"Si vis pacem, para bellum" ― Cicero

"Unfortunately, many regard the critic as an enemy, instead of seeing him as a guide to the truth." ― Wilhelm Steinitz

"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 matter of vanity." ― Alexander Alekhine

"As a chess player one has to be able to control one's feelings, one has to be as cold as a machine." ― Levon Aronian

"Sometimes it happens that the computer's assessment is very abstract. It's correct, but it's not useful for a practical game. You have to prove the assessment with very strong moves and if you don't find all of these strong moves you may lose very quickly. For a computer this is not a problem, but for humans it is not so easy." ― Vassily Ivanchuk

"A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit." ― John Milton

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

"A sport, a struggle for results and a fight for prizes. I think that the discussion about "chess is science or chess is art" is already inappropriate. The purpose of modern chess is to reach a result." ― Alexander Morozevich

"No one man is superior to the game." ― A. Bartlett Giamatti, in reference to Pete Rose, the all-time MLB hits leader banned for gambling.

"To err is human; to forgive, divine." ― Alexander Pope

"I consider Mr. Morphy the finest chess player who ever existed. He is far superior to any now living, and would doubtless have beaten Labourdonnais himself. In all his games with me, he has not only played, in every instance, the exact move, but the most exact. He never makes a mistake; but, if his adversary commits the slightest error, he is lost." ― Adolf Anderssen

"After white's reply to 1.e4 e5 with 2.f4 the game is in its last throes" ― Howard Staunton

"I have added these principles to the law: get the Knights into action before both Bishops are developed." ― Emanuel Lasker

"With opposite coloured bishops the attacking side has in effect an extra piece in the shape of his bishop." ― Mikhail Botvinnik

"A pawn, when separated from his fellows, will seldom or never make a fortune." ― Francois-Andre Danican Philidor

"Be warned! From Satan's viewpoint you are a pawn in his game of cosmic chess." ― Adrian Rogers

"Pawns not only create the sketch for the whole painting, they are also the soil, the foundation, of any position." ― Anatoly Karpov

"The object of the state is always the same: to limit the individual, to tame him, to subordinate him, to subjugate him." ― Max Stirner

"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

"A Queen's sacrifice, even when fairly obvious, always rejoices the heart of the chess-lover." ― Savielly Tartakower

"Everyone makes mistakes. The wise are not people who never make mistakes, but those who forgive themselves and learn from their mistakes." ― Ajahn Brahm

"As a rule, so-called "positional" sacrifices are considered more difficult, and therefore more praise-worthy, than those which are based exclusively on an exact calculation of tactical possibilities." ― Alexander Alekhine

"It would be idle, and presumptuous, to wish to imitate the achievements of a Morphy or an Alekhine; but their methods and their manner of expressing themselves are within the reach of all." ― Eugene Znosko-Borovsky

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

"If the defender is forced to give up the center, then every possible attack follows almost of itself." ― Siegbert Tarrasch

"Erudition, like a bloodhound, is a charming thing when held firmly in leash, but it is not so attractive when turned loose upon a defenseless and unerudite public." ― Agnes Repplier

"If you watch it, you should watch it with other players and try to find moves, like it was before. Now on many sites you watch together with the computer and the pleasure is gone." ― Boris Gelfand

"I believe that Chess possesses a magic that is also a help in advanced age. A rheumatic knee is forgotten during a game of chess and other events can seem quite unimportant in comparison with a catastrophe on the chessboard." ― Vlastimil Hort

"It's funny, but many people don't understand why I draw so many games nowadays. They think my style must have changed but this is not the case at all. The answer to this drawing disease is that my favorite squares are e6, f7, g7 and h7 and everyone now knows this. They protect these squares not once but four times!" ― Mikhail Tal

"Having spent alarmingly large chunks of my life studying the white side of the Open Sicilian, I find myself asking, why did I bother?" ― Daniel J. King

"Apart from direct mistakes, there is nothing more ruinous than routine play, the aim of which is mechanical development." ― Alexey Suetin

"Not infrequently ... the theoretical is a synonym of the stereotyped. For the 'theoretical' in chess is nothing more than that which can be found in the textbooks and to which players try to conform because they cannot think up anything better or equal, anything original." ― Mikhail Chigorin

"The choice of opening, whether to aim for quiet or risky play, depends not only on the style of a player, but also on the disposition with which he sits down at the board." ― Efim Geller

"Despite the development of chess theory, there is much that remains secret and unexplored in chess." ― Vasily Smyslov

"No matter how much theory progresses, how radically styles change, chess play is inconceivable without tactics." ― Samuel Reshevsky

"Collect as precious pearls the words of the wise and virtuous." ― Abdelkader El Djezairi

"Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and diligence." ― Abigail Adams

"When I was preparing for one term's work in the Botvinnik school I had to spend a lot of time on king and pawn endings. So when I came to a tricky position in my own games, I knew the winning method." ― Garry Kasparov

"As a rule, pawn endings have a forced character, and they can be worked out conclusively." ― Mark Dvoretsky

"It is a gross overstatement, but in chess, it can be said I play against my opponent over the board and against myself on the clock." ― Viktor Korchnoi

"The fact that the 7 hours time control allows us to play a great deep game is not of great importance for mass-media." ― Alexei Shirov

"For me, each game is a new challenge, which has to be dealt with rationally and systematically. At that time, every other thought fades into oblivion." ― Viswanathan Anand

"Any fool can know. The point is to understand." ― Albert Einstein

"One bad move nullifies forty good ones."
― Israel Albert Horowitz

"It is a well-known phenomenon that the same amateur who can conduct the middle game quite creditably, is usually perfectly helpless in the end game. One of the principal requisites of good chess is the ability to treat both the middle and end game equally well." ― Aron Nimzowitsch

"My hard work and excellent training entitled me to be a better actress than some of my competitors." ― Pola Negri

"Endings of one rook and pawns are about the most common sort of endings arising on the chess board. Yet though they do occur so often, few have mastered them thoroughly. They are often of a very difficult nature, and sometimes while apparently very simple they are in reality extremely intricate." ― Jose Raul Capablanca

"Capablanca used to talk calmly and moderately about everything. However, when our conversation turned to the problems of the battle for the world championship, in front of me was a quite different person: an enraged lion, although with the fervour typical only of a southerner, with his temperamental patter, which made it hard to follow the torrent of his indignant exclamations and words." ― Alexander Koblencs

"A player is said to have the opposition when he can place his King directly in front of the adverse King, with only one square between them. This is often an important advantage in ending games." ― Howard Staunton

"A player can sometimes afford the luxury of an inaccurate move, or even a definite error, in the opening or middlegame without necessarily obtaining a lost position. In the endgame ... an error can be decisive, and we are rarely presented with a second chance." ― Paul Keres

"Never trust a government that doesn't trust its own citizens with guns." ― Benjamin Franklin

"The Soviet Union was an exception, but even there chess players were not rich. Only Fischer changed that." ― Boris Spassky

"Chess never has been and never can be aught but a recreation. It should not be indulged in to the detriment of other and more serious avocations - should not absorb or engross the thoughts of those who worship at its shrine, but should be kept in the background, and restrained within its proper province. As a mere game, a relaxation from the severe pursuits of life, it is deserving of high commendation." ― Paul Morphy

"Incidentally, when we're faced with a "prove or disprove," we're usually better off trying first to disprove with a counterexample, for two reasons: A disproof is potentially easier (we need just one counterexample); and nitpicking arouses our creative juices. Even if the given assertion is true, our search for a counterexample often leads to a proof, as soon as we see why a counterexample is impossible. Besides, it's healthy to be skeptical." ― Ronald Graham

"Attackers may sometimes regret bad movez, but it's much worse to forever regret an opportunity you allowed to pass you by." ― Garry Kasparov

"Even the laziest king flees wildly in the face of a double check." ― Aron Nimzowitzch

"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.

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

"Winning is about commitment, discipline, hard work, dedication, determination, courage and sometimes even luck!" ― Susan Polgar

"Every defeat is an opportunity to learn from our mistakes! Every victory is a confirmation of our hard work!" ― Susan Polgar

"A chess player uses his/her knowledge to prepare for next game while a passionate coach preparez for next generation!" ― Susan Polgar

"Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error." ― Marcus Tullius Cicero

French Proverb: "Ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire la grimace." ― (There's no substitute for experience.)

St. Mary

Congratulations to GM Jones Gawain on winning the British Chess Championship 2024! 🏆 The 110th edition of the British Chess Championship concluded in Hull, England. After nine played rounds, GM Jones Gawain and GM David Howell scored 7/9 points each to tie for the first place and the playoff match determined the Winner. After two draws in the rapid time control, Jones Gawain won the two-game blitz match with a score 1.5-0.5 and clinched the title.

St. Andrews

* AJs page: https://www.angelfire.com/games4/li...

* Miniatures of the Champs: Game Collection: Champions miniature champions

* Mistakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3L...

* Miles Ahead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvk...

* NE: https://metrowestchess.org/

* Notable Games: Game Collection: List of Notable Games (wiki)

* Overloaded! Game Collection: OVERLOADED!

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

* POTD 2023: Game Collection: Puzzle of the Day 2023

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

* Pawn structures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPr...

* Poisoned pawns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGV...

* Pawn actions: Game Collection: the pawns decide

* Petrosian's Best: Game Collection: P.H.Clarke: Petrosian's Best games

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

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

* Perfect game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWS...

* Peter, Paul, and Mary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD-... Troubling times, it was.

* Ponziani Games: Game Collection: PONZIANI OPENING

* Rublevsky: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che...

* Rossolimo & Moscow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4a...

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

* Reasonable book choices: https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell...

* RL Minis: Game Collection: Ruy Lopez Miniatures

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

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

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

* Crazy Rook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KQ...

* Richard's Rap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htJ...

* Riddles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be9...

* Rubber band in hand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=001...

* Scandinavian Minis: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* Skewers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kl...

* Seoul 1988: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3X...

* "a stupendous tactician": Game Collection: Tigran V. Petrosian - A Stupendous Tactician

* Smash the castle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZR...

* Solitaire: Game Collection: Solitaire Chess by I. A. Horowitz

* Stunners: Game Collection: Stunners

* Visually Appealing Tutorial: https://simplifychess.com/openings/...

* Some Scotch: https://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-op...

* Knotty Scotch: Game Collection: Scotch Openings

* Mieses & More: Game Collection: Scotch Collection

* Garry plays the Scotch:
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* Kibitzed (C45): http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

* Black scores w/4...Qh4: Opening Explorer

* Dunbar vs Chawkin USA WCH (1925) Scotch Game: Classical Variation (C45) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRB...

* What now, Dad? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRA...

* Uncommon Scotch Gambit 4.Ng5!? h6?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC-...

* Scotch Gambit, Anti Max Lange Attk: Game Collection: ANTI MAX LANGE

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

* Becuz the Knight belongs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yG...

* 13-year-old Kirthika: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPe...

* Kathy Hutto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVk...

* Derek Kelly Openings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVi...

* Kick IT! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quz...

* King walk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0C...

* Kingpin magazine: https://www.kingpinchess.net/

* Kotov: Game Collection: Grandmaster At Work

* Knightly done!! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/W1tt... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aT1H...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2Vod...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LmUp...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/D9E6...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gr1C...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vWtU...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9pBV...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/B1-9...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oxkF...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/c6Ig...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OoEi...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4MsU...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hiyO...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UKGX...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/T5wy...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UCBI...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iRJ4...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qyDs...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tiqr...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5lkO...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ubmr...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BHV1...

- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EIZe...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/d8lc...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CunN...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cUHM...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/I3ra...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/n0p5...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WKbT...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8dao...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C0E3...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2xCZ...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gdIa...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HANT...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WLRT...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RQTw...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ATcz...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RMhN...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Rl8U...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JM8y...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2dbh...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OPHd...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rWbR...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hKKx...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IT_N...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1gWZ...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/y2Xu...

- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/N1ww...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tvPh...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YCyf...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nwbB...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/apPf...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jlWU...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2YEt...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BSr7...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vTIU...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ych5...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aOAe...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0aci...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BHlm...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CK0d...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PNFc...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DC2t...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/svkr...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kOrN...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fx-T...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZGOu...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qWtC...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JrfF...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TJ2N...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TDBb...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nTYM...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Shu8...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kWlV...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iViR...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BVGZ...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2J1H...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7Qz_...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IFSy...

* Everlasting L4U: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jNMN... - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ObeV...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZuGb...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pruD...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qQxO...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/T21_...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Zako...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9nvJ...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dSom...
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7U_C...

* 'Lasker Simul Special': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6l...

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

* Leaving is unacceptable: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MJgM...

* Let it Beatles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGj...

* Liberty Island: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kti...

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

* lost-ways.net

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

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

* Miniatures of the Champs: Game Collection: Champions miniature champions

* Mistakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3L...

* Miles Ahead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvk...

* Magnus millions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA2...

* MC Gambit idiocy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vla...

* Messi gamer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJX...

* Migraine moments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRG...

* Minority Attacks: Game Collection: Minority attack

Game Collection: Anti-minority attack capturing with the Knight.

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

* Mockery in Paris, 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXM...

* Muzio Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pij...

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

* NE: https://metrowestchess.org/

* Notable Games: Game Collection: List of Notable Games (wiki)

* Nepotizm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4j...

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

* John Noun tutoring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oek...

* Northwestern: https://nwchess.com/

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

* Old Pepperoni: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oAP6...

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

* History of Oly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTr...

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

* Butler, PA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2z...

* Pawn promotion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCL...

* Pawn storms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skh...

* Pawn themes: Game Collection: Aurora

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

* Pick a number: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YS...

* Power of love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K6...

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

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

* The preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzR...

* Pumped up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lC...

* Rare occasion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yc...

* Record setter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eps...

* Riddles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8A...

* Robbed at the pool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuA...

* Rollin': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYE...

* Win quickly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6R...

* QGA traps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgV...

* Queen of Bohemia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9...

* Dancing Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PC...

* Q vs N ending: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMS...

* Queenie roast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XI...

* B06 Robatsch (modern) defence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oe...

* 3...Qd6!? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EQ...

* 64 Squares: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT0...

* Scandinavian Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMS...

* Dunbar vs Chawkin USA WCH (1925) Scotch Game: Classical Variation (C45) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRB...

* What now, Dad? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRA...

* Uncommon Scotch Gambit 4.Ng5!? h6?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC-...

* Scotch Gambit, Anti Max Lange Attk: Game Collection: ANTI MAX LANGE

* O'Sullivan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR3...

* Oldie but goodie: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/A4ij...

* White Shreck's secret weapon: https://thechessforum.com/shark-att...

* Short and furious: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?li...

* Scientific: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-R...

* Special Oly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vI...

* STEAMing: https://tryengineering.org/news/how...

* Jimmy Stafford Gambit: https://thechessforum.com/stafford-...

* Seven Scriptures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZR...

* 187 Sicilians?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuX...

* 2017 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ob...

* 23 Variations:
https://thechessforum.com/what-is-t...

* 2024 Oly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg2...

* No Karo Kan: https://thechessforum.com/sicilian-...

* No theory? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIr...

* Schnapps: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?li...

* Solar System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swD...

* Stalemate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs6...

* Stop blundering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vt...

* That's Life! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tnl...

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

* Two Knights Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuD...

* Garudapura's Two Knights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADI...

* 3X: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORs...

* This is Sparta! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSt...

* Timeless Tale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tj...

* Tilburg 1981: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNa...

* Tal again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pvl...

* Titled Tuesday 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3l...

* Unfit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NC...

* Debate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4f...

* Dream vacation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsD...

* Velocity CA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai_...

* Vivek tells it like it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoH...

* Vocal comeback: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o58...

* Weird rules: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcV...

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

* What came first? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxb...

* What's the deal? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8i...

* Who doesn't like the Beach Boys? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJx...

* Why? https://www.chessedu.org/why-teach-...

* His wife strikes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmz...

* Woodstove: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vp...

* Winner takes all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8b...

* Wonders and Curiosities: Game Collection: Wonders and Curiosities of Chess (Chernev)

* Edward Winter: https://www.chesshistory.com/winter...

* WR Chess Masters 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2Y...

* Walter Browne, American Champ: Game Collection: Six by Mr. Six Time

Fredthebear loves apple pie alamode.

* Yes, No, Maybe So: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtP...

* Yellow Brick Road: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ3...

* Your Own Way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8O...

* Z Vol 105: Game Collection: 0ZeR0's collected games volume 105

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

WTHarvey:
There once was a website named WTHarvey,
Where chess puzzles did daily delay,
The brain-teasers so tough,
They made us all huff and puff,
But solving them brought us great satisfaction today.

There once was a website named WTHarvey
Where chess puzzles were quite aplenty
With knight and rook and pawn
You'll sharpen your brain with a yawn
And become a master of chess entry

There once was a site for chess fun,
Wtharvey.com was the chosen one,
With puzzles galore,
It'll keep you in store,
For hours of brain-teasing, none done.

There once was a website named WTHarvey,
Where chess puzzles were posted daily,
You'd solve them with glee,
And in victory,
You'd feel like a true chess prodigy!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sleeper straddle "Try again. Fail again. Fail better." ― Samuel Beckett

Indiana: Vincennes
Established in: 1732

Vincennes was founded in 1732 along the Wabash River by French military officer Francois Marie Bissot-Sieur de Vincennes, and was once a French fur trading post. It was part of New France and a military post was built there to keep the British away. Once the fur trade died down, agriculture took over.

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

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

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

Picture History of Chess
by Fred Wilson

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

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

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

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.
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."

Sailboat transportation
The Ubaid culture of ancient Mesopotamians (occupying present-day Iraq) was the first to use sailboats for transportation around 6000 B.C.E. They traveled on the water to cross the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, around which the culture was born and developed.

<Chris Chaffin wrote:

master/piece
She moves him ‘round the chess board,
dodging bishops, pawns and rooks.
She coaxes him from square to square
without a second look.

The white knight cannot catch him.
Piece by piece, the foe now yields.
Her king is safe; the game is done.
The queen controls the field.>

Question: What's the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard? Answer: Graveyards are attached to churches while cemeteries are stand-alone.

The Moon is an average of 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) away from Earth. That means 30 Earth-sized planets could fit in between Earth and its Moon.

Question: In feudal Japan, why did lords purposely built homes with squeaky floors? Answer: They were used as a defensive measure against ninjas.

The Satyr and the Traveller

Within a savage forest grot
A satyr and his chips
Were taking down their porridge hot;
Their cups were at their lips.

You might have seen in mossy den,
Himself, his wife, and brood;
They had not tailor-clothes, like men,
But appetites as good.

In came a traveller, benighted,
All hungry, cold, and wet,
Who heard himself to eat invited
With nothing like regret.

He did not give his host the pain
His asking to repeat;
But first he blew with might and main
To give his fingers heat.

Then in his steaming porridge dish
He delicately blew.
The wondering satyr said, "I wish
The use of both I knew."

"Why, first, my blowing warms my hand,
And then it cools my porridge."
"Ah!" said his host, "then understand
I cannot give you storage.
"To sleep beneath one roof with you,
I may not be so bold.
Far be from me that mouth untrue
Which blows both hot and cold."

Herein lay the rub. The Americans, like all Western armies, defined "winning" as killing the enemy and securing control over the battlefield. Their opponents in previous conflicts had generally accepted the same definition. Not so the Moros. What was important to them was the struggle and how one conducted oneself, personally and as a people, not necessarily a measurable outcome. They knew from the beginning they were no match for American firepower. It was a one-sided contest, what today is termed "asymmetric warfare," but so what? Their measure was how well one did against the odds, the more overwhelmingly they were against one, the greater the glory. And being that life is transitory anyway, what mattered most was how much courage was shown and how well did one die. The Americans and the Moros were using different score cards for the same game. To the Moros, it was they who had "won." — Robert A. Fulton

<by W.A. Ballantine given on page 153 of the American Chess Journal, September 1878:

Charming as the sweetest music;
High above the common reach,
Easy to the bright and wise;
Splendid in the hands of genius;
Such the royal game of chess.>

What are the highest Elo ratings achieved in the CG database? Please note that these statistics are computed from the database; it may be incomplete, or contain errors. The displayed ratings refer to the highest rating ever achieved--not the current rating. Consult the FIDE Chess Ratings Page for official information.

1. Magnus Carlsen (2882)
2. Garry Kasparov (2851)
3. Fabiano Caruana (2844)
4. Levon Aronian (2830)
5. Wesley So (2822)
6. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2820)
7. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2819)
8. Vladimir Kramnik (2817)
9. Viswanathan Anand (2817)
10. Ding Liren (2816)
11. Veselin Topalov (2816)
12. Hikaru Nakamura (2816)
13. Alexander Grischuk (2810)
14. Alireza Firouzja (2804)
15. Anish Giri (2798)
16. Teimour Radjabov (2793)
17. Sergey Karjakin (2788)
18. Alexander Morozevich (2788)
19. Vasyl Ivanchuk (2787)
20. Robert James Fischer (2785)
21. Ian Nepomniachtchi (2784)
22. Anatoly Karpov (2780)
23. Boris Gelfand (2777)
24. Peter Svidler (2769)
25. Leinier Dominguez Perez (2768)
26. Ruslan Ponomariov (2768)
27. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2766)
28. Pentala Harikrishna (2766)
29. Pavel Eljanov (2765)
30. Dommaraju Gukesh (2763)
31. Hao Wang (2763)
32. Gata Kamsky (2763)
33. Peter Leko (2763)
34. Arjun Erigaisi (2762)
35. Yangyi Yu (2762)
36. Vugar Gashimov (2761)
37. Michael Adams (2761)
38. Richard Rapport (2760)
39. Dmitry Jakovenko (2760)
40. Evgeny Tomashevsky (2758)

The Ass Loaded With Sponges, and the Ass Loaded With Salt

A man, whom I shall call an ass-eteer,
His sceptre like some Roman emperor bearing,
Drove on two coursers of protracted ear,
The one, with sponges laden, briskly faring;
The other lifting legs
As if he trod on eggs,
With constant need of goading,
And bags of salt for loading.
Over hill and dale our merry pilgrims passed,
Till, coming to a river's ford at last,
They stopped quite puzzled on the shore.
Our asseteer had crossed the stream before;
So, on the lighter beast astride,
He drives the other, spite of dread,
Which, loath indeed to go ahead,
Into a deep hole turns aside,
And, facing right about,
Where he went in, comes out;
For duckings two or three
Had power the salt to melt,
So that the creature felt
His burdened shoulders free.
The sponger, like a sequent sheep,
Pursuing through the water deep,
Into the same hole plunges
Himself, his rider, and the sponges.
All three drank deeply: asseteer and ass
For boon companions of their load might pass;
Which last became so sore a weight,
The ass fell down,
Belike to drown,
His rider risking equal fate.
A helper came, no matter who.
The moral needs no more ado –
That all can't act alike, –
The point I wished to strike.

<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>

2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad Women Teams
Team Georgia captained by Vladimir Tukmakov enters the women's competition as the rating favorite. The runners-up in Chennai 2022 the Georgian ladies (Nana Dzagnidze, Nino Batsiashvili, Lela Javakhishvili, Bella Khotenashvili and Salome Melia) will try their best to move one step up and win coveted gold.

The second seed India that won bronze in Chennai will miss Humpy Koneru this time, but with a rising star Divya Deshmukh joining Rameshbabu Vaishali, Harika Dronavalli, Vantika Agrawal and Tania Sachdev in Budapest, the team seems to be a real contender for the title.

China has as many as four players in the women's top 10, but none of them will play in Budapest. Nevertheless, seeded fourth, this young team led by Zhu Jiner and 14-year-old national champion Lu Miaoyi can go far if they catch the wind in their sails.

In the absence of the Muzychuk sisters, who skipped the Olympiad, sixth-seeded Ukraine will face the challenging task of defending its title. The Ukrainian ladies will most likely not succeed, but we can't write them off completely.

The third and fifth seed, Poland and Azerbaijan, fielded their best players and will be teams to be reckoned with.

<CHESS

Meet me then, within this grid,
this little wooden battlefield as equals,
as we forget our bodies to inhabit these pieces, control these spaces, trade threats and responses, send our thoughts out into possible positions, our eyes imagining nothing but sweet forks and lancing fianchettoes. We chessplayers, pretend enemies, bound to our miniature war inexplicably & inescapably: when did we find ourselves so obsessed, insidiously seduced to advances and exchanges, lost inside this abyss of infinite moves, willing servants of it's rules? — Rael>

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

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

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

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

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

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

Latvian Gambit, Poisoned Pawn: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Bc4 fxe4 4.Nxe5 Qg5?! This variation leads to extremely sharp play, is considered rather dubious, and is thus rarely seen today. However, Graham Burgess states that it "is not utterly, clearly bad". King's Pawn Opening, Latvian gambit, Mayet, Poisoned Pawn variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Bc4 fxe4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.d4 up

Boudewijn Johannes van Trotsenburg vs Bernard Beffie, Amsterdam 1917

In this variation, black Q can take on g2 and it seems the best. While white lets it in shake of a better development. It's a really old opening approach, not really preferred, reminding a little the King's gambit setups. The name Latvian was given cause of Karlis Betins or Behting who analyzed this opening in the early 1900s.

Its origins concerned me a lot. And I can't say that I've managed to cover it 100%. Latvian gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3. Nxe5 is one of the first recorded openings. The idea seems appearing for first time in Damiano's book of 1512, but as opening where black has been given the odds of f pawn, with a main line of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3. Nxe5 Qh4+ last move is checking cause of the odds.

From Damiano 1512
This gambit was first analyzed in a standard setup by Gioachino Greco, found surely in manuscripts & books since 1620. Greco was responding to 2...f5 with 3.Nxe5 or 3.exf5, although in one early MS I couldn't track this 2nd response. Pure Latvian gambit and called, cause of this analysis, for centuries as Greco's counter-gambit. As you can see they aren't any references yet of the poisoned pawn variation.

Czech Pirc Defense swallows poisoned pawn: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Be3 Qb6 5.a6 Qxb2? 6.Na4 traps the queen.

Snow White & the Huntsman by Evan Daugherty

"Who will you be when faced with the end?
The end of a kingdom,
The end of good men,
Will you run?
Will you hide?
Or will you hunt down evil with a venomous pride?

Rise to the ashes,
Rise to the winter sky,
Rise to the calling,
Make heard the battle cry.
Let it scream from the mountains
From the forest to the chapel,
Because death is a hungry mouth
And you are the apple.

So who will you be when faced with the end?
When the vultures are circling
And the shadows descend
Will you cower?
Or will you fight?
Is your heart made of glass?
Or a pure Snow White?"
― Lily Blake, Snow White & the Huntsman

An Experts Guide to Chess Strategy by Fred Reinfeld ISBN 100879802219
ISBN 139780879802219

Fred Reinfeld (January 27, 1910 – May 29, 1964) from New York city was a well-known American writer on chess and many other subjects. His first chess book, co-authored with Isaac Kashdan, was an account of the Bled 1931 master tournament. He was also a strong chess master (USCF rated 2593), often among the top ten American players from the early 1930s to the early 1940s, as well as a college chess instructor.

Reinfeld twice won the New York State Championship, in 1931 and 1933. In 1933, he finished all eleven rounds undefeated, ahead of Reuben Fine, Anthony Santasiere, and Arnold Denker.

Reinfeld wrote over 100 chess books in his lifetime, and perhaps over 260 books total. His prolific writings were known for deceptive simplicity and clarity, tinged with warmth and humor. He also wrote about geology, history, numismatics, checkers, and astronomy. Like Bobby Fischer, Reinfeld was said to have a photographic memory and could remember nearly every game he played through.

Generations of chess players have grown up on Fred Reinfeld's books. He has a way of reducing the most intricate, complicated positions and ideas to their basic components. After Reinfeld explains to the reader, the game makes sense.

Reinfeld also used the pen names Robert V. Masters and Edward Young. In 1996, Reinfeld became the 26th person inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, and the first inducted primarily for his writing.

Article by <Bill Wall>: https://www.chess.com/article/view/...

"Fred Reinfeld", by <Alex Dunne>, 2019, McFarland & Company, Jefferson, North Carolina, ISBN 978-1-4766-7654-8.

Jul-05-21
Which chessgames.com users have kibitzed the most?

1. HeMateMe (72,002)
2. saffuna (52,158)
3. Jim Bartle (50,025)
4. WannaBe (45,695)
5. jessicafischerqueen (44,873)
6. OhioChessFan (44,247)
7. chancho (40,065)
8. harrylime (38,059)
9. whiteshark (37,326)
10. cormier (36,146)

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

The Cock and the Pearl

A cock scratched up, one day,
A pearl of purest ray,
Which to a jeweller he bore.
"I think it fine," he said,
"But yet a crumb of bread
To me were worth a great deal more."

So did a dunce inherit
A manuscript of merit,
Which to a publisher he bore.
"It's good," said he, "I'm told,
Yet any coin of gold
To me were worth a great deal more."

* Pawn Endgames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUq...

* 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"

Cajun: Joie de vivre (Jhwa da veev) – Joy of living.

Be happy while you're living, For you're a long time dead. ~ Scottish Proverb

Rated 5 stars
For Lover's Only
Easily one of the best books ever written. This is one of the first books I purchased over 30 years ago. I am sure it helped start me on the road to Chess Mastery. Chernev, like Reinfeld, did NOT write chess books to impress other Chess Masters. He wrote books simply and with great care. He also put his tremendous love of the game into this book. I simply cannot convey what a wonderful book this is. This book will especially appeal to the average player, especially someone who wants to improve his game. I usually don't rave about books. This is an exception. Here is what I say about this book on my web site: "The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played." 62 Masterpieces of Chess Strategy. It contains 62 true masterpieces of chess by various different players. (Masters such as Fischer, Capablanca, Alekhine, Tal, etc. Plus, many more of the all-time greats!!) Each game is carefully and lovingly annotated. This book had a tremendous impact on me and the way that I viewed and looked at chess. I studied it many, many, many times. Chernev provides games with an almost blow-by-blow commentary. His ideas are simple, fresh, insightful, and expressed with great clarity. He explains all the basic ideas of the game in a manner that ANY chess-player can follow. The variations are perfect. Not too much to overload the senses. I have had players who were almost beginners to players who were accomplished tournament players ... tell me that they profited from a careful study of this book. I think one should study this book, as I did. Every time your rating goes up 100 points, you should work your way through this book from cover to cover! You won't regret it and you definitely will improve! Another unique thing is he finds one idea or theme in each game, and just hammers away at it. It is a VERY good study method. It also contains some of the classics of chess, and Chernev brings you a fresh insight and analysis to each game. (Indeed - his comments and analysis may differ greatly from the ones that may have been published in the chess press when the game was first played.) Chernev was one of the greatest all-time teachers and writers in the chess field. This book is a true pearl!!! I think it belongs in the library of every real chess aficionado. >><p>I also rate this in, "The Ten Best Chess Books Ever Written." Need I say more?

"Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

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

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

"God has given us two hands, one to receive with and the other to give with." — Billy Graham

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

This poem is dedicated to Harris my chessplayer friend and literary commentator.

<Chess The Final Metaphor

It was in a cesspool behind the place of his cousin Nick

That in this pool of sewage, was born the freak called frick.

On dark nights he hysterically wailed in his pool of slimy mess:

"Oh why oh why, can't I play the game that humans call chess"?

As the morning sun rose, begged the queen of the mighty king:

Sire, can you not order the death of this awful filthy thing"?

Wisely he replied: "no, I'll let frick live forever in distress

While he must watch others enjoy themselves playing chess.">

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

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

* Riddle-ziggy-bean: https://www.briddles.com/riddles/ch...

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

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

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

Wordzys:
38cry Peepy iz's perf fumed up up up daroom enuff 4 3 adults Moe, Larry, and Kurley fries liver attaché oven htree headed monsta truxs stay toda right hand of https://biblehub.com/kjv/psalms/110....

<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.>

Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever.

"The Lord is first, my friends are second, and I am third." ― Gale Sayers

"To what greater inspiration and counsel can we turn than to the imperishable truth to be found in this treasure house, the Bible?" — Queen Elizabeth II

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." ― Benjamin Franklin

"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

<High Flight
BY JOHN GILLESPIE MAGEE JR.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air ....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark nor ever eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.>

Luck never gives; it only lends. ~ Scottish Proverb

"The harder you fall, the heavier your heart; the heavier your heart, the stronger you climb; the stronger you climb, the higher your pedestal." — Criss Jami

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.

"God's mercy and grace give me hope - for myself, and for our world." — Billy Graham

"Man has two great spiritual needs. One is for forgiveness. The other is for goodness." — Billy Graham

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

God Our Father, Lord, and Savior
Traditional

God our Father, Lord, and Savior

Thank you for your love and favor

Bless this food and drink we pray

And all who share with us today.

In Jesus' Name we pray,
Amen.

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

"There are more adventures on a chessboard than on all the seas of the world." ― Pierre Mac Orlan

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

"As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight." — The Revenant

Z is for Zipper (to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb")

Zipper starts with letter Z,
Letter Z, letter Z,
Zipper starts with Letter Z,
/z/, /z/, /z/, /z/!

umf

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

C45 Sub-variants:

Scotch game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4

Scotch, Ghulam Kassim variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nxd4 5. Qxd4 d6 6. Bd3

Scotch, Pulling counter-attack
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4

Scotch, Horwitz attack
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nb5

Scotch, Berger variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nb5 Bb4+ 6. Nd2 Qxe4+ 7. Be2 Qxg2 8. Bf3 Qh3 9. Nxc7+ Kd8 10. Nxa8 Nf6 11. a3

Scotch game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nb5 Bb4+ 6. Bd2

Scotch, Rosenthal variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nb5 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Qxe4+ 7. Be2 Kd8 8. O-O Bxd2 9. Nxd2 Qg6

Scotch, Fraser attack
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nf3

Scotch, Steinitz variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nc3

Scotch, Schmidt variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6

Scotch, Mieses variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5

Scotch, Tartakower variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Nd2

Scotch game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5

Scotch, Blackburne attack
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Qd2

Scotch, Gottschall variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Qd2 d5 8. Nb5 Bxe3 9. Qxe3 O-O 10. Nxc7 Rb8 11. Nxd5 Nxd5 12. exd5 Nb4

Scotch, Paulsen attack
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Bb5

Scotch, Paulsen, Gunsberg defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Bb5 Nd8

Scotch, Meitner variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Nc2

Scotch, Blumenfeld attack
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. Nb5

Scotch, Potter variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3

Scotch, Romanishin variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb4+

1 = Lolli (Both knights capture opposing pawn)
2 = General / Less common replies
3 = Classical
4 = 4...Qh4
5 =
7 = Schmidt
22 = Tartakower
28 = Mieses
29 = Meitner
44 = Haxo Gambit

BluePM meant to write 4.d4 (instead of e4): https://bluepigman.github.io/Chess-... You should check the analysis for yourself.