Indeed, a living beast, I believe,
Has lately been by England seen.
All duly placed the telescope,
And keen observers full of hope,
An animal entirely new,
In that fair planet, came to view.
Abroad and fast the wonder flew; –
Some change had taken place on high,
Presaging earthly changes nigh;
Perhaps, indeed, it might betoken
The wars that had already broken
Out wildly over the Continent.
The king to see the wonder went:
(As patron of the sciences,
No right to go more plain than his.)
To him, in turn, distinct and clear,
This lunar monster did appear. –
A mouse, between the lenses caged,
Had caused these wars, so fiercely waged!
No doubt the happy English folks
Laughed at it as the best of jokes.
How soon will Mars afford the chance
For like amusements here in France!
He makes us reap broad fields of glory.
Our foes may fear the battle-ground;
For us, it is no sooner found,
Than Louis, with fresh laurels crowned,
Bears higher up our country's story.
The daughters, too, of Memory, –
The Pleasures and the Graces, –
Still show their cheering faces:
We wish for peace, but do not sigh.
The English Charles the secret knows
To make the most of his repose.
And more than this, he'll know the way,
By valour, working sword in hand,
To bring his sea-encircled land
To share the fight it only sees today.
Yet, could he but this quarrel quell,
What incense-clouds would grateful swell!
What deed more worthy of his fame!
Augustus, Julius – pray, which Caesar's name
Shines now on story's page with purest flame?
O people happy in your sturdy hearts!
Say, when shall Peace pack up these bloody darts, And send us all, like you, to softer arts?

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Lion Beaten By The Man

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

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

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

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

Zollner Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.Be3 Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Nc6 8.0-0 0-0 9.f4 Qb6 10.e5)

"I've played a number of interesting novelties lately. Mostly that's because I haven't got a clue what I am doing in the opening." ― Nigel Short

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 Three Kings By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Dr. Edmund Adam Miniatures: Edmund Adam

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

Q: What do you call the lights on Noah's Ark?
A: Flood lights.

Q: What do you call a snobby criminal walking down the steps? A: A condescending con descending!

Q: What do you call a dollar frozen in a block of ice? A: Cold hard cash.

Q: What do you call a dead pine tree?
A: A nevergreen.

Q: What do you call a pencil that is broken?
A: Pointless.

Q: What do you call two birds in love?
A: Tweethearts!

Q: What do you call a sad coffee?
A: Depresso.

Q: What do you call a priest that becomes an attorney? A: Father-in-Law.

Q: What do you call a man with a toilet on his head? A: John.

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

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

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

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

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

"Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." ― Andy (Tim Robbins), "The Shawshank Redemption"

Psalms 31:24 - Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

"Here's something to think about: How come you never see a headline like ‘Psychic Wins Lottery'?" — Jay Leno

The Two Mules

Two mules were bearing on their backs,
One, oats; the other, silver of the tax.
The latter glorying in his load,
Marched proudly forward on the road;
And, from the jingle of his bell,
It was plain he liked his burden well.
But in a wild-wood glen
A band of robber men
Rushed forth on the twain.
Well with the silver pleased,
They by the bridle seized
The treasure-mule so vain.
Poor mule! in struggling to repel
His ruthless foes, he fell
Stabbed through; and with a bitter sighing,
He cried, "Is this the lot they promised me?
My humble friend from danger free,
While, weltering in my gore, I'm dying?"
"My friend," his fellow-mule replied,
"It is not well to have one's work too high.
If you had been a miller's drudge, as I,
You would not thus have died."

Better be ill spoken of by one before all than by all before one. ~ Scottish Proverb

* 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.'

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.

64All Zajogin cldnt login but sumhou managd tosign outr space, force, time, android K safety b4 Zamikhovsky started the clock o' time: https://24timezones.com/#/map

Chess Squares Riddle
Question: How many squares are in a chessboard?

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

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

Riddle Answer: 204 squares: 64 one-by-one squares, 49 two-by-two, 36 three-by-three, 25 four-by-four, 16 five-by-five, 9 six-by-six, 4 seven-by-seven, and 1 eight-by-eight

* https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/oth...

Phone scammers are getting smarter with their tactics like AI voice scams. And if you're not careful, they could make big bucks off of you, the unsuspecting caller. Aside from hanging up if you hear this four-word phrase, there's something else you can do to avoid becoming a victim and to keep up with your smartphone security and privacy.

Certain area codes can warn potential targets that the call isn't safe, according to Joseph Steinberg, CEO of SecureMySocial. Although scam callers once used a 900 number, they've changed their methods as the general public became aware of their tactic. Now, many scam phone numbers have different area codes, including 809, which originates in the Caribbean.

Another area code to look out for may look like it's coming from the United States, but isn't. "Criminals have been known to use caller IDs with the area code 473, which appears to be domestic, but is actually the area code for the island of Grenada," Steinberg says. Watch out for these phone call scams that could steal your money, too.

By the way, those calls add up fast. You could be charged for taking a call from any of these foreign countries, according to AARP. Plus, scammers can swindle you out of your money through phony vacation scams and fake stories about danger or money problems. iPhone scams and Uber scams are also on the rise, making Apple fans and Uber users alike more wary. Make sure you know how to avoid Uber scams and how to stop spam texts on your phone.

To play it extra safe, Steinberg recommends never answering or returning a call from a number you don't recognize. If you actually know the person, they can always leave a voicemail. "Remember that it's unlikely that someone you do not know—who is in distress at a location with which you are not familiar—would dial a random number in another country and ask you to help them," he says. "They would call the police."

It can't hurt to be wary of possible scam phone numbers with the following international area codes. And watch out for these Facebook Marketplace scams before you go shopping.

Scam phone numbers: International Area Codes with a +1 Country Code

232—Sierra Leone

242 — Bahamas

246 — Barbados

268 — Antigua

284 — British Virgin Islands

345 — Cayman Islands

441 — Bermuda

473 — Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique

649 — Turks and Caicos

664 — Montserrat

721 — Sint Maarten

758 — St. Lucia

767 — Dominica

784 — St. Vincent and Grenadines

809, 829, and 849 — The Dominican Republic

868 — Trinidad and Tobago

869 — St. Kitts and Nevis

876 — Jamaica

It's important to note that scammers can create scam phone numbers by spoofing numbers from many area codes, not just the ones listed above. Remember, a good rule of thumb is if you don't recognize the phone number, don't pick up your phone and let it go to voicemail. This can help you avoid falling for common phone scams, such as those pesky car extended warranty calls.

By the way—if you are charged for picking up a scam call, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommends contacting your phone company to try and take care of the matter. You can also file a complaint about the scam call with the FCC.

Next, read about these online scams you need to be aware of and how to avoid them. Also, read up on what doxxing is and how it sets you up to be hacked.